Diet tips please

[Faith1989]

I appreciate your opinion. I do respectfully disagree. I think if rosacea is the issue (I know this isn't the only cause) diet will help.

The less sugar I eat, the less inflamed my eyes and skin are.

[dominorose]

Notears: I think every case is unique. After reading TONS of posts on this board, I am now convinced what could work for one, could not for the other.

And for your record : computer breaks, stress reduction and humidifiers are NOT medications intended to cure our eyes either.

[cathy8889]

Im coming to feel the same way, I really feel mine is environmental and due to stress and crying, but I am still cutting out certain foods, I just cant seem to find any correlation between things i have done or ate and how my eye feel. Like today my right is very sore and all i want to do is put lots of drops in but i didnt eat anything different yesterday. However I do think that some dry eye causes are linked to diet. Im really in the middle on this, because I keep thinking if I reduce the free radicals in my body and the bad inflammation this has only got to help my lacrimal glands.

I think having a health diet helps you cope with lifes stresses better in general because it enables you to see things with better clarity which in turn reduces stress and upset and in turn helps with dry eyes.



[QUO,TE=No tears in ATL;92483]I'm going to be the outlier here and say that diet, since I've been fighting this for the last 8 years, makes a mild if no difference at all. I have tried no carb, low carb, high carb, anti-rosacea---you name it. If you want to go ahead and try a certain diet, and supplement that with whatever, then go for it, but I personally have resigned myself to the fact that dry eye disease is an unfortunate degenerative DISEASE where symptoms can only be minimized and managed to a degree.

Would you fight HIV with a gluten-free diet? No, you would not.

Sorry if that seems pessimistic. If anyone tells you that gluten, or carbs, or dairy is causing the problem, and you haven't been officially diagnosed with celiac disease, lactose intolerance, etc., then I believe they are selling you snake oil. Gluten "allergies" and "intolerance" are nonsense and marketing, and if you don't believe me, please go look it up.

That being said, I wouldn't go out and eat a carton of donuts every day. That's going to invite a host of problems beyond dry eye. But there are a number of people on here who eat "clean," who are even strict vegan, and there is no difference. Go ahead and try what you want, but don't expect a miracle.

What works, in my opinion: The right pharmaceuticals, such as doxycycline or restasis, if you can tolerate it. Fish or krill oil can be a toss up, but it won't hurt you. Above all, lifestyle and environmental changes: low stress, breaks from screen usage, compresses, keeping a healthy level of humidity.

Again, I don't claim to be a medical professional, but I don't see the need for people on here to torture themselves with severe dietary restrictions that in the end, create a stressful situation in-and-of themselves. Rant over. : )[/QUOTE]

[cathy8889]

There is a strong indication that dry eye can be caused by too much computer use so I do think in the future more and more people will have dry eye - http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/826521

So I think reducing computer use could cure dry eye for some people.

From personal experience too, I strongly believe that having a stress free life makes you less prone to dry eye syndrome. I notice my eyes are much worse when I am sat there worrying about something and getting anxious so I strongly believe that if I can manage my stress through yoga and better eating I can help reduce stress which I believe enables my glands to produce enough tears. I notice a correlation between my eyes and my mood most definitely.

My dry eye is definitely caused by stress I believe.

Notears: I think every case is unique. After reading TONS of posts on this board, I am now convinced what could work for one, could not for the other.

And for your record : computer breaks, stress reduction and humidifiers are NOT medications intended to cure our eyes either.

[DryLondoner]

Cathy,

I'd agree about stress 100%. But I think the main point, as someone has already pointed out (think dominorose did), is that the causes is so different for everyone.

Regardless of what caused it, as you say eating healthy/well has to help! And if you notice you are intolerant to certain foods it would make sense to cut them out. Before dry eye I would absolutely everything. and my eyes would be fine, although my skin would flare up. I don't think I have any correlation between food and eyes, but I hope eating well will help my eyes heal.

Hope you are doing ok. x

[DryLondoner]

I know a few people, who have very bad bloodshot eyes because they are sat in highly conditioned rooms staring at a computer all day. I couldn't get to that paper, as I don't have an account. Could you cope and paste the results here?

[cathy8889]

Hi DryLondener,

Youre right to point this out, sorry I should have said as it is what I believe too, everyone has different causes. I think food can make a huge difference for some people, I have not dismissed it completely, I need to get my right lacrimal gland producing more tears but I dont know how, my left seems to be doing ok depsite having two pings in both eyes. I justwish an ophthalmologist would look a bit further than skin deep

Hope youre doing ok too x

Cathy,

I'd agree about stress 100%. But I think the main point, as someone has already pointed out (think dominorose did), is that the causes is so different for everyone.

Regardless of what caused it, as you say eating healthy/well has to help! And if you notice you are intolerant to certain foods it would make sense to cut them out. Before dry eye I would absolutely everything. and my eyes would be fine, although my skin would flare up. I don't think I have any correlation between food and eyes, but I hope eating well will help my eyes heal.

Hope you are doing ok. x

[DryLondoner]

Cathy, that is strange that only one eye is deficient. Or is normal for none surgery folk? To me it suggests that it is something mechanical with that eye opposed to a holistic problem with your system. Would you agree?

