2 Month followup with cornea specialist.....

[vivian3090]

I had my two month follow up with my cornea specialist regarding my serum tears.

It came at a good time because my left eye had become significantly worse since a few Weeks ago.

He told me that my tbut is almost instantaneous in my left eye.

I am already on 20% serum drops and have started Restasis back up and flares 2x a day.. I'm taking 1200 mg of fish oil and flaxseed oil ( 3 pills of each a day) along with theratears (every 15 mins) and refreshed pm am night.

All these are pretty much "it" there's nothing else I can do but just give it time. He says in time it will get better, now that I'm pairing serum drops and Restasis together.

I am hoping this is correct. I'm just feeling really awful about myself and this situation. I wish I wasn't going through this....is there any chance my tear film can heal and my tbut to get higher?

[bakunin]

I wish I wasn't going through this....is there any chance my tear film can heal and my tbut to get higher?

We know what you mean. I think we all feel the same.

I got a flu this week and yesterday and today my eyes are really good, almost normal.. no burning feeling, even under AC. I wish science could explain that. Probably if scientists understood what happens to my eyes when my throat is inflammed I would have a solution to my dry eyes symptoms.

[vivian3090]

I just am confused about what he is trying to say, He seemed like there was a possiblilty that with restasis and the serum drops my tear film can go back to normal with time...but i dunno?

[No tears in ATL]

Vivian, my doc tells me that restasis works for about 50 percent of people, in his experience. He recommends sticking with it for about 6 months...it sometimes takes that long to notice any effect.

It is meant for inflammation induced dry eye, meaning, inflammation can affect lots of things having to do with tear production. Maybe some of the restasis users here can weigh in on their experiences.

Doc did tell me that with dry eye we can't really expect 100 percent back to normal, but most are satisfied with any improvement, especially if dry eye is severe.

The problem with restasis is that some find it hard to get past the initial stinging and redness period, which can last up to a month, I believe. I was a mess on restasis, and dropped out. If my eyes heal a little more with the use of the serum drops, then I may give restasis another go. At the time, my eyes were so bad off and inflamed in general, that the restasis just made the problem worse. It was too much.

Good luck and try to stick with it. But if things become unbearable, I wouldn't feel like you had to use restasis now. You can always come back to it later--listen to your body. It sounds like you have been.

[vivian3090]

Vivian, my doc tells me that restasis works for about 50 percent of people, in his experience. He recommends sticking with it for about 6 months...it sometimes takes that long to notice any effect.

It is meant for inflammation induced dry eye, meaning, inflammation can affect lots of things having to do with tear production. Maybe some of the restasis users here can weigh in on their experiences.

Doc did tell me that with dry eye we can't really expect 100 percent back to normal, but most are satisfied with any improvement, especially if dry eye is severe.

The problem with restasis is that some find it hard to get past the initial stinging and redness period, which can last up to a month, I believe. I was a mess on restasis, and dropped out. If my eyes heal a little more with the use of the serum drops, then I may give restasis another go. At the time, my eyes were so bad off and inflamed in general, that the restasis just made the problem worse. It was too much.

Good luck and try to stick with it. But if things become unbearable, I wouldn't feel like you had to use restasis now. You can always come back to it later--listen to your body. It sounds like you have been.

I don't expect to get back to 100% normal. I really just want the inflammation (veiny-ness) and redness, to go down in my left eye....I also just want to NOT have to put drops in every 15mins. I hope it eventually gets to a point where maybe about every hour or so?? Thats all I want!!!

I have been on restasis before, maybe about 2 months worth. but the stinging and redness was so BAD! So are you saying that after this "intial" period. the stinging and redness will go away? it's not permament??

I'm about maybe a week into starting restasis back up. They havent stung, but my left eye (which is the bad one) has reacted to it, my whole eye won't get blood shot but only parts of my eye will get very irriated and, and only steroid drops will calm it down. and even after the drops inflammation will come back (althoguth not as bad as when i just put the restasis in!) And note: when i say inflammation after drops, it just means really veiny. which i presume is due to the fact my TBUT is instantanous.

This has just be a very frustarting experience....I just want to enjoy my life again without worrying about my left eye being red and hurting.....

[Cali]

Vivian - I don't remember but aren't you about 8 months post-LASIK? It took at least a 1 - 1 1/2 years for me to get comfortable after my LASIK.

I think the serum tears are your best bet. I re-read what Inrep wrote to you: "Autologous drops are an attempt to reverse the osmolarity of the ocular surface, they are not necessarily for comfort. It takes about 60-90 days for the osmolarity to change and then the healing process of cells takes another 60-90 days. Any nerve issues can take longer."

But, I later learned that the drops need to be 20%-50% and used 8x/day. I was only using them every 4-6 hours. That's what my doctor prescribed. But, per the Harvard study, you need to use them 8x/day. Restasis does not have a good success rate. I read 15%.

I think you have a very good chance to heal. I just think it takes a long time and you have to hang in there.

[spmcc]

The only way I know my eyes are red is if I look in the mirror. So I don't look in the mirror.

Besides, the only way to treat red eyes is with vasoconstrictors. And that shouldn't be an option.

Personally, I only treat my eyes when they *feel* bad. The redness is permanent.

[Rebecca Petris]

I agree that redness should not be the driving factor in treatment.

