Conjunctivitus treatment

[Caroline]

Hi

I've had dry eyes for 4 years after LASIK. I've recently been having occasional intense itchy eyes with red eyes and a sticky discharge in my eye in the morning that i don't normally get. During the day these symptoms subside. I'm wandering as i 've only had it the last 2 months if it is bacterial conjunctivitus. I've started using chloramphenicol which has phenlmercuric nitrate in it that i bought in the chemist which treate conjunctivitus. I'm not sure though if this is safe to use if you have dry eyes.

DOes anyone know? i'd be gratfeul if you could let me know.
Caroline

[dnew85]

Caroline,

I am sorry that I do not know the answer to your question but I did notice that you said that you had dry eyes for 4 years after you had lasik surgery. Would I be accurate in assuming that after year 4 your dry eye symptoms finally went away? Was it a gradual improvement over the years? What treatments if any were you on to help to treat your symptoms and speed up the healing process.

I ask because I will be having my three year lasik anniversary next week and i have seen some data that shows that nerve healing can take up to five years. I am hoping to improve significantly and consistently as time goes on.

Thanks,

Dave

[Caroline]

Goblett cells

Sorry to say the dry eye has not gone away. I was just saying they had recently got worse. The antibiotic medicine seems to be helping though and its greatly increased my TBUT in my left eye. There is something bacterial about dry eye symptoms. It maybe the case the dry eye returns when i stop using the ointment. Though my right eye feels a bit worse and i think thats the chemicals hitting the dry spots.

I don't give up hope though of working out this dry eye by doing lots of research. I hear what you are saying about the 5 year time for tear flow to come back, i'm hoping that too when i reach the 5 year mark. However i think it may well be the case my nerves have already healed ok in my eyes but because of the epilethium damage from the dry eye that i now have to try and repair that in order to get back to normal. I unforunatley used an eyedrop with BAK in it during the recovery time which damaged my dry eyes and made them worse. I think i have more dry spots now and low numbers of goblet cell density. This is what happens with dry eye over time. Working in dry over heated offices at a computer did further damage too.

I don't know the best way to repair lost goblet cells. I've been reading that Vit A helps the goblet cell produce mucus and keeps the top layer of the eye healthy. As well as Vit B6, essential fatty acids and Vit C. Its easy not to eat enough vit A in your diet and become deficient. I'm also considering buying Optive which has glycerin in it which apparently helps moisturise the deeper layers of the epelithium. Also wandering what Vit A eye drops there are (other than restatis). Anyway there has to be a way but i don't think it is that easy. I used to think it was just a case of the aqueous tear bit restoring again with nerve rehealing, and maybe it is, but i also think once there is reduced goblet cells dry spots will appear and with those inflammation. Apparently the inflammation desensitises the nerve endings which means you produce fewer tears. A viscious cycle is thus continued outside of the initial LASIK dry eye. My theory (at the moment) is to try and repair this which should lead to healing and a restored tear film.

Best of luck, don't give up. There is so much research being done on new eye drops that can have a theraputic effect on the eyes that they've got to find something good soon. I'm thining of trying the water mist spray as well (naturemist or something) and that doesn't flood the eyes and wash away goodness, it also has Vit A in it i think. Anyway lots to try.

Caroline