artificial tears - how long to use them for before trying another one?

[redandunhappy]

Hi all,

I've tried to look for the answer on this forum but can't find it.

I've been recently diagnosed with blepharitis and MGD (in particular I have evaporative dry eye so I am not producing enough oil) and my opthamologist thinks artificial tears will help me.

However everything I've tried so far seems to make my eyes feel worse. They are not particularly stinging when I put them in, they just don't help with the dryness and overall I think they make my eyes feel more sore than if I hadn't used them. So far I've tried celluvisc, viscotears, and vismed.

BUT, I am wondering if I am giving these drops long enough for my eyes to get used to them. I tried to give celluvisc a good go and used them for two weeks, but the others I stopped using after a couple of days.

So my question is, is there a minimum amount of time (say a month) that it takes for our eyes to become desensitised and get used to using an artificial tear?

And then if our eyes do get used to using a drop, how long would you expect it to take before you might see any improvement?

I'd be really grateful for anyone's help with this as I don't know whether I'm discounting various drops too quickly, when they might actually help if I persevere with them....

Many thanks in advance

[kitty]

Two to four weeks should suffice in my experience

[redandunhappy]

Hi Kitty,

Thanks for the response...

Did you mean 2-4 weeks to allow yourself to get used to a drop?

Or 2-4 weeks before you should see an improvement?

Many thanks

[irish eyes]

I'd be really grateful for anyone's help with this as I don't know whether I'm discounting various drops too quickly, when they might actually help if I persevere with them....

Many thanks in advance

This is a tough one. I've gone well beyond a month in some cases - just to give myself the benefit of the doubt. Some seem to work for a while and then for no apparent reason - my eyes start objecting and I've had to give up. This has become worse in recent years and I think it might be because my eyes are getting more fragile and sensitive.

I'm on autologous serum now and I occasionally use Genteal gel at night time. That isn't bad at all (for me anyway!!) and it means I'm not waking up too much with discomfort.

[Britta]

same here

I have mgd due to ocular rosacea and was also told to take artificial tears. After about one week my eyes became worse than they had ever been before: dryer, redder, more painful. I woke up at night from a sandpaper feeling. I think that these drops destroyed what was left of the balance between lipids and liquids in my eyes. Like you I first thought I would have to be persistent and even increased my daily dose. Having taken artificial tears for about two months it then took me half a year to get back to where I was before my first eye doctor appointment.

[redandunhappy]

still not sure!

Hi, thanks for your replies.

Britta, sorry to hear about your awful experience with artificial tears. You must never want to touch them again...

So is the consensus that if they don't feel good, to stop using them?

Irish eyes, when you say you've gone for more than a month, to give them the benefit of the doubt - did you find your eyes adjusted to those drops eventually? or not?

Thanks

[irish eyes]

Irish eyes, when you say you've gone for more than a month, to give them the benefit of the doubt - did you find your eyes adjusted to those drops eventually? or not?

Thanks

No, sadly they didn't.

I still live in hope though.