I'm going to interject with a little 'philosophy' here - my personal opinion about approaching these things:

1) Ocular surface health trumps all
i.e. DON'T do anything damaging to the tear film / ocular surface health, even if it makes you temporarily feel or look better. Just don't. Period. DO do the things that will improve the surface long-term even if it means some short term comfort sacrifices - within reason of course.

2) Comfort comes next
Drops, compresses, naps, whatever floats your boat always with the caveat that it doesn't violate #1

3) Appearance comes last
Easy for me to say because I'm 43 and frumpy? Sure, but I still think I'm right If you let yourself be guided by this at all you'll almost always be violating #1 either by using stuff you shouldn't or failing to use things you should because your yardstick is always how it affects your redness in an immediate sense.

[robster]

Agree 100% with Rebecca about the appearance being the last of the priorities. Ever since my LASIK I have had two massive red veins in my left eye that are always there but 90% of my dry eye issues are with my right eye which looks far better than my left eye but feels far worse. I would rather have two eyes that look like my left eye than have two eyes that feel like my right eye.

[vivian3090]

The redness is not the main driving factor but yes it is a factor.... but it's not that easy for me to be OKAY with the redness appearance of my left eye. Is that a crime??

It's not that simple to just change the way you think about a situation when you've had self esteem issues all your life.

I mean how would you guys like to have to be putting in drops EVERY 10 or 15 minutes? You of all people should be understanding about how someone feels regarding the "constant worrying and feelings" about your eyes. If I don't put drops in they start to burn, sting, and I will get a head ache.....So No it's NOT all about the redness. It's about getting my eyes healed. I'm sorry that you guys think I may be being stupid for being upset over my left eye constantly being red and dry; but that's me and I'd appreciate you guys don't put me down for being upset about my eye being red constantly along with the dryness.

I come on here to read people's stories, get tips and get hope restored in me and this is a place where i feel are the only people who understand; but posts like these make me feel like you guys are shrugging my situation off and nobody understands.I feel like you are saying "your situation isn't bad, it'll be okay, just put some drops in it."

[Tankie]

I totally understand the physical appearance thing. I know I'm a guy, but it's still a really big deal for me too and it bothered me greatly. For about 10 months I went around wearing swimming goggles, and after that I had the worst wrinkles under my eyes, and then I had very strange looking eyes after my surgeries while they healed. It totally is a big deal, and it definitely affects your self-esteem immensely. Thank goodness I've recovered since then. I don't think anyone is intentionally trying to say that appearance doesn't matter, but instead, everyone is trying to help and give encouragement and the best advice they can. We're all friends here =)

[robster]

No one is shrugging your situation off. I read all the posts in the open forum and people are always replying to the threads you start with good helpful advice. I think your response is rude in particular to Rebecca who always does her best to offer good unbiased advice. My response was not meant to be demeaning to you or your problems.

[vivian3090]

I think your response is rude to the people that have tried to offer you advice on this thread and other threads. My response was not meant to be rude and I'm sorry you've taken it that way.

I'm just frustrated that everyone is trying to tell me to not worry about the redness factor and to worry about other things. I do worry about my overall eye health. My left eye is so dry that I have trouble focusing on things, it gets so dry i can feel my lid scratchign up on my cornea, I know that is doing a lot of damage, and I am afraid of what all this is going to do for me in the long run if things dont get better, if i cannot find some dryness relief.

I apologize for my rudeness as well, but for you guys to say redness of my eye should be the least of my worries felt like a slap in the face. I know you don't know my situation, but I have major self esteem issues. ANd granted i should have remembered that you guys DONT know my issues other than from what I post on here, but regardless it made me a bit upset. I'm sorry.

[farmgirl]

Wow Vivian, if you have self esteem issues they sure can't be related to your looks - at least based on what I can see on your picture you are a knockout.

I get why you would take Rebecca's comments personally but I don't think it was intended that way. I urge you to heed her advice, she is very knowledgeable and I really don't think her advice was directed specifically at you it is just plain sage advice for anyone with dry eye and it came in on your post.

I know what it is like to put drops in every 10-15 min because they are so dry they burn. I have been there, done that and I have concluded that I didn't actually need the drops every 10-15 min because of the dryness, but rather that it relieves the burning and stinging for about that length of time. I know we have discussed the serum drops and I really recommend you up that from 20% to 50% at least for the short term. They have done a lot to help me heal. I don't know if you have had plugs in but I recommend getting them on both upper and lowers while you are in this phase, if you haven't already (at least in your bad eye). That has helped me more than anything else that I have done and I have gone from drops every 10-15 min like you to sometimes only the serum and restasis in a day of late. I have Sjogrens and am told I will never get better. I wish you luck, you still have hope of recovery and hopefully one day this will all be a dim bad memory.

Remember we are all in this together....cheers...F/G

[jenny2008]

i just have to say Rebecca--you are not Frumpy! You are an attractive lady!
I am 37 and i often feel my looks have gone cause of my eyes and little makeup i can wear--
but i look at pics later and i think-'nah'.. this is probably how i would have aged anyway. i look good still! for my age.lol

and vivian you are very pretty! but i know how it is or how it was to be young-... i still get that way about my looks alot.. esp on dates!!! yikes...