dry eyes from computer useage

[jakejohnson007]

THIS TOPIC IS LONG, SO FOR MOST USERS, for whom time is currently at a premium, SCROLL DOWN AND JUST READ THE LAST 2 PARAGRAPHS.



I believe I have some mild version of dry eye, but because of my lifestyle, this problem is very severe for me. I'm a college student studying computer science and will be a computer programmer professionally. I will be in front of a monitor for 10 hours a day. Right now, if I am on a computer monitor for more than 15 minutes, my eyes get extremely fatigued.

I don't remember always having dry eye. The problem was first noticed two years ago. I was in high school, and I was addicted to this online role playing game, Final Fantasy 11. I have now quit the game because of my eyes and because of all the time it took up; I can't play it anymore.

I played the game in obscenely long stretches, 4-6 hours with no breaks except for quick runs to the bathroom. Dry eye gradually became more observable and more extensive. Could it be that playing this game and putting so much demand and use on my tear glands has produced dry eye in that way? I am not so sure. Other players of the game play it in stretches twice as long as I, and do not get any eye strain. Also, when I was a small kid like 7 years ago, I still played a lot of video games and never, ever, noticed any dry eye.

Oral and topical acne drugs may be significant players. I was on megadoses of B5 for awhile, then quit after a few months. I was on isotretinoin [accutane] for 6 months, and that treatment ended 4 months ago. I noticed a very significant increase in dry eye intensity while on accutane; going off the medication has not restored eyes much.

I may also have srojen's syndrome. I have had dry, peeling lips since age 7, but did not notice dry eyes until a decade later.


Now, even typing this post is very difficult. Being on a computer for more than 5 minutes sucks the life out of my eyes. I want badly to become a computer programmer, but m


y eyes and my eyes alone are holding me back. Still, I have a lot of hope that there is a way around this wall.

To be explicit, my eyes seem to produce LOW QUANTITIES of tears. My eyes feel HOT, burning, inflammed. There is mild redness, but for the most part my eyes seem white. There are DARK CIRCLES stemming from the inside corners of my eyes. These DARK CIRCLES are unattractive and have been there for almost a year straight! When I get a lot of sleep, they decrease a bit. Also, I just got on Allegra for allergies about 1 month ago, but this has hardly changed eye health (perhaps even worsened eyes). However, Allegra has definitely cleared up congestion in my nose and throat, allowing me to stop using 20 tissues a day and to breathe through my nose. Sweet.

Eyes are itchy and sore. I have a constant mild headache while using the computer. The headache seems to be coming from the frontal lobe of my brain, near my eyes. Combined sore eyes and headache really damage my efficency while using the computer. After prolonged computer use, I can blink repeatedly and endlessly, and no tears will come out.

Thanks if you're still reading, you're really helping a guy out. I have done this experiment multiple times where I chug upwards of a half gallon of water within a few minutes during a computer/video game session. I notice substantial relief temporarily! HOwever, when I go to relieve my bladder, by that time my eyes are pretty much back to normal (about 20-30 minutes later).

When I am not using the computer, I'm usually fine. I am a bit near-sighted, like 30-40, maybe a teensy bit worse. I have a glasses perscription, but I only wear those when I go to the cinemas or a baseball game. Glasses at such events prevent my eyes getting sore from eye strain. Otherwise, my eyes seem less dry if I go without glasses on constantly.

When I get burning eyes and burning headache from the computer, I go to walk around outside for a half hour or an hour and feel much much better. My eyes 'pop' a bit every now and then and seem to regain their proper form and texture.



So, i pretty much only get dry eyes from computers. Playing computer games is worse than simply typing or browsing. Typing or browsing on a computer monitor is worse than watching TV. Also, my mother experiences eye fatigue after being on the computer for an hour or two, so there could very well be something gene-related.

