Antioxidant/antifungal eye drops

[DebH]

Hi - I'm a new member with ocular rosacea. I've been using Restasis for a few years and have just barely been able to avoid taking oral antibiotics. I have a new nutritionist who is recommending I try Viva eye drops because they have antioxidants in them. I am having trouble finding good information about them, and suspect there might be other, better products with antioxidants. I am also trying to see if there is any drop with an anti-yeast function - I have a yeast overgrowth problem elsewhere, and suspect that could be interfering with the healing of my eyes, too. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Deb

[clairvoyant]

Hey Deb,

I think you might be right on with your assumption. I have heard on a few occasions that ocular rosacea and blepharitis can foaster different types of plagues, yeast being two of them. Dr. Latkany supported seb derm and ocular rosacea as the same/similar things. And seb derm is yeast related I think.

To my knowledge there are no opthalogical agents that are anti-fungal but there are some alternatives that I've researched and would like to try myself. Tea tree oil is suppose to be a good anti-fungal/antiseptic. Oral anti-fungals (itra-something) have been shown effective in some off label subjects for seb blepharitis. And there are some topical dermalogical ointments that have been used on the orbital area with good results. The one I am thinking of is the same compound as the oral agent.

BTW I tried to get some oral anti-fungals and to no avail. The doctors don't like to come off of them it seems.

I use metrogel on the lids sometimes and feel a great deal of relief. Probably the single best treatment, besides a super low gi diet/bad fat diet that has helped me. But alot of doctors advise agaisnt it. The topicals might damage the eye or comprise the tear film.

I think there are some drops with antioxidents too. Some people have linked a homeopathic drop that looks promising and I think Dr. Holly has some here through the dryeyeshop. They are red too!

I've also read about eyebright compresses, just haven't got around to trying them yet.

Sounds like you are in the same boat as me, hopefully this helps.

-Tim

[Silverlady]

Tea Tree oil??

At the risk of sounding really stupid, I'd like to suggest that you not put tea tree oil in your eyes. I'm not sure how the tea tree oil is meant to be used. But I suspect it would burn like the devil if you put it in your eyes. I know it does when using it on a wound or anything.

Tim maybe you could clarify this for me/us? I apologize for not understanding this part of the post.

Billye

[clairvoyant]

Sure, sorry about that. Blepharitis patients have been known to use dilute forms as a part of their cleaning regimine. You would wash your lids/lashes with it and try to keep it out of the eye. I have never tried it but I think Dr. Tseing(spelling) has medical research pointing to its effectiveness vs d. follicsomething which is found in some blepharitis patients. It is also suppose to have antifungal properties.

-Tim

[Lucy]

Not being in the thread here, just mentioning.....are you speaking of tea tree oil shampoo? There was talk awhile back on using diluted tea tree oil shampoo clensing your lash area while we do the scrubs.

Interesting mention of Metro cream, too.
Lucy