Question about dry eyes and short term, immediate improvement after a meal..

[Colin P]

In my quest to try and shed some light on reason for my dry-eye, it has now become clear that as soon as i eat; my symphtoms clear-up and go-away for a short while, or at least a huge improvement.
Has anyone else noticed this as well?.......

Ive been looking at the possibilities of Thyroid gland trouble as both an hypo(underactive) and hyperactive thyroid can/will cause dry-eyes,pressure in the eyes and Random bouts anxiety/depression is also a complaint (similair to bi-polar).

When i was discharged(taken out the loop) my Optahmaolagist was supposed to be writing to my G.P to arrange for a thyroid gland test. All ive had is the mandatory blood test, would the standard blood test pick-up Thyroid trouble i wonder? is it in depth enough? Is there a seperate more in-depth thyroid gland test to be had?. And would they only do this, if they picked something up on the initial blood test?.

Just wondering if anyone else has ever gone down this route, and there experience..

[Hopeful2]

Colin, I can't comment on the thyroid testing. I have heard that sometimes people test 'normal' and may still be hypothyroid. I think it has something to do with which thyroid hormone is tested. . . maybe someone else knows more about this.

Have you ever noticed how much your eyes water when you chew and swallow? I find that when I am swallowing lots my eyes get moist. I just can't be eating and drinking all the time

[spmcc]

This phenomenon could be related to the exocrine glands being stimulated. In other words, when we eat, we produce more saliva... and perhaps the lacrimal glands also wake up?!?! But, as Hopeful pointed out, we can't eat all day and night long!

I don't believe there is any connection to the thyroid though...

[Rebecca Petris]

we can't eat all day and night long!

Some of us try our best

You know, for those who get a noticeably beneficial increase in eye moisture when chewing etc, you might try some of the things that Sjgorens patients with dry mouth do to stimulate saliva... chewing sugar-free gum, sucking on sugar-free candies etc.

[Guest]

Hi Colin,

My eyes get more moist when I'm chewing also... just one more pleasure I get from eating haha

[LaDiva]

I've noticed the same thing and guessed that chewing might stimulate the oil glands and everything else! Yes, I feel better after I eat, and I have gained a few pounds!

[poppy]

There are several thyroid blood tests you can have. From memory, the "basic" thyroid test is called TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone test (which is essential to test for thyroid problems, they wouldn't be picked up by any other routine blood test as far as I know). Then there are other thyroid blood tests they would probably do if the first one showed up abnormal; or if they strongly suspected a thyroid problem anyway, I think they are called T3 and T4. You can also check for an enlarged thyroid, a doctor can sometimes tell just by looking at you if you have an enlarged thyroid, or you can get a CT scan done. Enlarged thyroid but normal blood tests might mean thyroid problems will happen in the future.

[Colin P]

Thank's for all the replies guys!
Just goes to show, i'm on my 2nd year of this dry-eye and still learning/finding things out that may be either beneficial or non-beneficial(couldn't think of a better term than 'non-beneficail) to me. So anyone just starting out and thinking it can't get any better, what can i do??. It takes time to fathom things out, and one size does not seem to fit all?.

Anyhow!! I can see the reasoning that chewing may get things going, but i'm not totaly convinced yet? I was more thinking along the lines of somehow food is getting in my blood stream (as it should)and releasing the correct chemical or something like that? which is either dumbing down the pain, or maybe giving me that correct balance in tear composition??? Iv'e tried just sitting there chewing fresh air, also chewing gum and it just makes me feel hungry any tear increase i didn't notice.
I'm worst with dry-eye upon awaking, as ive never really botherd with breakfast previously- and dont feel hungry untill ive been up for a good hour, also anxiety depression does not help, as your appetite is not what it should be, after lunch/dinner (over here it's called 'lunch' if your posh!) i'm better, and better still after evening meal. This i suspected was why i'm worst A.M as ive not eat overnight for 7hrs and no real food untill 12:00 next day..

Maybe i do just have a slightly less tear production than i should, but i'm sure there is something else going on as well, and if i can find out what? then i can go about rectifying things.
I've never had Red-eye. Ive had a pulsing pain in RIGHT EYE-only,, last summer which was dreadfull. I've had (once only) when this first started a crackling/fizzing/pain free sensation in my Right eye- which was definatly not an everyday thing!. I get pure White powdery deposits in nasel and outer corners of eyes-but not as much now and now instead of dry powder it looks a little more like a tear has joined in, and it is more like gloop.
I would say i had severe dry eye from the off, very bad erosions- but not any more? i do not get the pulsing anymore, i reckon i'm now down to traditional 'dry-eyes'- to the extent i dont even put a drop in my Left anymore!! where as it was every 2 hours before and that was too long!. I get the eye strain quite bad and dont drive now unless i have to, and no-longer wake with corneal erosions..

But hey! what do i know about anything to do with medical.. When advised to have my Thyroid gland tested- i panicked as i thought it was located up your bottom!! which i now know is the prostate gland- simple mistake to make... So the chances of me nailing down 'an actual cause' are slim- my quest continues-..

[Storm]

I noticed as well that eating especially a hot meal improves my dry eyes for about 15 minutes. Also exercise that makes we sweat helps for about an hour. Chewing gum doesn't help me.

So all we have to do is eat, exercise and sleep and we will be pain free.

[LaDiva]

Sometimes I wish we had a thumbs up "like" button. LOL I would certainly "like" what Storm just said, and also agree with regard to chewing gum. Actually, it makes me feel worse I think.

[Bill Sonoma County]

Re: Storm's Comment on hot meals

Colin, thanks for starting this discussion and Storm, thanks for making me feel like I'm not the only crazy person in the world. Been noticing for over 20 years that a gym workout or hot meal provide brief (minutes to less than an hour) relief. Chewing gum or consuming a cold meal does not help. No noticeable increase in aqueous tear production accompanies this phenomenon. I have reported this symptomatic info to over a dozen ophthy's over the years. The strange looks I've received!

Bill

[regina]

Hahaha..omgosh colin...thyroid gland and your prostate gland..Only you! You made my day today!