Anyone Try Optive yet?

[Eli]

I used to use only Refresh Tears back before dry eyes were actually a "condition" and just an occasional annoyance. Has anyone used Optive tears yet? They are the latest in the Refresh lineup. They are preserved, so I'm not sure if I want to to go back down that road.

[cristinalatina]

Yuuup

Hi Eli,

here I am, your perpetual drop-purchaser-and-tester! Optive was the new Prada of my dry eye journey. I did try it, and liked it much more than other Refresh products, with the exception of Refresh Endura. I did not like any other Refresh product by the way, and I've tried all of them. It does have a connection with osmolarity etc (that's the re-hydrating part). I liked them.

However, I've got to add something I've learnt after almost 1.5 year dealing with DES- what "feels" good in your eye when you use it is NOT necessarily what's best for the purpose. In my case, actually, the best drops were not as soothing during instillation but they did keep me going for longer. That's probably the best measure. The DEZ drops are a stellar example.

Lately I've bitten the bullet and bought myself two boxes of Endura. They're good stuff, I don't think I had given them a fair chance since they're so pricey By the way, I did try Refresh Dry Eye Therapy (the multidose version of Endura) and didn't like it, really.

Oh I sooo hope I could show you my personal collection of eye drops! It currently contains an assortment of, um, at least 15 items from which to choose

[Eli]

Thanks for The Review

Thanks Cristina,
After seeing Dr. Gilbard I am all jumpy about preservatives and drops that aren't TheraTears. But I'll get over it soon I loathe the thought, but it's not entirely impossible that I was listening to a sales pitch as well as a diagnosis!
The concept of a drop that would help prevent tear evaporation really does seem to have merit. Like Refresh Endura-although to be honest it didn't seem to last that much longer than something that just benefits the aqueous layer like TheraTears or Refresh Tears. Also, I noticed that it stings for a bit about 30 seconds after you put it in your eye. I'm excited that you liked optive-maybe I'll give it a shot. Also, could you give me more feedback about Dwelle/Dakrina/Nutratear? I tried Dakrina just once, and it was a very weird feeling.
Thanks for your help
Eli

[cristinalatina]

Thanks Cristina,
After seeing Dr. Gilbard I am all jumpy about preservatives and drops that aren't TheraTears. But I'll get over it soon I loathe the thought, but it's not entirely impossible that I was listening to a sales pitch as well as a diagnosis!
The concept of a drop that would help prevent tear evaporation really does seem to have merit. Like Refresh Endura-although to be honest it didn't seem to last that much longer than something that just benefits the aqueous layer like TheraTears or Refresh Tears. Also, I noticed that it stings for a bit about 30 seconds after you put it in your eye. I'm excited that you liked optive-maybe I'll give it a shot. Also, could you give me more feedback about Dwelle/Dakrina/Nutratear? I tried Dakrina just once, and it was a very weird feeling.
Thanks for your help
Eli

Eli,

Re Doc Gilbard: I found his comment for LASIK patients VERY distasteful. I obviously have not met him, but I really don't think his drops are what I need. I am satisfied with TheraTears Nutrition and Sterilid cleanser though. The latter might be a good idea for you if you tend to injure your eyelids while doing "lid scrubs" (that might be a misnomer,maybe).

About the drops: Oh, those that delay evaporation hold the most promise. I hadn't thought I needed them, since I kept thinking like you - "LASIK=mucin/aqueous deficit according to studies=such and such drop might be best". After many tries though, I managed to pinpoint that drops like Endura work best for me.

About the Dry Eye Zone drops: Unfortunately Nutratear was never enough for me, but Dwelle and Dakrina are real painkillers They are excellent in my opinion, but there are a couple of things I can tell you from my experience. Don't put them in first thing in the morning (it might sting), shake well the bottle, don't squeeze the bottle too hard or a HUGE drop will come out, and try using them before a lid scrub or face wash, otherwise you'll have sticky residue around your eye. Sure, they don't get many points for convenience, but they do get 1000 for efficacy!!!

Last but not least, I got serious relief after trying heat treatment, Eli. Again, hadn't thought about it much 'cause I was reading too many clinical studies to bother. It's been two weeks, and it (almost) feels like I've got a new set of eyes!

