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Hello all,
I've just joined this place and it's nice to e-meet you!
I'm currently suffering from very red and dry eyes, sometimes itchy, often irritated and tired-feeling. I'm often finding a lot of mucous coming out as well. I'm using artificial tears to help with the dryness, which is something I feel the most first thing in the morning. I notice that once I drown my eyes in tears, the redness dies down quite a bit (though it's still there), but half an hour or so later and my eyes begin to slowly become redder again. So, lots of artificial tears throughout the day.
I'm 20 years old, and I've found out from my mum recently that ever since I was five or so, my eyes would be red in the morning. She'd apply moisturising eye drops to deal with that, but perhaps I had dry eyes at that point too? Somewhere down the line, apparently aged 12 - I moved on to the Visine drops (Vital Eyes Brightening Drops - I guess a UK equivalent of the Clear Eyes drops I've been reading about). I can't remember how often I applied them from 12-17 (I don't think I was as dependent on them then, certainly not when I was 12-15), but I definitely know that over the past two or three years, I became addicted to them and most likely used them every day. I had no idea of its effects on the eye back then - I only realised a few months ago. I certainly wish I could have them banned from all chemists.
In mid-April this year, I contracted episcleritis. I have no idea what caused it, and the red eye drops may certainly have been a link, but I woke up one morning to find the right-hand side of my right eye completely red. I looked like a demon! I didn't go cold turkey with the Visine drops until a few weeks later after being diagnosed for certain with episcleritis. My left-hand side of my left eye also suffered a bit from episcleritis too. I was told my eyes were extremely, extremely dry and was given moisturising drops (for contact lens dryness, not dry eye syndrome however) to help with it.
The episcleritis eventually died down around the end of May, but I was still left with a cluster of blood vessels at the right-hand side of my right eye, and the left side of my left eye. I had a check-up at the end of June to the optician's, who told me that my eyes were still very, very dry and gave me proper artificial tears to deal with them.
I've seen an ophthalmologist, and I've been given steroid eye drops. Acular, with ketorolac trometamol 0.5%. I haven't used them yet, as I'm terrified of what could happen.
The clusters are still there. I also have red veins around the tear ducts. I'm using the artificial tears, and have done hot compresses (are hot or cold compresses better for dry eyes, by the way?) but I'm not seeing an improvement over the days. Just the same cycle of very red eye in the morning, artificial tears helps it die down, redness worsens again after half an hour of application, artificial tears, etc.
I have no idea whether the episcleritis has left its mark on my eyes, or whether the blood vessels are rebound hyperemia from this excessive use of Visine eye drops. Or whether it's to do with something else entirely. I have no idea whether they are permanent, or whether they'll go away eventually. I have noticed however, that if I lift up my upper eyelid, the part of the eyeball under there is very white compared to the central area which is less so. (Does anyone have any thoughts on this?)
If you have any ideas or comments or your own stories, please do share! Hopefully we can help each other to clear and healthy eyes!
I've just joined this place and it's nice to e-meet you!
I'm currently suffering from very red and dry eyes, sometimes itchy, often irritated and tired-feeling. I'm often finding a lot of mucous coming out as well. I'm using artificial tears to help with the dryness, which is something I feel the most first thing in the morning. I notice that once I drown my eyes in tears, the redness dies down quite a bit (though it's still there), but half an hour or so later and my eyes begin to slowly become redder again. So, lots of artificial tears throughout the day.
I'm 20 years old, and I've found out from my mum recently that ever since I was five or so, my eyes would be red in the morning. She'd apply moisturising eye drops to deal with that, but perhaps I had dry eyes at that point too? Somewhere down the line, apparently aged 12 - I moved on to the Visine drops (Vital Eyes Brightening Drops - I guess a UK equivalent of the Clear Eyes drops I've been reading about). I can't remember how often I applied them from 12-17 (I don't think I was as dependent on them then, certainly not when I was 12-15), but I definitely know that over the past two or three years, I became addicted to them and most likely used them every day. I had no idea of its effects on the eye back then - I only realised a few months ago. I certainly wish I could have them banned from all chemists.
In mid-April this year, I contracted episcleritis. I have no idea what caused it, and the red eye drops may certainly have been a link, but I woke up one morning to find the right-hand side of my right eye completely red. I looked like a demon! I didn't go cold turkey with the Visine drops until a few weeks later after being diagnosed for certain with episcleritis. My left-hand side of my left eye also suffered a bit from episcleritis too. I was told my eyes were extremely, extremely dry and was given moisturising drops (for contact lens dryness, not dry eye syndrome however) to help with it.
The episcleritis eventually died down around the end of May, but I was still left with a cluster of blood vessels at the right-hand side of my right eye, and the left side of my left eye. I had a check-up at the end of June to the optician's, who told me that my eyes were still very, very dry and gave me proper artificial tears to deal with them.
I've seen an ophthalmologist, and I've been given steroid eye drops. Acular, with ketorolac trometamol 0.5%. I haven't used them yet, as I'm terrified of what could happen.
The clusters are still there. I also have red veins around the tear ducts. I'm using the artificial tears, and have done hot compresses (are hot or cold compresses better for dry eyes, by the way?) but I'm not seeing an improvement over the days. Just the same cycle of very red eye in the morning, artificial tears helps it die down, redness worsens again after half an hour of application, artificial tears, etc.
I have no idea whether the episcleritis has left its mark on my eyes, or whether the blood vessels are rebound hyperemia from this excessive use of Visine eye drops. Or whether it's to do with something else entirely. I have no idea whether they are permanent, or whether they'll go away eventually. I have noticed however, that if I lift up my upper eyelid, the part of the eyeball under there is very white compared to the central area which is less so. (Does anyone have any thoughts on this?)
If you have any ideas or comments or your own stories, please do share!
Hopefully we can help each other to clear and healthy eyes!
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