Synergeyes Contacts for Dry Eye

[calli66]

I just wanted to comment here. After I quit wearing contacts, it took a full month for my corneas to get stable and more comfortable. I no longer had that shock when I took out the lenses and exposed them to air.

But I totally understand your predicament, having high myopia and astigmatism. It sounds like the Synergeyes contacts are helping you in many ways. Your description of the fluid layer between the lens and the cornea sounds almost the same as the Boston scleral lens design.

I had heard, several years ago, that there had been problems with that type of lens design, and it sounds as though the company has improved the lens since then.

You sound like a really motivated lens wearer, and I hope everything continues going well. From what you've said in your post, I gather that your doctor thinks your corneas are healing now.

I would be interested in any comments from scleral wearers, or any info on the web that anyone has found----as to the long-term effect of bathing the cornea in fluid for so many hours per day.

Calli

[Stanza]

It's not easy finding opticians that will do the RGPs with skirts though is it? Sclerals interest me too, half of me is scared though, that might be my only solution to problems with really heavy glasses when I'm old and crinkly. So what will I do if I can't wear them?

Unless they invent some fabulous thin lens double the 1.90s, lol.

[gz9gjg]

After removing contacts what drops do you use?

I had LASIK eight years ago, and now wear custom RGPs. When I remove the lenses at the end of the day, after 12 - 14 hours of wear, I find I need some sort of drops or my eyes feel sticky and dry. I have had the best luck with "Dakrina", "NutraTear", and a lubricant gel such as Genteal. The "Dakrina" and "NutraTear" will sting if my eyes are particularly dry or tired, but when I use them consistently, they definitely help improve my tear quality. I wish I could use them when wearing my RGPs.

Lynne

[HOSADOS]

RS-could u pls explain what are Synergeyes Contacts & terms like RGP and etc...thks

RS-could u pls explain what are Synergeyes Contacts & terms like RGP and etc...thks
In general, I'm interested to learn more about the use of contact lenses -bandage lens, scleral lens and the lens you're referring to.

[Randal]

Although Dakrina and NutraTear are not labeled as contact lens rewetting drops, a search of the archives will show that many -- including Rebecca, I believe -- successfully use these for this purpose.

I do this, both with Dakrina and with NutraTear, when I wear my RGPs, and I've never had any problem with it.

Randal

I had LASIK eight years ago, and now wear custom RGPs. When I remove the lenses at the end of the day, after 12 - 14 hours of wear, I find I need some sort of drops or my eyes feel sticky and dry. I have had the best luck with "Dakrina", "NutraTear", and a lubricant gel such as Genteal. The "Dakrina" and "NutraTear" will sting if my eyes are particularly dry or tired, but when I use them consistently, they definitely help improve my tear quality. I wish I could use them when wearing my RGPs.

Lynne

[Rebecca Petris]

Although Dakrina and NutraTear are not labeled as contact lens rewetting drops, a search of the archives will show that many -- including Rebecca, I believe -- successfully use these for this purpose.

I do this, both with Dakrina and with NutraTear, when I wear my RGPs, and I've never had any problem with it.

Randal

My recommendation is that people ask their doctor for a thumbs up to use them on an off-label basis before doing this. I use NutraTear as a wetting drop and periodically Dwelle as a filler for my sclerals (usually topped off with Unisol) on this basis. Coincidentally, I "met" a patient on the phone today with Stevens Johnson Syndrome who wears a scleral lens and he has used Dakrina as the filler for it for quite a long time - first one that I know of to the best of my recollection. We had a nice chat about our various choices of scleral cocktails.

[calli66]

I read this on the Focus Laboratories website here, regarding FreshKote. (Scroll down to read the last question).

Q: Can FreshKote® be used with contact lenses?

A: Yes, FreshKote® is compatible with contact lenses. FreshKote® can actually improve your contact lens tolerance due to its superior wetting properties. (Hundreds of patients who wear contact lenses have reported excellent results, but FreshKote has not yet been submitted to the FDA as a contact lens rewetting agent under a 510(k) medical device submission).

Calli

[rubyslippers]

The more I wear them the more that burning feeling upon removal is leaving. I wore them 15 hours yesterday straight and they only burned for a minute or two after I removed them. My eyes are requiring less drops throughout the day too. Yesterday I only used drops about once every 5-6 hours and only becuase I had a very light dry sensation. My dry eye is very related to my menstrual cycle and I am in what should be my very worst week right now. I see the eye doctor today for my follow up.

[Stanza]

This is great news. What I really liked about your thread is also that you have an optician that has wanted to really make this work with you. There's still hope for some good ones out there

[rubyslippers]

Just came from my appt. My inflammation in my eyes is 90% better than it has ever been since I got my dry eye. He said he can see the health of my corneas greatly improving. My fit is perfect. Need to change the correction for reading just a bit. He says I am free to wear them 16 hours a day if I wish now.

For those who asked, you get 2 pair when you pay for them. They are slightly more expensive than my bifocal RGPs were. Supposedly you can use them only 6 months, but he said at the 6 month point, come back and he will examine them for wear and some people get another few months wear out of them.

I could not be more positive about what they do for my dry eye. Today I only used drops once and really, I could have gone without. I am back to jogging every morning!! Yes!! That helps my health so much. Now that my eyes don't suffer the whole way I can do this again. He said I should be absolutely fine at the beach with them or for any outdoor activities. My dry is not gone, but he said that my eyes don't know that. He said these are being used with superior results by doctors specifically for dry eye people.

Also, due to my proclivity to pink eye, I asked if I would throw them away if I got pink eye. Nope, he said he can treat them so they will be very safe again.

[calli66]

RS--you are SO fortunate to have such an intelligent and supportive eye doctor. I am amazed that he is doing such a careful followup and can even treat the lenses in case of infection. This guy sounds like a gem.

Thanks for the update.

Calli

[rubyslippers]

My friend, who sees a different eye doctor than I do, just called all excited. She has dry eye badly enough that she has been unable to wear contacts at all for 2 years and does not see well with her glasses. She saw her eye doctor and he told her that he is also having very good results with Synergeyes. She called to tell me about them, LOL! and I told her my story. She has them on order and is excited about the possiblity of wearing contacts again. She also feels that her bare eyes suffer more than if she could get a comfortable contact to protect them from the air. She is 58 years old. I will let you know how it goes for her.

[hasan]

Dear RS,

Thanks for your nice post. My doc talked about hydrid contact lenses too. What's about the Synergeyes contacts? Are they one type of hydrid contact lenses?

Thanks,

Hasan

[rubyslippers]

Update: The burning is completely gone when I remove the contacts now. The doctor thought maybe, because I was having trouble getting them out, that I had touched my eyes so much and that caused the irritation and the burning. My dry eye symptoms are completely gone 75% of the time now and mild 25% of the time.

[rubyslippers]

Update: My dry eye symptoms are gone almost all the time that I have the contacts in my eyes. It is hard not to overwear them because my eyes feel so much better with them in. Today and yesterday have been hard days and when the contacts are out I have significant dryness. This always happens the first 2 days of my period so I expect tomorrow or Monday will be much better. My new Synergeyes should be here late this week with the bifocal more accurate for me. I can take them in and out with great ease now.