well, it looks like progressing to gel ointment at night

[yoganut]

After months of trying everything under the sun to get my dry eye under control, (on restasis for 5 weeks now), eating walnuts everyday for omega 3 (fish oil made me break out in huge cysts), warm facecloth compresses and sooth xp and optive drops (the md recommended genteal but they sting slightly and do not seem to extend my TBUT, I woke up Saturnday morning with my right eyelid stuck to my cornea ! After I struggled for a second or two to open it, I noticed both my eyes but esp my right (the one that had been stuck) were red & irritated and gritty all day. I had instilled optive immediately before going to bed the night before.
Now, instead of some improvement it looks like I'm going to have to progress to ointment at night just to get some relief... sigh so frustating. Anyone else experienced this?

[Rojzen]

Dr. Holly drops stopped my cornea/lid sticking

Yes, for years I would awaken to find my eyelids stuck to my eye surface, especially if I had slept well overnight. . .This caused minor recurrent erosions, and for about 2 hours every morning, as my corneas recovered, I had so much tearing that my eyes were literally dripping. . .After the dripping stopped, a dryness would set in, and it was almost time to start the cycle again. . .Gels always made my eyes feel raw, later in the day, and even Restasis did not solve the overnight sticking problem. .

I lived with this pattern without questioning it, for a long time, until I discovered eyedrops made of PVA and povidone. These instantly stopped the overnight sticking/damage, but did little for my daytime symptoms 'till I learned that Dr. Holly's drops are also PVA/povidone, but in very carefully calculated proportions.

I started on Dwelle and Dakrina, and the Dwelle completely ended my overnight sticking. I moved on to FreshKote, the Dwelle-like Rx product that also includes a lipid, and this has also kept me free of eyelid/cornea sticking overnight.

Now I use FreshKote 4 times daily, including once before bed, and I never wake up with eyes stuck to the corneas. . .For good measure, I instill Dwelle the moment I awaken, for further lubrication when I open eyes. . .I no longer spend morning hours dripping, and I sense the corneas start the day already healed. . .I still don't have clinical results to boast, as I still have conjunctival staining, but I think time may add to FreshKote's benefits for me. Alas, FreshKote has not completely eliminated the daytime menthol sensation with which I struggle, but it works at least as well as does Restasis, for me, in that regard.

Yes, the FreshKote and Dwelle leave a crusty residue, and can sting on instillation, but I'd rather the lashes stick together than the corneas be stuck to the lids. . .

Have you tried a course of Dwelle at night? Please forgive if you have noted this, and I missed the relevant posting. . .

[dianat]

Sounds like you're allergic to fish?! Walnuts are great, but you'll get tired of them. Flax seed or flax seed oil supplements are an option.