Drops make eyes feel DRIER?

[Betsy]

This was a really great question with great answers. Thank you all for sharing. I myself have found that no drop seems to work for me any better than others and none do much, I have never felt immediate relief. The opthamologist is always encouraging me to try this new drop or that new drop but ultimately there is no difference. And he too says my eyes don't look too bad. But my numbers aren't very good when he does the tests, which isn't often (shirmer not horrible but not normal either, and tear break up super bad, yet he doens't see too much mgd?). Anyway, it's frustrating but at least good to hear that what we feel is real and that doctors just can't see on that microscopic level.

I would like to take a poll to find out if anyone has had any success with any daytime and nighttime drops? I use to use the super thick ones at night but stopped because I felt like they made me worse, but I don't know for certain because I used them in the previous winter when I am so much worse than summer. Even when it rains, and it rains a lot here, I seem to be worse? Why? It's more humid.

Bill it's been a few months, how did the short neck Thera Tears PF work out? Are they in stores too or do they always have to be ordered? I seem to have seen a TT PF product and I thought it had the same ingredients as another product. Thanks!

[sunshinelover]

This was a really great question with great answers. Thank you all for sharing. I myself have found that no drop seems to work for me any better than others and none do much, I have never felt immediate relief. The opthamologist is always encouraging me to try this new drop or that new drop but ultimately there is no difference. And he too says my eyes don't look too bad. But my numbers aren't very good when he does the tests, which isn't often (shirmer not horrible but not normal either, and tear break up super bad, yet he doens't see too much mgd?). Anyway, it's frustrating but at least good to hear that what we feel is real and that doctors just can't see on that microscopic level.

I would like to take a poll to find out if anyone has had any success with any daytime and nighttime drops? I use to use the super thick ones at night but stopped because I felt like they made me worse, but I don't know for certain because I used them in the previous winter when I am so much worse than summer. Even when it rains, and it rains a lot here, I seem to be worse? Why? It's more humid.

Bill it's been a few months, how did the short neck Thera Tears PF work out? Are they in stores too or do they always have to be ordered? I seem to have seen a TT PF product and I thought it had the same ingredients as another product. Thanks!

Betsy, what is your dry eye story? You, re situation seem so like mine. I also have moderate schirmer, superbad tbut, much worse in winter AND oddly enough in rainy whether!! Men neither can understand why this is so. Drops works sometimes, when eyes are not too bad, not not at all when bad!,

[Betsy]

Hi sunshinelover,
I am sorry you are suffering too, I completely understand. The whole rain business sure is confusing. And I do better in the summer even though our summers aren't very humid. If I could afford it, I would move to Southern California. The sunshine makes me happy and better for our eyes, especially near the beach. If I had thought of it first, I would have used your username My story is basically that I was diagnosed with Sjogren's a while back but it took a while and many appointments to get the diagnosis. Initially it began with dry eyes, the rest of me didn't dry out when my eyes did, but within months I noticed that too.

What's your story and what part of the world are you in?

I keep forgetting to change the setting to getting email notification of replies, I wish it defaulted to that

[indrep]

There are several reasons a specific artificial tear could cause "drier" sensation.
The pH of the tear.
The hypertonicity of the tear.
An allergic reaction to an ingredient.
Preservative sensitivity.

[bakunin]

There are several reasons a specific artificial tear could cause "drier" sensation.
The pH of the tear.
The hypertonicity of the tear.
An allergic reaction to an ingredient.
Preservative sensitivity.

Hi indrep,

Could you tell us something more about the relation of the ph and the hypertonicity of the tear the the drier sensation that artificial tears gives to us?
thank you!

[indrep]

The goal of all therapies for ocular surface issues (dry eyes) is to help create a more normal environment that will allow the ocular surface to heal (as much as possible). So if a surface is already acidic adding a drop that is acidic does not help. Same with alkalinity. What causes inflammation is a hypertonic tear film, so an artificial tear that is hypotonic is not going to help bring "balance" back to the ocular surface.

[hankm9]

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[indrep]

hank
The benefit of amniotic membrane is it's high concentration of HA(sodium hyaluronate) and providing a matrix for cellular regeneration. For severely damaged corneas(not chronic) this membrane can be applied, typically glued or sutured in place, and the healing results are quite remarkable. Unfortunately it does not do anything to solve the core issues of those with chronic ocular surface issues.

Here in the US getting approval to use biologics in a commercially available product would be cost prohibitive. I have even spoken with compounding pharmacies and the regulations are such that it is not possible. The alternative is to find an artificial tear that contains HA in a long chain high molecular weight molecule and use it consistently and for a duration that allows its benefits to be experienced.