All the best,

Cristina

[Eli]

Yes, I can see how you would find his comments about LASIK patients distasteful. The good news is that as LASIK continues to gain popularity, I think more research will be done to help find ways to manage dry eye. But thanks again for your input concerning drops-its very helpful and appreciated. I'll tell 'ol Doc Gilbard you love Optive next time I see him!

[YGB]

First, I have never met Dr. Gilbard nor do I know much about him (although I believe he does not personally perform refractive surgery). I personally like his TheraTears product and I just thought I would comment about the LASIK quote that he made that in my opinion is very appropriate.

Quote from Dr. Gilbard ...
"And the advent of the LASIK procedure has created a whole new market for us. TheraTears is now widely used before and after the LASIK procedure, as studies have proven that our product can improve patient outcomes and patient comfort."

I wish all MD's would be as forthright about the fact that LASIK causes dry eyes and that active treatment plans pre and post LASIK can improve outcomes.

This may be an extreme analogy, but if I said that Hitler was responsible for the death of many innocent people, some might view my comments as being distasteful. The reality is that it is very important that people state this fact. To do otherwise just makes people forget, or in the case of LASIK, be unaware of unpleasant facts.

Don't get me wrong. We are all on the same boat in our search for help with dry eyes. Obviously, LASIK is a sore subject for those of us who are here because of it. However, I feel that we need to be careful not to shoot the messenger. After all, based on my research, messengers that warn or even discuss the risks of dry eyes and other complications in LASIK (especially MD's) are an endangered species already.

I am not looking to make Dr. Gilbard a patron saint (again I don't know him). His quote is not necessarily completely altruistic in trying to spread the word about the risks of LASIK. After all, he merely states the dry eye/LASIK link because "it is a new market" for his product. The fact is that he is right and not very many people know it.

[cristinalatina]

YGB,

I don't think that MDs deny that there's a link between LASIK and dry eye anymore.

I just typed "Lasik dry eye" in the Eyeworld News Magazine search engine, and I got more than 3000 articles. They might be downplaying the severity or the duration of it, but I really doubt that as a community they do. This information can also be found in the FDA web page about refractive surgery as well.

Dr.Gilbard just stated the obvious in a very enterpreneurial fashion in that comment, in my opinion.

[Rebecca Petris]

I don't think that MDs deny that there's a link between LASIK and dry eye anymore.

Dry eye is almost always listed in the LASIK informed consent forms as the #1 complication/adverse effect of LASIK, and this has been the case for years. I believe it is almost universally accepted amongst ophthalmologists and optometrists alike that LASIK causes dry eye. The sheer volume of medical literature documenting the link - including relatively recent studies by high profile doctors showing startlingly high incidence - has made this inevitable, as has the sheer volume of people going back to their laser doc complaining of dry eye. Show up at an optometry or ophthalmology trade show with a new dry eye product and laser center staff will swamp your booth. Dr. Gilbard hasn't said anything particularly original about the market impact; there are plenty of products out there specifically targeted to the lasik dry eye market.

Whatever shortcomings there are - and there are many, I agree - in the informed consent process for LASIK patients and in the manner in which some lasik surgeons handle their dry eye patients after lasik, general denial of the link between lasik and dry eye is not, I believe, a problem today the way it was 5+ years ago.

[YGB]

Good points. Great group .

I know some of the more proactive LASIK practices are now putting their patients on drops even prior to LASIK to help prevent severe dry eye issues. While I don't advocate LASIK, I at least feel that this approach is responsible (and commendable since it likely scares a few patients away prior to LASIK). Too bad that I have learned that my group, while well "ranked", is living in the dark ages of LASIK care. Now back to the Optive drops ...

[sai1930]

Optive are the best Tear drops, so far...Nothing else matches it.

[Rory]

The Lasik community may well make it clear these days that Dry eye is the number one risk from the procedure. However the issue lies in the fact that DRY EYE is made out to be an insignificant little irritant....which surely cannot compare to the miracle of glasses/contacts free sight!

It all stems from the opthalmic community....dry eye is not that serious.

Therefore even if the lasik community does warn prospective patients.....for those who have never experienced real dry eye...it will never be a serious consideration...after all...every single person in the world who has never had dry eyes...assumes..oh "you can just use an eye drop" and everything will be fine.

The issue at the heart of lasik...is not just warning prospective patients about the risk of dry eye....it is about explaining to them the seriousness of developing dry eyes...and the fact that there are NO known treatments.