Anyone just using serum? Need Advice.

[Faith1989]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering if anyone has gotten symptoms under control by just using serum tears?? Restasis is slowly making my eyes more and more red, three months in. I am also using serum...gunna start using Restasis only at night see if I can clear up some of this redness. I also have silicone plugs and using doxy, many vitamins, strict diets ect... Still in pain. More pain the more I use Restasis.

Please advise me using your experiences.

[spmcc]

Hi Faith,

Do you have some moisture chamber glasses for when the pain is really bad? I find they help so much and I can use almost no drops (I only drop at night before sealing my eyes to sleep). For me, the less I put on my sick and sore eye surfaces, the better. They are less red (altho I always wake with really bloodshot eyes). After I shower, I put on my moisture chambers (esp to blowdry my hair) and my eyes calm down.

All the best.
Sheila

[Faith1989]

Are you using any prescription drops? I was doing well up until a week ago. I feel like I had a flare Tuesday and my eyes haven't gone down...I do have glasses I am wearing. what are you currently using? Anything worked?? Thanks so much for the reply!!

[spmcc]

This is what I'm doing:

1) seal eyes at night using 3M Micropore tape and some sort of goggle (Tranquileyes or Onyix)
2) use only Muro 128 solution (not ointment)
3) wear moisture chamber goggles 24/7/365 (usually WileyX but I have others)
4) minocycline 50mg per day
5) avoid environments that hurt my eyes (a/c, artificial heat, moving/blowing air, fumes, dry air...). I'm much worse in the winter. Today we've reached 20*C and my eyes are feeling good (still wearing my MCGs).

When I have a flare, I use Lotemax as little as possible (but I usually have some sort of a mini-flare after using Lotemax -- probably due to BAK.

I have all four puncta cauterized and I've tried all the fancy MG treatments (probing, LipiFlow).

Keep in mind that something(s) that help me may make no difference to you. If you read this article (http://www.revoptom.com/content/d/dry_eye/c/35148/), Blackie and Korb say

...we know that while dry eye can be academically classified as ADDE [aqueous deficient] or evaporative dry eye [MGD] in nature, both forms become virtually indistinguishable as the disease progresses, rendering attempts to make the distinction fairly meaningless.

Even if we are able to clearly and predictably distinguish ADDE from MGD, dry eye presents such a clinical conundrum with tremendously high treatment failure that the accepted clinical approach to therapy remains one of “use whatever works.”

So, you just need to keep trying things and assessing whether they help or hurt. I find it most aggravating when you're doing something your doctor has insisted upon, but it's hurting you. That happens more often than I would like!

Good luck.

[Faith1989]

Wow so good to hear u say that. Restasis keeps getting pushed on me and I know maybe it helps a little with the pain but causes me a different type of pain and like fifty percent more redness. I see one of the best eye docs in Canada (pm me if you want a name) He told me to keep using Restasis and to give it six months, I'm on month three. My eyes keep progressingly getting more and more red when I use it. It's frustrating. I use Alrex three times a week still and serum which has helped. If you don't mind me asking what was your experience with Restasis?

[spmcc]

I was first given Restasis through Health Canada back in 2003. A new ophthalmologist (to Canada) that I saw had just finished a residency in the US and she said that Restasis was working there and she'd get it for me here. I got it free and used it for ~ 5-6 years. It helped. And I noticed this by stopping and re-starting it. That's one good way to test things.

But when I got all my puncta sealed, Restasis started hurting more than helping. I've re-started it a number of times over the last 3-4 years (with all puncta sealed), and each time was a failure. Therefore, I no longer use Restasis.

[Faith1989]

I have all four puncta shut also. I have also stopped and restarted and never make it past like four months because my eyes keep progressively getting more red when I use them without the help of Alrex ect. My corneal specialist wants me on them for six. I am just afraid and in pain all day with red eyes when I use them.

Instead of stopping I may just use them at night for now and see what happens. I am also getting sclerals fitted soon. What was your experience with those? I am getting fitted in ottawa ontario.