How do people close to you respond to your dry eye syndrome?

[dryeye4ever]

As a kid i always grew up as a bipolar kid with no social life. Then a few times ago, I felt depressed now im rly depressed cuz of dry eye. my family thinks im crazy cuz they think my eyes are normal. My family just doesnt understand the fact that i cant do things i used to before. They think dry eye is a small problem that where you just have to put drops in. On the positive note, this accident made me realize how being social and doing something of its life isnt that hard, made me a stronger person.

[littlemermaid]

Does anyone volunteer with or get help from eye charities in the US? Or is this more normal in UK.

We are finding no support from adult family, esp emotional, financial and practical, although the children are fantastic, open, accepting, and very caring, and this is more likely to be seen as an inconvenience spoiling the holiday (which I've arranged and paid for). Same with school because LM gets top grades unless she's got IH (intracranial hypertension, which is bad headache, confusion, wavering vision) or red eye flare (burning surface pain, photophobia), so the pressure is permanently on because of school league tables.

But plenty of support from other people who are ill with other conditions or have sick kids, and we help each other eg I help with their kids, hospital run when they can't drive, learn what to do if they have a fit, endlessly talk about treatments, phone up after the operation, feed the cat, whatever. This is human nature. It goes both ways. People know they can ask but that LM and I will call favours too. We have found mutual support, sometimes in surprising places, but never anyone local with the same conditions.

LM is volunteering for St John's Ambulance service this year as a junior (first aid charity) and Brownie leader (Girl Guide Association). These places are full of kind practical people. Her teenage friends are mostly fantastic and will say 'you need to put eyedrops in' or close eyes or phone mum. Some will look after her if she's pushing it eg late night film and sweets, but others won't care - again, human nature. She has similar hardworking/partying teenage friends with eg diabetes I, migraine, chronic back pain, severe allergy, and they all have days when they can't do stuff and there's a big risk when they go out and about.

It's very rare that other adults in charge of children can take all this on unless they are nurses so we bond with the assigned first aider for school trips and do all the 'training' - provide paperwork for insurance, doc's letters, very clear Care Plan with emergency contacts etc. Going to Europe on tour with school was an eye disaster and luckily there was a GP parent helper (heaven) - 3 eye doc visits to sort that one out back home and she's only just stabilised. But she still says it was unmissable and the most exciting thing she's ever done.

On the positive note, this accident made me realize how being social and doing something of its life isnt that hard, made me a stronger person.

Absolutely, Dryeyes. Are you back out there getting on with enjoyable things these days? The best thing that has helped us with despair and depression is sitting and walking outside just totally focussing on the moment, deliberately thinking of nothing much. It's amazing what you start to notice - birds and animals everywhere, raindrops on flowers and cobwebs, lovely smells, warm breeze, Fall leaf colours, sparkling frost. This is a good healing therapy, very instinctive to life. Keeping going on a daily basis we use music, films, audio/books and comedy shows.

Animals are very very therapeutic and some of them are more sympathetic than humans if you're not well and will wait for you on walks and sit with you for comfort - LM does dogwalking and petsitting for pocket money - it's a joy, gets her out in the fresh air and the animals go back after.

[MeibomianGlandman]

Well I guess that most would fit in a few groups.

Father-Doesn't Understand, or Care
Mother-Doesn't Understand But does Care
Siblings-Think I'm Strange and just don't try hard enough lol
Friends-Don't understand, Think Strange, but are Supportive

Doctors-Understand, Supportive but until the money runs out lol