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**PotatoCakes** · 30-Jun-2011, 21:04

If you haven't tried a warm compress, I'd start there. The easiest / cheapest way is to fill and old athletic sock with rice, tie a knot and throw it in the microwave for a tiny bit. I've found that 26 seconds is perfect, then I wrap a warm, wet washcloth and wrap it around the sock, place on my eyes anywhere from 5-10 minutes. It's better than a towel because it maintains heat for the duration of the time you need it. Be careful not to let it get too hot because that can cause damage.

I have tranquil eyes and like them but have found that saran wrap works better for me at night. I'm a stomach sleeper and Tranquil Eyes are a little uncomfortable when you're sleeping on your face. I use my tranquil eyes for relaxation, etc though because they are comfortable and versatile (heat, moisture, etc options).

**balor123** · 30-Jun-2011, 21:09

I use a warm compress now. I fold it over a few times and the heat seems to last 10-15min. Maybe it's too hot but I don't know how to tell. My PCP recommended using a potato. With what I'm doing, my Opthal says my eyes are very clean and he hasn't mentioned any damage. I would think it would be the eyelid and not the cornea, no?

I would like ot give tranquileyes a shot but I'm just not sure what I should be buying. Their website doesn't say much about the differences between the packages. I'm somewhere between a side and stomach sleeper so I think I could train myself to sleep on my side. At this point I'm desparate enough to try anything

**MaryVa61** · 03-Jul-2011, 04:05

I tend to be a stomach sleeper too, so I understand. Personally, I love my Refresh PM ointment at bedtime. The nightime Systane ointment is pretty good too. And a humidifier in the bedroom is nice at night, though I don't need it at night for my eyes, just for my sinuses. Apparently my eyes stay shut at night. I do have to be careful about detergents and fabric softeners used to wash the pillow case due to some chemical sensitivities. That problem can really mess up my eyes during the night if I use the popular brands, even the unscented ones.

For compresses when needed, I just got a heat/cold gel pack with a fabric cover, at the local pharmacy, made for wrists (small) and follow the directions for microwaving. At first I thought it wasn't getting hot enough when I followed directions but learned quickly that it shouldn't be hot because that makes things worse. It should just barely be warm. And my Opthlamologist said he thinks it's best to use it for just 5 minutes a few times per day. But I suspect personal experimentation with timing and frequency is best.

I'm also being evaluated for possible Sjogren's right now, but not at all sure that will turn out to be my underlying disorder. But I did have morning tension headaches (severe, like Migraines) almost daily and what worked was daily Magnesium supplements. They work like a charm for me. If you try them, there are website to help you figure out the dosage, based on your weight, and also the amount of Calcium you'd need to take so the Magnesium can do it's job. And they say to try Magnesium Citrate or any of the others rather than the Oxide because Oxide just isn't absorbed as well. The Magnesium also stopped my nighttime teeth clenching/TMJ. I spoke to my neurologist about the Magnesium and he loves the stuff. He thinks everyone should take it.

Good luck to you in finding relief. It's out there. It just takes time to find it.

Mary in VA

**y-gwair** · 05-Jul-2011, 12:29

Originally posted by balor123 View Post

Hi everyone,
Also had a positive SS-B antibody (Sjogren's) but no diagnosis yet.

I think positive SS-B would be considered diagnostic of primary Sjogren's, unless your doctors think there may be an overlap with lupus (occasionally lupus presents with SS-A without other markers), make sure you see a rheumatologist if you haven't already, plaquenil can help a lot with the symptoms of these diseases and help slow their progression, particularly if you start early.

Anyway, I have a lot of problems at night. Sometimes I wake up with severe eye pain that lasts 1-2 hours but most of the time they are just sore, irritated, and red. Recently started developing morning tension headaches and I think it may be due to the eyes. Anyone else have the same experience? I'm not sure if its the dry eyes themselves or the Lacri-Lube that I'm using before going to sleep.

I had the same problem, and the lacrilube made it a lot worse, I think a lot of people find it hard to tolerate. I tried Simple Eye ointment, but that was just as bad. Recently I read somewhere that these shouldn't be used with blepharitis, as they tend to trap inflammatory substances against the eye surface at night. I'm inclined to agree with this, as I also noticed the night discomfort was worse after I had plugs fitted.

One thing I have found made a difference was using Steri-lid foam. I was very sceptical as 've tried all the other suggested forms of lid hygiene (cotton buds/baby shampoo, lid wipes) which just seemed to increase irritation, but since I started using this my eyes have been much less sore at night/morning, suggesting that bacteria/inflammatory break-down products of meibum were at least partially responsible for the problems in my case. I did forget one night, and the following morning one lid was very swollen/sore, so I think it must be doing something.

I did try a microwavable 'eye bag' compress suggested by my ophth, it did seem to help with MGs, esp. if placed over a damp flannel to create some steam. I think 'little and often' is best, and not too hot (if it feels hot to hand touch, it's too hot for your eyes. I hold it in my hands to take the heat off for a few minutes before using). Even so I couldn't tolerate even slight heat as my facial rosacea is so bad at the moment.

My eyes are a lot better now than a few months ago, I'm not sure whether all the interventions (plugs, anti-inflammatories, hygiene, lid massage, fish oil) have cumulatively helped to bring the condition under control, or whether they were just due to go into a remission phase by themselves.

**balor123** · 06-Jul-2011, 04:57

Got the tranquileyes last night. I thought they would work with my CPAP full face mask but the pressure was too much.

**balor123** · 17-Jul-2011, 08:55

Got the Onyix silicon eye mask last week and it works great so far! It leaves marks under the eyes in the morning but they go away after an hour or two. I still produce tears so this is the perfect product for me I think.

**abbygirl** · 17-Jul-2011, 09:29

I am so glad you like the Onyix eye mask!! I just ordered mine yesterday and am hoping it does the trick and that I can sleep OK with it on. I am a side sleeper and a light sleeper too.

**Rebecca Petris** · 17-Jul-2011, 19:49

Originally posted by balor123 View Post

Got the tranquileyes last night. I thought they would work with my CPAP full face mask but the pressure was too much.

I'm so glad the Onyix is working well for you but I thought having seen this that I would comment on the pressure issue. This is perhaps the most common reason for people to not adopt Tranquileyes as their nighttime solution. I've often made suggestions here about potential workarounds including slicing the pads lengthwise, etc.

However another option I've probably never mentioned here is the Tranquileyes XR goggle. When this first came out I just thought of it as the extra-large size for people that find Tranquileyes too small (strap too short, eyecups too small). But I have been talking and emailing with more XR users and have discovered a lot of people who don't have a 'size' issue are just plain finding it a better solution. It's not putting pressure on their eyes and it covers a larger area. I know it's more expensive and it doesn't have all the accessories available yet but just want to mention it for people who can't use Tranquileyes but don't get quite enough help from the silicone shields.

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