Schirmer Score after 8 months of Restasis use

[calli66]

I went to my OTHER opthalmologist today for my annual dry eye/cornea exam. I was especially interested in having a new Schirmer test, since the last one was done more than a year and a half ago. Well, my score in both eyes went from 2 mm to 3 mm--which is probably within a margin of error for this inexact test. So maybe the Restasis is helping. Then again, maybe not--I have improved my daily eye-care routine immensely since that first test. Doc says my eyes DO look better.

Down side for me is the increase in myopia and astigmatism I seem to get through using Restasis. In the last two years my Rx has gone from about -7.25 D with -.50 D astigmatism to -8.25 D with -1.00 D astigmatism.

Now I have started using R only once per day--just putting the drops in a half hour before I go to bed. I figure the vision effects are minimized this way. We'll see if this makes any difference.

I am still trying to understand whether the R makes my vision worse and why. In some other thread (maybe the Demodex Myth one), someone here pondered that the immune-suppression qualities of R may upset the eyes' status quo--making it more susceptible to: what? mite infestation, bacterial growth, allergens, pollutants? My corneas seem to swell--or something--when I use it. I get that "ghosting" effect that Lasik people describe (but I haven't had L).

C66

[neil0502]

Cali-

We're getting into murky territory here, but ... I'm never one to shy away from rendering a totally uninformed opinion

1) The Schirmer's: absolutely agree about the margin of error. Check it again tomorrow ... at 10, noon, and 2, and I bet you get comparable variability. Love to be wrong, but ....

Were the ambient conditions of temperature, lighting, air movement, and humidity held constant between the two visits? I could go on, but ... you get the picture.

2) The increase in myopia and astigmatism: myopia progression is a VERY common, and oft studied thing [1]. If you're a sci.med.vision lurker, then you know it's also the stuff of online wars. This much SEEMS clear: nature drives it, with SOME (quantity as yet uncertain) influence of nurture.

As to the extra 0.50d of astigmatism, I don't think that's out of the ordinary either [2]. Neither of these--in my vastly amateur opinion--is explained by the use of the Restasis. Could be 180 degrees wrong here, but I doubt it.

It's a good thing that--at 57--you're still FRIGHTFULLY young (my momma' didn't raise no dummies....)!

All the best,

Neil

[1] http://darwin.nap.edu/books/0309040817/html
[2] http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patient...tigmatism.html

[calli66]

Thanks for the links, Neil. I had the early type fast myopia development as a child. At this time of life it's not really supposed to be starting up again. I read some info online about fast progression preceding cataract development....The doc said he was amazed I could see as well as I could--he thought I still had a good concentration of receptors in the macula/fovea even though my retina is thin. He didn't see any cloudiness to indicate a cataract.

But the Restasis--I just KNOW it's doing something akin to "drugging" my eyes. (Not rational, I know).

But as a whole, I'm reassured that for now, I don't have any major new issues. Whatever comes up, I think I can deal with it. I just have days of worry--this past week was pretty concentrated with annual check-ups, etc.

C66