Have you ever considered eye nerve issues? I am thinking because I had a confocal recently, which showed that my eye which was had fewer regenerated nerves and a thinner epithelium. Obviously, your case is completely different...

I know what you mean about going deeper than the surface - it seems unless it is sight-threatening it is not taken as seriously. Shame, as some many of us are suffering in terms of quality of life. I suppose with more computer induced dry eye expertise and interest should grow. I teach computing, and ensure every 20 minutes we take a break and do blinking exercises!!! We talk in detail about screen brightness/blink rate/muscle strain etc. Guess if that helps some of my kids in the future that's something!!

[DryLondoner]

Which makes me think, we really should have a dry eye awareness campaign in schools...

[spmcc]

I'm seriously thinking of subjecting me to this imupro300.
Here in Brazil they send the blood to a lab in Germany do the analysis.

Hi Andre,

The only reason I'd have Imupro300 is to compare the results with my other food allergy/sensitivity/intolerance test done in Dec 2010. I had to eat a bunch of foods on a list (i.e., food challenge or exposure). The list was LONG, and I had to eat everything twice so that they'd capture both IgE ("immediate") and IgG ("delayed") reactions to the foods. I planned everything very carefully for two weeks of eating. The test was done by Rocky Mountain Analytics (http://rmalab.com/our-tests/food-reactions).

The results said I was allergic/sensitive/intolerant to beef which I don't eat and haven't eaten since the early 1980s. I asked my ND how I could possibly have both IgE and IgG antibodies to beef. She couldn't explain it.

Since then I've read so many different things about food testing (e.g., http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...article535082/ with Dr. Lavine's CMAJ paper here: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/6/666)

Even on Rocky Mountain Analytics' website, they say:

IgG testing for food is not considered diagnostic for food reactions because a direct cause-effect relationship has not been firmly established.

So, I happen to agree with both NoTearsInAtl and Faith because I don't really see a relationship between food and eyes (I don't notice any reaction, immediate or delayed)... HOWEVER, I do have rosacea (facial and ocular) and I have definite reactions with on my face to certain foods (e.g., tomatoes, citrus, wine and on and on). I may flush almost instantly or I will have a break-out (P&Ps) later or the next day. I basically have tried to cut out these foods listed by the National Rosacea Society (NRS): http://www.rosacea.org/patients/materials/triggers.php.

And, of course, I assume/hope that cutting out food triggers for my facial rosacea may help my eyes.

Strangely (?), none of my facial rosacea triggers showed up as a food allergy/sensitivity/intolerance on the Rocky Mountain Analytical test. They don't seem to provoke an IgE or IgG reaction. It's a pickle (which I also can't eat due to rosacea).

All the best.
Sheila

[dominorose]

Sheila, I've noticed the same thing: absolutely no direct reaction/flare, but a delayed one, which makes things even more complicated... The only real impact I can pinpoint for now is a slight flare after eating foods high in histamine. But I have to test if it is a real culprit or not...

[Faith1989]

I just notice the more carbs and sugar, the more redness.. If the dieting helps the skin, it should in turn, help the eyelids..
It takes time for diet changes to take effect. I know gluten and dairy are huge no's. I am a firm believer in brady barrows diet. I don't follow it to a T, however the more I stray, the more red comes back on the lids. Cleaning and doxy are also essential. Sagg fixed her MGD using this diet.

[dryeye4ever]

I dont understand how are diary products not good? I was recommend to drink milk, yogourt which contains milk powder (lactoferrin) which is good.

For dieting, green tea, water, milk, fruits and as well as thera tears omega 3 should do it. It all depends on your diagnoses but if any of you has mild dry eye. A good abstinence from the computer and working on diet for 3-4 months is enough to fix chronic dry eyes.

One thing I hate about this forum is that everyone seems so complicated with dieting for dry eyes but its an inflammation and we all know foods that help with that, you dont need to be a nutrionist. However, Ive no idea on the different forms of dry eyes such as MGD, evaporative dry eyes or etc etc. All I now about is common mild dry eye which can be caused by staring at the computer too much which has a high level of brightness so im no dry eye expert either. If your condition can be fixed well you have to make sacrifices for it.

[dominorose]

Abstinence from the computer... Yes, but I have to work to pay my bills and all the dry eye related stuff. And I also have to educate myself, and I can't count on any opht for that. I have to spend hours on google to find any tips to help myself.

As for green tea : big no no for me. It is really individual. I dont think I'm a "mild dry eye" case, but a severe one. And I still use the computer because it's the only thing that kept me alive and hopeful the past three months.

[dryeye4ever]

Abstinence from the computer... Yes, but I have to work to pay my bills and all the dry eye related stuff. And I also have to educate myself, and I can't count on any opht for that. I have to spend hours on google to find any tips to help myself.

As for green tea : big no no for me. It is really individual. I dont think I'm a "mild dry eye" case, but a severe one. And I still use the computer because it's the only thing that kept me alive and hopeful the past three months.

Try it, green tea not only has miracle curable power but it can calm stress which is required for dry eye patients. As for computer use i was a few times in a position to do it but now that im financially poor no way for me too but you never know. If you ever think financially you are fine one day you could be able to do it.