I am looking for a long term solution to dry eyes; to naturally stimulate my tear glands to increase production permanently. I am also looking for a plethora of small steps i can take to alleviate dry eye. I am willing to be proactive and do lots of research and visit doctors and experiment with supplements myself, but I need you, my friends, to point me in the right directions.

Thanks,
- Jake

[untkicker29]

I think the accutane could very easily be the problem. I only took Accutane for a month and a half, and now five months later I still have dry eye. I dont know if you would consider mine mild or moderate, but I am bothered almost every day by the dryness.
Have you had a Schrimer Test done to test the tear quantity?
I have had the lamp test, flourescent dye test and shrimers test done. My schrimers with anesthesia was an 8 in ly left eye and a 5 in my right eye. My right eye definately feels more dry.
I also have the burning feeling and occasional foreign body sensation.
Let me know if you have had any tests done by a physician.

[Lmchelle]

Have you seen a Doctor?

Hi Jake,

Dry eyes are a pain....take it from everyone here. You don't mention any visits to an eye doctor. I'd start there. Get a diagnosis before spending alot of money and time on treatments that may or may not work. I get dry eyes from computer work, but mine don't sound as miserable as yours, and I'm a post Lasik dry eye victim! Are you using artificial tears? I have a bottle by my computer at all times. I'm dumping them in whenever I need them.

Good luck and hang out with us...there is alot of good information here.

-Lori

[Rebecca Petris]

So, i pretty much only get dry eyes from computers. Playing computer games is worse than simply typing or browsing. Typing or browsing on a computer monitor is worse than watching TV. Also, my mother experiences eye fatigue after being on the computer for an hour or two, so there could very well be something gene-related.

Yeah - you, your mother, and I don't know how many millions of other computer users. It's called a low blink rate and it's activity-driven, not genetic. Your blink rate is reduced to a fraction of its normal rate when you are staring at a screen. It is the blink mechanism which distributes tears on the eye and keeps it properly lubricated. The more you use the computer, the less well lubricated your eyes will be.

That is not, of course, to say that you don't have several other factors going on (drug side effects, maybe reduced lacrimal and/or meibomian output, etc). But it sounds from your whole description that you are sub-clinical UNTIL you start staring at the screen. - Meaning, it's computer use (and perhaps you've got an unusually low blink rate when you use it) that drives your eyes over the edge into full-blown symptoms.

I'm not in the least surprised it gets much worse when you're playing video games. If you think about it the intensity of concentration (hence focus, hence reduced blinking) is much higher with something like that than, say, browsing amazon.com.

I agree with the others about seeing a doc. You might even want to call around and ask practices if their doc deals much specifically with computer vision syndrome (CVS) - yes, there are some doctors who make a speciality of this.

Some basic steps though that I'd recommend are:
- Put a note on your computer reminding you to blink. Really, putting conscious effort into improving your blinking can help.
- You might want to consider wearing goggles while on the computer. This creates a "moisture chamber" around your eyes and reduces evaporative dry eye symptoms. There are several available, and probably Panoptx are the most popular. You'll find a lot of goggles experts on this discussion board.
- Artificial tears. Personally I prefer NutraTear when I'm on the computer, it's the only thing that lasts me long enough to make it worth it, but everyone is different, so experimenting can be useful.

Good luck, & welcome to Dry Eye TALK, nice to have you here.

[Rebecca Petris]

p.s. About artificial tears... coupla tips.

- Don't use anything preserved with benzalkonium chloride.

- If you buy unpreserved unit doses, don't re-use them. Sure, they are more expensive and people try to economise this way, but the risk of contamination is not worth it.

- Don't confuse artificial tears with vasoconstrictors (Visine-type products) which are not good for folks like us and have a nasty rebound effect on dry eye. Make sure any over-the-counter artificial tear says "Lubricant eye drop" which is the FDA description of an artificial tear.

[Rebecca Petris]

Sheesh, 3 posts in a row, sorry about this. Just wanted to mention one more thing. On re-reading your post I'm starting to wonder whether some of your problem is purely vision-related. At your age you can accommodate a heck of a lot, but it may be taking its toll. Maybe a little astigmatism? Or maybe a convergence problem? Just wild speculation here but it wouldn't hurt to get a binocular vision workup when you see the doc.

