Constant Squinting

[nutteetart]

Hi everyone, I am new here and am suffering really badly with chronic DES.

It is made more complicated by the fact that I am under a lot of stress and I suffer with anxiety, panic and depression. To add to this list I now squint constantly to the point where my face aches and I have deep wrinkles appearing.

I wondered if anyone else suffers with this and if you know of any ideas to help.

I have just started Zoladex for three months which effectively wipes out my estrogen and i am hoping this may have a positive effect as I am aware that hormones can have an affect on DES.

Any thoughts?

Thank you
Nutteetart x

[NotADryEye]

Hi there.
Do you feel you are getting good care? I ask because things can quickly spiral out of control and get worse if you aren't doing the right treatments and if you aren't also treating the underlying causes.
Did anyone tell you anything more specific besides just DES?

[nutteetart]

No. I have seen my opthalmist twice who has given drops and said that plugs are my next option but I am not sure I can cope with that right now. My anxiety is pretty debilitating.

I can hardly see to be honest. I am closing one eye most of the time and using lacrilube and celluvisc like its going out of fashion! I keep bumping into things because I am one-eyed and my vison in general is awful at the moment. This all came on so quickly!!! I went from noticing a mild squint 18 months ago then last summer I was completely debilitated.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[NotADryEye]

I'd suggest getting an appointment ASAP and telling the doctor about your anxiety and how debilitating it is. The ingredients in the drops, e.g. cellulose, may be causing irritation. I haven't been able to use any drops for any length of time and irrigate once a day with two squirts of a sterile saline solution for which I have a prescription. Anything else is irritating in the long run.
Can you describe your pain and discomfort more specifically? Is it pain, burning, soap, menthol, etc. When does it start and how long does it last e.g. 1 hour after waking, constant, etc.
Did the opth tell you to apply warm compresses?
Did you have an injury in your eye before you started squinting?

Also, where are you located?

[chimera]

oh wow I could have written the original post. I too suffer from anxiety & panic attacks, & have been long b4 I had DES. I have been on antidepressents for it since the 90's & its so severe I am disabled b/c of it.

Do you take any anti-depressants? They supposedly may cause DES.

and b/c of my DES I too have become a chronic squinter. Its wreaking havoc on the skin around my eyes.

[nutteetart]

Thank you for replying.
I am based in Kent UK and i am taking pregabalin for anxiety for which i have suffered from for 13 years. it has disabled me to the point where i no longer drive or go anywhere alone. This is now even worse since having Des. My eyes are sore, gritty and burning and my face aches from squinting and closing one eye all the time.
I have been keeping a score for the last 50 days on how good they are and nearly half have been as bad as 8/10.
I have just been diagnosed with a condition that could be related to a hormone imbalance but i cant envisage my life being anything else but an anxious and vision impaired trial. so sorry to be so negative. feel a bit broken x

[NotADryEye]

On another post, someone from the UK mentioned Moorefields. You might look into them.