DHEA Eye Drops

[untkicker29]

I dont know much about these DHEA drops, but do they only work on people who have androgen problems?

[kaypeeoh]

Dunno. Hormone eye drops is new science. In animal studies it's been shown that hormones increase the output of lipids in conjunctival goblet cells. Something I read while perusing Medline. If DHEA attaches to the same sites on goblet cells, it could stimulate more lipids. Studies in rabbits show cyclosporine (Restatis) does the same thing. Animal studies always precedes human studies. 30 years ago veterinarians were using cycloporine eye drops to treat dry eye syndrome in animals.

As I understand it, the tear film is a mixture of water, electrolytes, protein like mucin and lipids. The lipids spread across the top of the tear film like an oil spill. That keeps the water from evaporating as quickly.

[20/20_Hindsight]

Can those of you who were able to obtain the DHEA drops tell me how you were able to persuade a physician to prescribe them? My own ophthalmologist said no outright (as I posted about before). I have tried calling my secondary emergency ophthalmologist and got "no" again, it's "Too new", "Unknown", blah blah blah. Called another and they "didn't know anything about it" (and unwilling to learn). I would just like the opportunity to try these drops for a few weeks to know if I can be helped. Since rubbing DHEA cream on my eyelids results in some relief, I believe it might help me if instilled as an eyedrop. I do not have insurance that covers eye visits, and I work for minimum wage, so I do not have the luxury of running around to different doctors and paying for those office visits. Any help appreciated on how to go about finding one that might want to help.

[sazy123]

20/20 hindsight. im in a simular situation. but noone will let me try restasis even, coz its not known in the UK. let alone anything else. im prob gonna have to fly to the states to get it, im a student and dont have endless amount of money. So you could fly to see someone who could help if theres noone near you. but ring them first and ask them if they would perscribe it. Thats What im tring to do anyway. i should of done this in the first place instead of seeing 3 eye doctors, who dont have a clue...goodluck.xx

[Philipp_from_Germany]

Prescription

Hey guys!

The reason they do not prescribe you DHEA eye drops is that they are EXPERIMENTAL, meaning not been approved by any medical authority on this planet. I know one gets desperate from time to time and wants to try everything that could potentially be helpful. But you all know how horrible eye pain is. I would not risk getting and infection, glaucoma, ulceration or any other horrible thing that might derive from any active, untested and unevaluated drug! Remember: The advise and ideas you are getting here are purely subjective!!! They use sample sizes of 700-1000 people in order to demonstrate safety! You cannot rely on indiviual incidents! Please be reasonable here (Sorry to spell that out directly).

@sazy: Have you been diagnosed with a quantitative dry eye? Is the amount of tears your major problem? If yes: Print out the restasis package inlay at restasis.com and present it to your NHS opthalmologist. He MUST prescribe it if you ask him for help for dry eye due to decreased tear production.
If otherwise - you have a different diagnosis - he is correct in not subjecting you to any active molecule. Cyclosporine (Restasis) is a very, very potent drug. Overdose it and it might attack your organs even if topically applied on the eye!!

BTW: I will be in London at the end of february for a scleral lens check up. Have you considered that option? I think you should. It is not invasive, you know. Just provides constant lubrication. I think I PMed you the adress...


I don't want to act like the godfather here (Remember I am a fellow sufferer). My intentions are good and I just urge you to be cautious and not just blindly give up to desperation by endagering your health! Hang in there until better treatments - approved by medical authorities - become available or stick to the common alternatives at hand!

Best of health to you out there!

[sazy123]

Hi phillip

My diagnosis was not quantity, i think i have an evaporative issue. But then again i forgot to tell the doc that i had plugs so this might have effected the results of the schmmer test. i dont get any tear over flow with plugs so this suggests that i might have less tears than normal. the plugs didnt help me much. I might have both, thats why plugs didnt help. I dont know what i have, i just want to try it. people in the states try restasis if they have an evaporative problem, Kaypeeh: said his TBUT was increaesed to 10 secs and that he has evaoprative prob not quantative. Im desperate to just try something. rara (sorry if i sound angry all the time about it, its just so frustrating).

I thought restasis has no bad side effects its persribed to so many people with evaopative diagnosis as well, or am i wrong?

The bandage lens is just for people whos eyes are reallly bad. to me my eyes are really bad, but then they could be worse, i dont think there as bad as others on here. i dont know how bad they have to be to qualify for something like this.