(Disclaimer, I'm not a doc, just another dry eye patient speculating!)

[jcorbett]

Accutane

Accutane is known to cause dry eyes. You might want to research this drug.
I have seen some good tips on computer usage and dry eyes....like having your monitors lowered so that you are looking down when using the computer. Forces you to blink more, and also less of your eye is exposed so the eye dries out less.
Check any drafts where your computer is. If you don't need glasses, perhaps some non-presciptive glasses will help. I wear those at work...helps me considerably. Anywhere there is a lot of computer equipment the air conditioning is usually running full tilt and the room is draftier than you would think. Also drier.
But I would start with a good vision exam if you have not already had one.

[dianat]

Ditto to everything Rebecca has mentioned. She is SO right about the "Visines" and Murines of the world. Extended use of those drops is not good. I also felt perhaps you should consider having a complete visual exam of your eyes. Perhaps your vision is causing some of your fatigue. Convergence insufficiency is something I looked into for myself because of eye strain. In short, it's where the eyes don't quite work together as efficiently as they should. The issues manifest themselves mainly when reading so I understood.

I'm not a fan of Accutane, and have heard it mentioned as a theory too many times on this bulletin board. My guess is if it were a factor, it wouldn't be interupting tear quantity, but would decrease the amount of healthy oils that mix with your tears. I assume these oils come from those trusty meibomian glands that line your lower lid. You might try the NAC-glutathione supplements folks here are talking about. You'll find some nice long threads on the topic.

Eyedrops that might work for you: The Dry Eye Zone drops - Dakrina, Nutratear, Dwelle and (?) Geez, what's wrong with me... These drops have helped some severely dry eyed patients I know us continue working when nothing else helped...

Also, Systane (unpreserved preferable) is a nice drop.

Lastly, at least for the moment, I also thought it might be wise to use a protective screen over your monitor. I had one when I was doing some intense computer work at a previous job. I bought a really nice on at my company's expense. I'll admit when I used a monitor that did not have this "filter" over it, I felt it. It's addictive...kinda like sunglasses.

Keep us posted on your progress and be sure and see a doc about all this stuff. Jcorbett is correct.

Hey, since you're a computer geek, you could write yourself a program that every few seconds flashes the word "blink" on your screen. If it works for you, maybe Rebecca will sell the program for you en masse on DEZ! What a great idea!

Best of luck to you, Jake.

Diana

[untkicker29]

I have seen four doctors including a dry eye specialist at UT southwestern, and three out of the four (including the specialist) said that I have a tear quantity problem, and that my Meibomian glands looked fine. I have read that Accutane can cause meibomian gland dysfunction, but it completely dries out everything in your body. I was told that I have lack of aqeous tears, and that Accutane probably damaged some of the goblet cells that will need time to rebuild into healthy cells.
This is only my experience, but Accutane definately caused the dry eye problems that I am having.
But like everyone has said, see a doctor soon. Accutane can also cause damage to the back of your eyes.
By the way, what dosage Accutane were you on?
I was on 40mg for a month and then 80 mg for two weeks before stopping because of the dry eye problems

[jakejohnson007]

Thanks all

Hey, thanks for the input and all the advice. I really appreciate it, it's more than I expected, and it's very welcoming.

It will take me a couple of reads to digest all of the suggestions I've gotten so far.

I've been persuaded to call up an array of eye doctors in my area, see if any specialize in CVS, and get some exams, tests, and consultation while I'm still around here before school starts up again in a month.

I'll check those artificial tears out.

I have a screen over my monitor, a flat sort of shield, and it has helped some but certainly nowhere near enough.

