Is this my life now....???

[Hokucat]

Well there's still A LOT of treatments for you to try, some which various people have mentioned to you in this thread and other threads, so don't give up hope. You'll learn more about other options, now that you are finally going to the specialist at the eye hospital.

Besides sclerals, there is diet, doxycycline, punctual plugs, Restasis/Ikervis, Xiidra, IPL, probing, BlephEx, Prokera, etc. that may be recommended for you based on their diagnosis. The things you've tried so far (Omega 3, drops/gels, goggles, lid scrubs, etc.) can help, but are really only general initial treatments, which alone have not been sufficient for most of us in this forum. So hang in there, you are on the right path now with your upcoming appointment at the eye hospital.

[epicjinx]

I'm not sure I can get xiidra as I'm UK based. Unfortunately can't do ipl because of expenses. I did manage to get through to the eye hospital and I got the opthamologist number I left my name and number. Yet to hear back from her. I do know the UK has ikervis so I'm hoping this maybe an option, doxycycline has never been offered to me by the optician I'm not sure why as he's tried steroid fml and no results in my eyes. I appreciate the responses hokucat, I just feel like sometimes my options currently haven't done much for relief for me, and it's so easy to fall into depression when your eyes are red and such. I have been getting minor head aches and my eyes feel funny at times... like it's maybe to do with inflammation? I'm not too sure.

[Hokucat]

I know you appreciate the responses, Epicjinx. And yes, if your eyes are bothering you, that can certainly cause headaches. Many of us have been right where you are right now, but have gotten better once we found what worked for us. It could be a combination of factors that will help you, not just one thing.

I was where you are now for several years. I also got very depressed and felt like nothing I did was helping, but what gave me some hope was learning more about what was likely causing my condition, and looking into different diet changes and treatments to address it. I was hopeful with each new thing I tried, yet I knew there was a chance it may not work, so limited my expectations.

Often I would bring up certain treatments to my ophthalmologists and specialists which they did not mention...two of these were probing and sclerals, which ultimately made a key difference by unblocking my glands (probing), and helping manage the dryness (sclerals). I also experimented with diet changes, which as I mentioned earlier, drinking the lemon juice in green tea was the game changer that helped my oils flow so my glands did not get blocked up again. So you will have the best chances of beating this by being your own advocate, and working along with your doctors to find out what works for you.

You mentioned earlier your diet is poor right now. Try making some diet changes while you're waiting for the appointment with the specialist. Even with just cutting out the sugar, gluten, and diary, and eating healthier like more vegetables, fruit, salmon, hydration, etc. you may see some improvement over the next few weeks. Keeping a daily journal on what you eat and drink, how your eyes felt that day, meds/drops/supplements taken, hours of sleep, etc. can help identify what helps or worsens your condition. It's worth a try.

[epicjinx]

I've been drinking green tea, helps me feel better a bit. I'm really annoyed nothing seems to work I keep phoning the opthamologist number only to get to leave my name and number.... I luckily only have a few days left at college. I just don't know how I'm going to cope at university or even getting a job whilst at univeristy.

[Hokucat]

Hi Epicjinx. Good the green tea is helping some. Make it really strong (I push the tea bag against the cup with a spoon at least 100 times), and try adding the juice of 1/4 slice of a small lemon or 1/6 slice of a medium/large lemon to it. Based on the Purdue University study below on this, without lemon the body retains <20% of the antioxidants/catechins in the green tea, but by adding lemon juice, the body retains 80% of it. It wasn't until I added the lemon did I notice a material improvement In my eyes. Try drinking it twice a day, in the morning and late afternoon. This helps me more than any drops, meds, or treatments from doctors, and only costs me a few dollars per week. I hope it ends up being effective for you too.

http://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2007b/07...rruzziTea.html

Thank goodness you have only a few days left at college. That will give you a chance to rest your eyes a bit, and focus on what you need to do to get better. Hope the ophthalmologist calls you back soon.

[epicjinx]

I have been drinking honey and chamomile can't say I have any lemon in the house unfortunately. I hope they will do too. I'm so glad as I've nearly completed everything just a few things to hand in, then off for summer. I would like to ask about the lens, do you see the redness from your eyes or are these covered up? I'm very aware of this in myself.

[Hokucat]

Other citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, limes and grapefruit work too with the green tea, and also a vitamin C supplement. These just don't work as well as lemon does, but still increases the antioxidants/catechins the body retains from the green tea. Also, you don't need to put it in the tea, but just consume it close to when drinking the tea.

The sclerals are clear, so do not cover up any redness. However my guess is with the lenses and/or other treatment(s) and diet changes that help make your eyes less dry, the redness should subside. Here's a picture of what the sclerals look like on the eye:

http://eye.keckmedicine.org/complex-contact-lens-prose/

[epicjinx]

So I got an email saying they don't do cancellation and if I need a sooner appointment I need to ask the referrer to make an urgent appointment. My mum seems to think this is stupid of me to ask and just wait. I'm aware of my eyes getting redder... I dunno how to increase my oil or how to cope until I go to the eye hospital. I hate the dryness it really annoys me. Today was hnd presenting work all I could do was apply castor oil then be told to wipe away excess oil in my eyes. It doesn't help much but better than any other drops. My gran also suggested doing nothing about my issue meaning no eye drops warm compress ECT. Which would make me worse. I'm using catacrom/castor oil/carbomer eye drops. Sorry I just really hoped something would work by now. I took double fish oil to see if it would help at all. All I do is sleep and I know university is a few months away but I have no idea how to cope. Things have gotten a bit better but not enough for me to be comfy. I always hoped for relief. I took setraline too... I have one day left next week just to make sure everything is complete. I can't help but stare at my friends and think about the relief they get/clear eyes with minor redness...

[Hokucat]

Well getting a little better is at least going in the right direction. As far as whether to try getting an urgent appointment at the eye hospital, only you know how bad off you are and whether you can wait, so would go with your own gut.

If you do not have lemon, other citrus fruits, or a vitamin C supplement to take with the green tea, perhaps drink some orange juice with the tea. It may not have as much vitamin C as the fresh citrus fruits or supplement, but likely more potent than just having the green tea alone.

[epicjinx]

I have emailed my optician to see if he can make me an urgent referral as I'm not sure how to cope over 3 weeks, if he can't I will just have to wait it out. I'm just hoping that the eye hospital can help me find relief (hopefully) as I'm struggling. I just hope I can get more better so this isn't a bother for me but it seems increasing oil and reducing allergies is a difficult task to do. I just hope for some relief soon as I'm going insane due to the dryness.. I'm even getting scared of looking people in the eyes. My friend keeps telling me to be positive not let it best Me I'm not blind ECT.. . But it is debilatating as it disturbs my work. She says she doesn't notice the redness and everyone has something they don't like about them.

[Hokucat]

Glad you called to see if you can get urgent appointment.

My friend is self-conscious too about her red eyes, and like your friend, all these years I never noticed it. Likely yours will get better as you get more appropriate treatment.

[epicjinx]

I'm hoping with better treatment, unfirnateky I can't get a more sooner one as the appointment I have should've been a few months but instead is a few weeks... time seems to go rather slow! I'm hoping with a bit of hope the next stuff will maybe help.

[ehsan372]

i have mgd and drye eyes for 4 years.
for me just tea tree oil work.

[epicjinx]

How much does tea tea oil work for you? Sigh 14 days and counting I don't know how much more I can take of this disease..... :/

[ehsan372]

i mixed tea tree oil o with my shampo for hair and olive oil for face and eyes.
i think i have demodex mite problem.