Please post your flying experiences....

[Smithy K]

Hiya

Been diagnosed for about 2 months with Dry Eye (dont know the reason), and I want to fly to NC USA..... I am very scared but I cannot spend the rest of my life only half living it.

Does anyone have any flying experiences? I did go on a plane 2 weeks after diagnosis and it was only a 2 hour flight - the outward was horrible (but I had drunk a pint of lager before boarding - VERY BAD! - put drops in every 20-30 mins), and the return was not too bad - drops only 3 times ish.(Had drunk water)

The flight to NC is around 7-8 hours - I am soo scared that the dry air is going to dry every last ounce of fluid from my eyes and leave me sore and red for the duration of the stay.

Any tips?

I know that I should drink LOTS of WATER.
Would 7eye glasses help???
Should I buy tranquil eyes? Do they work???


We had talked about (before Dry Eye) going to Australia Winter 2009 - but that is definately a no no - 24 hours in the air. I cannot push my self to that.
WHY WHY WHY has this ailment come to visit me ?? I keep thinking it is Karma for something bad I must have done - struggle to drink alchohol too now cus of its affects!!!!! Nightmare. I feel very bad for my partner also, as I feel that I am going to ruin his life, with not being able to do certain things. Soo depressing. :O( Need to get my hands of some of those 7eye glasses? anyone know UK stockist??? (Prescription glasses required).

Thanks
Karen

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi Karen,

When you get a little time check out the Travel topic archives as there have been lots of tips posted over the years.

Bottom line is, flying is absolutely doable with some simple precautions. Some kind of environmental control is a must in my opinion. Tranquileyes is an excellent product. A simple sleep mask is also a good (cheaper) alternative). 7Eye or WileyX glasses are great - ideal for long flights where you don't want to have your eyes closed the whole time! and another alternative for flying is Onion Goggles which are very similar but cheap ($20) and with clear lenses - handy for reading, watching movies etc.

[Guest]

Karen

There is no doubt that flying is not good on already dry eyes but I wouldn't let this put you off flying to Australia.

I am an Australian that has been living in the UK for lots of years and do at least 2 return flights to Australia every year.

I keep the fluids up (avoiding alcohol - although a little tipple does put you into holiday mode).

I take loads of drops and gels and also Tranquil eyes as the flight masks provided by the airlines are pretty basic.

I also load up the ipod with my fav tunes and just sit back and try to relax.

I think the important thing is to use drops every hour or so (or as often as you feel necessary) to keep your eyes hydrated, my experience has been if you let them dry out the troubles begin.

Best of luck and do visit Australia, you will absolutely love it, you've said yourself, you can't live your life only half living it.

Warm regards

Ian

[rubyslippers]

I have been able to fly quite comfortably since I got my Synergeyes. I do use more drops while flying, but it is a GREAT improvement.

[Smithy K]

Thank you so so much for your replies.

I am 70/30% in favour of booking that flight now.

I have just googled "Onion goggles"..Oh my god,I am sooo naive.....I didnt realise they are literaly what they say on the tin !! haaa For use when peeling onions...Excellent. Amazon have a pair for £11 !!!! Going to order a pair - they only come in white..doh! I dont care what I will look like !!!!

[odydnas]

Hi Smithy K,

Simply going to the mall or the grocery store is sheer torture for me. But I have little trouble flying because (being in an airport is a diff story):

1. I wear my tranquileyes about 85% of the flight
2. I put in drops every hour
3. I do not watch TV, movies, read, or use computer at all

I know it can make for a boring flight with your eyes closed most of the time, but a good, comfortable flight is worth it to me. And when you do not have your tranquileyes on, make sure you're wearing your onion goggles =)

[Smithy K]

Anyone Else..?
BumP!

[painintheeye]

protective wear and a good sleeping pill!!