How bad are your eyes and how much relief does this give you? can you function normally?

xxx

[JPiven]

20-20

My suggestion is that you contact a major University Opthalmology Department closest to where you live (rather than a private practitioner). Preferrably look for a University that does some research. Often you can figure this out by going to the website for that University Department. Google the name of the University and then add 'opthalmolgy department'. look thru their faculty and see if they do research. see if they have had any research papers in the last 3-5 years. identify a corneal specialist that is an active researcher. I think you will have a better chance at getting a physician willing to try DHEA drops by going this route. If the opthalmologist is at all interested they should call Chuck Leiter at Leiter Pharmacy and talk to him about his experience with the drug. He might also recommend physicians that you can talk to in your area. I would be happy to pass along my opthalmologist's name to any interested opthalmologist you find so that he or she (your opthalmologist) could ask them questions about his experience with DHEA drops. If you would like I would be happy to look in to which academic centers are near where you live if you tell me what city and state you are in.

Joe Piven

[DrG]

Tempest in a teapot

This discussion has sort of turned into a mini-tempest in a teapot.

DHEA eyedrops, IMO, pose very little risk (except for infection if they aren't properly compounded). Women need to be more careful about taking DHEA because of the potential for the development of facial hair and acne from the conversion to androgenic hormones. But, I have to really stretch my imagination to think that this would likely happen with such a tiny dose.

I have done lots of literature research on DHEA over the years, and the potential danger is in larger oral doses -- enlarged prostate for men, and acne and hirsutism for women. I am not saying that this should be undertaken without the supervision of a physician.

[ronnyp]

Joe, I tried explaining the DHEA drops to 2 of my local doctors this week, I even printed out your posts, and the private message you sent me. I could tell neither one of tben was real interested in it, and was never gonna look into it for me. I made an appointment at the cole eye center at the cleveland clinic for next thursday. This is supposedly one of the top eye centers in the world, so i will try again there.

[ronnyp]

This discussion has sort of turned into a mini-tempest in a teapot.

DHEA eyedrops, IMO, pose very little risk (except for infection if they aren't properly compounded). Women need to be more careful about taking DHEA because of the potential for the development of facial hair and acne from the conversion to androgenic hormones. But, I have to really stretch my imagination to think that this would likely happen with such a tiny dose.

I have done lots of literature research on DHEA over the years, and the potential danger is in larger oral doses -- enlarged prostate for men, and acne and hirsutism for women. I am not saying that this should be undertaken without the supervision of a physician.

if i cant get no help at the cleveland clinic, i will fly to texas to see you.

[sazy123]

Just wanted to say that i emailed Dr Sullivan the other day, he got back to me staright away, he seems very nice!

I was enquiring about wether the DHEA or androgen drops might help someone of my age. He said: whatever the rationale for usinf hormones (e.g. drop in local tissue production) it is not clear that such agents would be any help to me. So they just dont know themselves. Its better than: no it wont work for people your age anyway. He recomended that i contact a pofessor oxford university dry eye expert. So done this, hope he gets back to me.

[Vicki In Oregon]

well my tbut test was 10 and I can tell you the pain is horrible and no way i can wear contacts, hurts like heck without them alone. It is possible one persons 10 is anothers 3...because we are all wired differently so the nerves in our corneas are not the same sensitivity and are not exactly the same from person to person. Just like one person can respond to one therapy but not another. So these #'s while they are important dont always show how much pain one is in and what kind of shape their eyes are in. DHEA pill form can cause a lot of hair loss,dont know about the drops. I just say that because in my attempt to get my hair back using an OTC off label (not DHEA though) I ended up with this eye condition.

[JJ75]

I just recieved my DHEA drops fom Leiter's and am extremely excited to try them out. Ihave 1 question for anyone who has used them.. Should I keep my eyes closed for 2 minutes like I do with Restasis or should i just put them in and blink normally as I do with artificial tears?

Any help is appreciated and I'll keep you guys updated with my progress..

[Reggie]

Hey JJ75, did you notice any improvement with the dhea drops? I am relaly considering them if I can get a dr to write me a prescription.

[JJ75]

Hey JJ75, did you notice any improvement with the dhea drops? I am relaly considering them if I can get a dr to write me a prescription.

They seem to be working... but I'm also trying to not be too overly confident so I won't be dissappointed if the doc says I'm wrong. That being said my eyes definitely feel more comfortable more often since I've been on them..