Will long term dry eyes lead to blindness

[Hop]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum but not new to having dry eyes. I am currently 33 years old. I have been suffering from dry eyes for like 10 years but only realized it 5 years ago. Previously, I thought I just strain my eyes too much from using the computer, too many late nights etc. Only when the white of my eyes thicken up due to fiction (I guess), then I become worried as I can see the flesh wrinkled up as I move my eyes left and right.

I have all the symptoms of whatever you all have described, so I won't repeat it all over again.

My greatest fear is being blind. Would anyone tells me if this would happen to us?

Thanks.

[hirentherock]

Chances r very less to be a blind from a DETECTED dryness.
Dryness if left untreated may lead to blindness.That is, it will damage cornea.

Also if dryness is too severe( i.e. putting drops 8-10 times per day) can be dangerous to sight saving.

But corneal blindness is something which can be fought(it will be a hard fight).Blindness by glaucome(which damages nerves) cant be reverse as of now.

[magoo]

Hop, there are many posts on this subject here:
http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?p=44145
I hope reading these will ease your fears.

[Rebecca Petris]

My greatest fear is being blind. Would anyone tells me if this would happen to us?

No, it won't. It's a real pain, but it doesn't blind you.

Welcome to the forum. Glad you're here - sorry you need to be.

[Hop]

Thks a lot.

I am really scare about going blind, day and night, I worried myself to death, just thinking of not able to watch my favourite movies, read my books, and not able to see how my son would look like when he grows up, make me wanna cry.

[Hop]

Chances r very less to be a blind from a DETECTED dryness.
Dryness if left untreated may lead to blindness.That is, it will damage cornea.

Also if dryness is too severe( i.e. putting drops 8-10 times per day) can be dangerous to sight saving.

But corneal blindness is something which can be fought(it will be a hard fight).Blindness by glaucome(which damages nerves) cant be reverse as of now.

My tear test result is 2mm on right and 4mm on left. Doctor says it is very serious and I have to put a lot of drops and using ointment before I sleep at night.

Now I feel like crying.

[hirentherock]

Well nothing much to worry hop...
I didnt mean that everyone who has such severe problem wud be blinded.

Proper care is a must in severe cases...like whenever u feel excess pain and other abnormal things in eye, consult ur doctor 1st.

Just that u have to be careful u dont let corneal ulcer to rise.

When i was 8yr old, i had SJS done by sulfa reaction...thats in 1989...in those times there was no optho who had much knowledge to treat or eveb minimize symptoms of dry eyes...I developed severe corneal ulcer in 1992-93 in my right eye...since then i was blinded in right eye...In those days , till 2002-03 my tear production figure was near to 1 and 2....Now its increased upto 13 and 20(left and right)..thanx to Amoniotic membrane transplant,cyclosporine and im most thankful to cautery.

So u can imagine my condition in those days...it runed my choldhood...i still dont remember the bulk of my choldhood...totally memoryless abt it...may be god dont want me to remember the bad days

i assume u have got near to normal vision...right? just that ur eyes r dry...U just need to take proper care...and check various tear increment options.have u tried punctum cautery? it has worked like magic to me.

So dont need to feel bad for this thing...May god bless u...Dont worry... smile...

[Spoon]

I become worried as I can see the flesh wrinkled up as I move my eyes left and right

When i read this i think Conjunctivochalasis. However you have obviously seen a specialist and you would expect them to notice this if you have it. It would be worth having a look into though as this is a surgically treatable cause/contributor to dry eye.

[hirentherock]

I had read somewhere on a website, floaters and flashes r caused by excess liquid going in and out around the retina.Its something which shud be strictly taken care of...2 out of 7 such patients may develop retinal problems in future.

U shud consult a retina specialist only if the flashes persists.
I also had same problem but now its reduced to almost nil.

[Hop]

When i read this i think Conjunctivochalasis. However you have obviously seen a specialist and you would expect them to notice this if you have it. It would be worth having a look into though as this is a surgically treatable cause/contributor to dry eye.

Hey thanks a lot. I finally have a name to this wrinkled problem of mine. I went to many eye specialist. They told me to leave it alone, told me it is due to degeneration, would affected me. Boooooooo.... But whenever I look into the mirror, I feel quite fearful. Then it is usually these wrinkled part that have stinging sensation, and felt super dry etc.

[Hop]

Well nothing much to worry hop...
I didnt mean that everyone who has such severe problem wud be blinded.

Proper care is a must in severe cases...like whenever u feel excess pain and other abnormal things in eye, consult ur doctor 1st.

Just that u have to be careful u dont let corneal ulcer to rise.

When i was 8yr old, i had SJS done by sulfa reaction...thats in 1989...in those times there was no optho who had much knowledge to treat or eveb minimize symptoms of dry eyes...I developed severe corneal ulcer in 1992-93 in my right eye...since then i was blinded in right eye...In those days , till 2002-03 my tear production figure was near to 1 and 2....Now its increased upto 13 and 20(left and right)..thanx to Amoniotic membrane transplant,cyclosporine and im most thankful to cautery.

So u can imagine my condition in those days...it runed my choldhood...i still dont remember the bulk of my choldhood...totally memoryless abt it...may be god dont want me to remember the bad days

i assume u have got near to normal vision...right? just that ur eyes r dry...U just need to take proper care...and check various tear increment options.have u tried punctum cautery? it has worked like magic to me.

So dont need to feel bad for this thing...May god bless u...Dont worry... smile...

Oh dear... your condition sounds so much horrifying.

I have short-sightedness, so far, the doctor just said I have extreme dry eyes. Never mention other problems.

[Hop]

I had read somewhere on a website, floaters and flashes r caused by excess liquid going in and out around the retina.Its something which shud be strictly taken care of...2 out of 7 such patients may develop retinal problems in future.

U shud consult a retina specialist only if the flashes persists.
I also had same problem but now its reduced to almost nil.

So far, I don't experience floaters or flashes, just occasionally blurness which i believe it is due to dryness coz after blinking or putting eye drops, my vision is clear and the occurrence is rare.

[hirentherock]

Then nothing to worry
god bless