I was on either 60 or 80 mg a day of accutane, that for 6 months. It worked wonders on my skin but was damaging to my body. Since accutane attacks eye moisturization as well as joints, and because I have read this from an article about the damages of Accutane, I think accutane use creates a hyaluronic acid deficiency. Is it advisable for me to take HA supplements, and if so, what kind?

Based on advice in this thread, I've changed my daily supplement doseages to:
2000 mg flaxseed oil extract, gel caplets
1200 mg St. John's wort extract (for mood, depression, and social interaction)
a centrum mutivitamin
180 mg allegra pill

I'm REALLY interested in these goggles. Are they simply air-tight chambers or shields, or are they more complex moisture chambers? I'd like to find out more about these and buy an appropriate pair soon. If I ask an optomitrist about these goggles, what do sort of name I refer to them with?


Thank you, generous people.
- Jake

[dianat]

Forget the Allegra if you can. Allergy med are very drying. Many of us here use Panoptx goggles - not given to us by any eye care physician. They are found at Harley stores or online. I found the largest Harley store in my area and tried them all on to make sure I had a good fit.

Also, I believe somebody mentioned this already, but I'll reiterate. There was a suggestion made on these boards a while ago about computer use. The suggestion was to lower you monitor significantly. I'm not sure how exactly one is suppose to to that, but you can be creative. This way as you gaze down at it, you are able to keep your eyelids very low on your eye. It's a great idea for you.

Good luck.

Diana

[Rebecca Petris]

I'm REALLY interested in these goggles. Are they simply air-tight chambers or shields, or are they more complex moisture chambers? I'd like to find out more about these and buy an appropriate pair soon. If I ask an optomitrist about these goggles, what do sort of name I refer to them with?

I don't think they're meant to be completely airtight.

I'd suggest you contact Rosemary Healy. Click here to go to the Panoptx page in our Dry Eye Encyclopedia (incidentally, the encyclopedia may help you with your research).

Like Diana mentioned they are sold at Harley dealerships. You can get them through some eye doctors too. I don't think they are well known among eye doctors. (They are known as Panoptx dry eye glasses or Panoptx goggles.) Actually we are going to be doing a product spotlight on them in our next newsletter for that very reason. There are no magic fixes in the dry eye realm but for many patients good goggles are essential or at least very helpful for comfort.

[jcorbett]

Jake:
St John's Wort can increase dry eye. I have seen it listed as a possible side effect. I did try SJW and I did not notice my eyes seemed worse. But everybody is different.
Allegra - don't know what is in that, but I would check the side effects as some allergy medication and anti-histamines can cause dry eyes. Do you get a dry mouth from it?
Flax seed oil - I have heard that taking the oil directly is better. It must be refrigerated, but it is supposedly absorbed better, and you don't have to take as many pills. But that is a personal choice.
I bought some sunglasses at www.wileyx.com that I like very much. They have a hidden gasket that hugs your face. It is not a airtight fit, but it blocks most of the wind and they don't fog up. They run about $75. I have never tried any of the Panoptyx goggles, so I can't compare.
Good luck.

[jcorbett]

One more thing....

Dianat mentioned a screen to put over your computer to ease eyestrain. I actually wear some very light sunglasses at work and I love them. The glasses block the drafts and help shield my eyes from drying out, and the lightly tinted glasses also help with brightness and eyestrain. I found some very lightly tinted glasses at Wal-Mart and I am constantly getting compliments on my eyewear. People think they are tinted prescription glasses.

[Scout]

St. John's Wort (from http://www.drugdigest.org )

"Some evidence from case reports also seems to associate a higher risk of cataracts with possible eye sensitization to light when St. John's wort is taken. If you use St. John's wort, be sure to use sunscreen and eye protection when exposed to sunlight or artificial light used in sun tanning."

"Because it is broken down by certain enzymes in the liver, St. John's wort may possibly interfere with the use of prescription drugs that are processed by the same enzymes. Some of these drugs are:
* Allergy drugs like fexofenadine (Allegra)"

To read all the information on St. John's Wort:
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/Her...2BWort,00.html

Scout