I've done two roundtrip long haul flights over 12-14 hours since my dry eye days. I make sure I bring the usual, panoptx glasses, dwelle/dakrina drops and a good sleeping mask but most importantly, I ask my doctor to prescribe me some sleeping pills. It shortens the time that you would need to have your eyes open. It worked great for me because the pills knocked me out for good 6-7 hours which I need anyway because I am usually flying cross time zones and it gives me only less than half of the flying time to kill with a couple of movies and meal time before I am at my destination. Just a thought!

Chris

[Smithy K]

Thanks for that. My Aunt does exactly the same (takes sleeping tabs) and doesnt even have dry eyes!!!!! Sounds like a good idea !!!! Just smother with gel, put goggles and mask on and wake up 6 hours later...bliss!!!!

Are you in the US? Not sure what UK docs think to this (prescription sleeping tabs) but I will enquire.

Ta very much
Karen

[kimby2007]

Flights

I had to fly from NY to Hawaii for my sister's wedding. I went for the sleeping pills route and was just fine. The only problem I had was when I tried to watch a movie but it was possible to fly.

Kim

[skygoddess]

I am a flight attendant, (crazy I know, but just can't give up the perks)

I fly international flights weekly.

My best travel tips,

Evian Face spray . Mist your open eyes, constantly. This really helps !

Close the vent overhead.

Careful with the sleeping pills. I use them constantly, but I think when I do ,my eyes do not close completely.
Plus a lot of the over the counter ones are just antihistamines, which can dry you out.
So I use Glad press and Seal wrap to tape my eyes closed whenever I take one.

The air sick bag is waterproof. Ask the flight attendant ( when she is not too busy of course ) for some ice cubes and keep your drops on ice in the seat pocket.
Use a thicker drop, I like Celluvisc, myself.

Times are tough for airlines these days,
Unless you are up front, hardly anyone gives away eye shades or ear plugs anymore.
Bring your own.

Not exactly dry eye related but ,
ditto on the pillows.
I have a hypo-allergenic pillowcase I bring with me. I don't trust airline or hotel pillows.
Those cuddly travel blankets are worth dragging along.
A sweater, and some warm socks.

I have seen it myself, up in the cockpit there is a gauge for temperature control.
One side reads too hot
The other says too cold.
The Pilots just switch it back and forth between the two sides

[Smithy K]

Thanks for your replies guys.

I am still dithering and am hoping to book that flight next week sometime. I am a worrier from hell ! I read Rory's message and that freaked me out, after 12 hours flying - this sounds as tho it sent him over the edge ! But I know it is Do-able as long as I wear my goggles/lube up frequently, drink lots and lots, and hopefully sleep! I just dont want to get to the US and be depressed and crying(!) if my eyes are hurting and stinging. (I am a weepy ill person..!)If they are, I will want to get straight back on the plane and come home. But I cannot spend the rest of my life like this - at 35 I have got a lot more trips to venture on and just have to get on with it. But the sleeping tablet sounds like the key to a good trip.

My eyes have been very good for the last 3 weeks, during the day - nightime they stick quite a lot Even after re-gelling. But I think that it is a hormonal problem for me..? .


karen

[dianat]

I've always kept my Panoptx goggles in place and have been just fine. I get good crossword puzzle time on flights!

[Amy09]

i flew to london from texas this summer and it was not quite as horrible as i had imagined. bring all your drops and hand sanitizer with you so that you can put more eyedrops in throughout the flight as you see fit. drink lots of water, as you already stated, and if you don't have panoptx, then purchase an eye mask. my eyes can get sensitive to light, so the eye mask helped me with this. bring music or something you can do on the long flight w/out having to use your eyes. best of luck to you!!!

[Smithy K]

Tips on using Tranquileyes on a flight please

Hiya

I have booked my flight! Check!
And bought my Onion Goggles, and Tranquileyes - Check !!!
Havent bought the sleeping tablets yet tho!!! Would rather not take one, but will have them with me just incase I get desperate...(probably a herbal one)

Tips on how to use the Tranquileyes on the flight please....

Which inserts work best?
Just the foam pads?????

Many Thanks
Karen
(PS : I will need a holiday after all of this fretting over a 9 hr flight !)