Problems with artificial tears

[Mawsky]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering if anyone else had a similar problem as mine, I began using Artificial tears when I first got DES with little to no problem,. at first, the drops I was using at the time, TheraTears worked OK and I got temporary relief, I started having a problem with them and I would describe it as an allergy, or sensitivity to the drops, I began developing problems around my eyes as well as my eyes seemed worse the skin looked parched wrinkled and somewhat swollen and red, I went through the gamut of drops, finially found that the Similasan drops worked and no irritation. I was using the ones for Allergy eyes and continued for a few years now on them, I was recently sick with a virus and my eyes became terrible again, I realized it had been coming on for some time because when I took out my contacts my eyes were killing me. (I wear them for relief) Out of choices I went and started the Similasan for dry eyes, I had tried them and found them slightly irritating and not a soothing as the others. I'm using them now but concerned that it will be short lived. I have tried nearly every drop out there, PF and non PF. Do you think our eyes get use to a drop and then we get sensitive or has anyone else been through this? Just so worried that I will no longer be able to get relief from any drops on the market. So freaked out right now
Christine

[glimmer-of-hope]

Hi Christine,

I have a similar experience like you. At first I had no problems using eye drops. Then, as I use them very often I started to have some reactions like stinging etc. and no relief.

I don’t know if this is only because of the drops though, the other thing that can cause more eye sensitivity is my damaged cornea (from severe RCE).

Eye drops (preservative-free) that I can tolerate quite ok are usually these with not many ingredients (like Hylo-Gel: sodium hyaluronate, purified water, citrate buffer and sorbitol).

I also noticed that drops I had been able to tolerate before (like Refresh Optive Sensitive) irritate my eyes now. I don’t know why, maybe the glycerin?

I’m sorry I can’t help you more. I’ve tried almost all drops but to no avail…


“No one is alone in their troubles; there is always someone else thinking, rejoicing, or suffering in the same way, and that gives us the strength to confront the challenge before us.”

[Mawsky]

[QUOTE=glimmer-of-hope;89683]Hi Christine,

I have a similar experience like you. At first I had no problems using eye drops. Then, as I use them very often I started to have some reactions like stinging etc. and no relief.

I don’t know if this is only because of the drops though, the other thing that can cause more eye sensitivity is my damaged cornea (from severe RCE).

Eye drops (preservative-free) that I can tolerate quite ok are usually these with not many ingredients (like Hylo-Gel: sodium hyaluronate, purified water, citrate buffer and sorbitol).

I also noticed that drops I had been able to tolerate before (like Refresh Optive Sensitive) irritate my eyes now. I don’t know why, maybe the glycerin?

I’m sorry I can’t help you more. I’ve tried almost all drops but to no avail…


“No one is alone in their troubles; there is always someone else thinking, rejoicing, or suffering in the same way, and that gives us the strength to confront the challenge before us.”[/QUOTE


Hi, thank you for the reply, which drops have you found that are less irritating and with these fewer ingredients? I think that the main ingredients in most either the propylene glycol, or the methyl cellulose are both bothersome to me.what drop are you using at present? I have almost completely dry eyes, can't even cry a tear out. So must use something. This is such a terrible thing to deal with. Hope you are finding some relief. Sorry we have this crazy condition .

[glimmer-of-hope]

You are right… It is really crazy… Other people enjoy the beginning of spring and I try to hide from the bright sun rays… I used to love sun now I can’t stand it… So envious of people who can enjoy sunny days…

Well, but we can’t lose hope. We will enjoy our lives too, maybe not now but one day for sure!!!! They will find some treatment for us!!! That’s not the end!!

Hi, thank you for the reply, which drops have you found that are less irritating and with these fewer ingredients?

I mentioned them in my previous post. Unfortunately, I think they are not available in the USA

The name is Hylo-Gel made by German company Ursapharm.

Ingredients: sodium hyaluronate 2 mg/ml (active ingredient), purified water, citrate buffer and sorbitol

Preservative and phosphate free.

You can find more info here:

http://www.ursapharm.de/en/products/...care/hylo-gel/

Although, these are the one I find the least irritating they are definitely not a magic cure! But there’s nothing like a magic cure for us at the moment so we have to wait for it…

Hang in there!!!

[No tears in ATL]

I can't seem to tolerate any drops, even the ones designed for the most sensitive eyes. It is the greatest mystery at all. If I could get relief from drops, I would use them, but they cause a terrible reaction of bloodshot eyes and red lids. Serum drops even do this to me. I'm not sure if the drops mess with the PH or chemical balance of the tear film or if they dilute the good oils that keep the tear on the surface of the eye.

I have AD along with MGD. Take doxycycline 20 mg, krill oil. sea buckthorn oil, multivitamin. I'm starting to think diet doesn't have that much impact for me, but lack of sleep, computer use, and humidity can definitely can send things over the edge. We have had a really cold winter and I've had the most flareups this season I've ever had. Best of luck.

[Mawsky]

Hi, I think I'm in the same boat as you, I agree that I think the drops almost cause a rebound type of effect, they are not natural tears but are washing away any tears we may be producing, I also wonder if they trick the eye a bit into not making their own tears? It is so frustrating and medical doctors don't even seem to want to be bothered with us, at least that's the way I feel. This winter has been so cold and dry here too, my eyes have been so bad, and I use a computer at work, which doesn't help.

[No tears in ATL]

Agreed. Something isn't quite right about "artificial" anything, but especially drops. Of course, when I express this concern to doctors, they look at me like I have three heads. Try going a few days without drops and keeping with compresses (warm, not hot), moisture chambers, limit screens if possible, lots of water, relatively clean eating, good sleep, and see how you feel. It will be rough at first, but at about day three, you may feel different, and find that drops were doing more harm than good. Everyone is different, but that has been my experience.

[glimmer-of-hope]

Agreed. Something isn't quite right about "artificial" anything, but especially drops.

You are right about the artificial thing… There’s nothing like your own tears…

Just wondering, have some of you tried serum drops?

[L8rgator]

I've noticed that since I've gotten my scleral, I seem to be much more sensitive to certain drops (ones that worked well before) - in that my eye can feel itchy-tickly with my scleral in (especially when I first put it in). Feels like a mild allergic reaction. Dr G suggested I only refresh optive advanced sensitive (which seem to work, but I seem to need to use it more often or the scleral gets a little cloudy), Blink for contacts (has a preservative, but he thinks it is mild and I like that this one I can keep in my pocket), and theratears sensitive - which can be hard to find outside of walmart online and have individual droppers that don't reseal. I'm thinking about asking about serum drops to see if that makes a difference.

I wonder, do you find that plain sterile saline irritates your eyes also? My scleral holds plain saline, and that part of my eye seems to be very healthy since I wear that every day. It's the outside parts of my eye that get the itchy feeling, and possibly even just the lids (I have a hard time telling which it is, I can only figure out where it is).

Have you tried any prescription drops? Pre-scleral I found drops like FML between other drops would help me over certain periods of time because it reduced inflammation and I think allergic reactions to other drops. Although you are not supposed to use those longer than 7 days i read now, hmmm. It didn't always work though - seemed to help for a month, and then would stop helping, and then would help again.

[Mawsky]

I have a bottle of Lotemax drops and I have found that they do help me when I'm going through a particularly bad time. I know we are not suppose to use them long term, I usually only have to put in one drop a day to make a difference, I wonder how harmful that would be?? I do think that If you just needed them every so often that It would not be so bad, but don't know about them even one a day over a long period of time? So hard to get answers. I've given up on Doctors these days, as they have given up on me.