Dry eyes and permanent veins in eyes

[Bones1579]

Hi everyone, I've been suffering from dry eyes and having permanent veins in my eyes for years now. I'm 25 years old and I hate my eyes. It's really hurting my self-esteem and confidence and when my eyes flare up I'm too embarrassed to even leave the house.

I found an article which states:

According to various eye doctors, these veins develop for several reasons, including:

1. Prolonged and untreated dry eye syndrome.

2. Overuse of eye drops that are vasoconstrictors (i.e., Visine, Clear Eyes, All Clear, etc.). A vasoconstrictor is a substance that reduces the redness in the eyes by narrowing the blood vessels. However, overusing products containing this substance can result in “rebound redness”. This means that when you stop using the product your veins will come back even larger and redder than before.

3. Overexposure to sunlight without wearing proper eye protection.

4. Staring at a computer screen for hours a day without stopping to take breaks or without blinking sufficiently in order to keep the eyes moistened.

Unfortunately all four of those things have applied to me. I'm doing everything I can to minimize the risks now but it seems like the damage has been done. I'm really angry and feel stupid for abusing my eyes. I wish I could go back in time.

My eyes get really bad when I sleep at night. I can go to bed and my eyes feel mostly normal but when I wake up they're even redder than before and feel like sandpaper. Then throughout the day they seem to get somewhat better then I go to bed and they get worse once again.

Things I've done so far to try to help:

1. Take frequent breaks from computer
2. Lowered my computer monitors
3. Flux
4. Fish oil pills every day
5. I always get at least 8 hours of sleep per night
6. I drink water all day every day. I exercise about 5 days a week so I always make sure I'm hydrated. I only drink water, milk, and gatorade.
7. My diet is very clean and healthy and I almost always eat home cooked meals
8. No drugs (not even caffeine or any prescription medications), alcohol, or smoking
9. Stopped using fan at night
10. Closed my air vents
11. Systane Balance eye drops
12. Vitamin E
13. Vitamin D
14. Vitamin B2
15. Taurine
16. Always wearing sunglasses when going outside even if it's not that bright out
17. Stopped using Clear Eyes although I don't really feel like I ever used it too often. The first permanent blood vessel that appeared in my right eye showed up before I ever used any vasoconstrictors. My eyes did get worse though after I started using Clear Eyes although it's hard to say how much of it was from Clear Eyes. I still had a lot of other risk factors going on.
18. Keeping a bowl of hot water in my room at night to increase the humidity
19. Systane nighttime ointment
20. Eyeseals 4.0 Sleeping Mask

Things I will be trying soon:

?


Things I am considering trying:

1. Restasis? Not sure about this one though

Does anyone else have any ideas? Feel free to share any of your thoughts and personal experiences. I hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel cause right now I can't see it.

Thank you.

[RedEyez]

Bones1579 I too am in the same boat. I don't know what to do. My doctor doesn't seem to help at all since my eye is healthy. He doesn't care about the red veins at all please someone help!

P.S. did Taurine help at all? did you see any difference after taking it?

[Bones1579]

Bones1579 I too am in the same boat. I don't know what to do. My doctor doesn't seem to help at all since my eye is healthy. He doesn't care about the red veins at all please someone help!

P.S. did Taurine help at all? did you see any difference after taking it?

I just started taking it but I haven't been consistent in taking it every day. I'm gonna start taking it every single day for a few months then I'll see if there's any difference. I take it as a pre-workout anyway.

[dryeyesandchocolate]

Hi Bones1579

I'm in the same boat. I'm 24 and have also used computers, contact lenses, and for a brief period Vasoconstrictors. Somedays the veins are more faded and my eyes are tolerable but basically after 5pm they are red, almost pinkish, and especially red after a late weekend evening. I have just started Restasis 2 weeks ago so I will keep you posted on my progress. It's so hard somedays because you feel embarrassed and ashamed to look bloodshot. I think for me, using lubrication drops and trying to forget about it are the only ways I tackle it so far. I think some people are just more prone to this condition and there really isn't much to help other than the obvious. There have been rumors for the last few years about a product called Luminesse that promises to remove redness without rebound. I'm hopeful but also skeptical. It sucks being young with eye problems but the good news is we have many years to look forward to possible medical advancements

Please keep us posted on the Taurine and other supplements. I wish you luck and stay in touch

[RedEyez]

Hi dryeyesandchocolate,

Are you taking Restasis for dry eye or to remove the red veins?

[No tears in ATL]

I don't think there is much to be done to get rid of them, but you can try as best you can to manage dry eye, which is very important to your eye health anyway. You could also ask your doctor about ocular rosacea.

I have had a large pinguecula and veins due to dry eye for years, and they are there even when my dry eye symptoms are under control. I think some are more prone to them. I hate it and am very self conscious about it, but I guess there is a point where you just accept it.

Taurine (already tried it--I know, I was kind of naive at the time) is just a waste of money.

Maybe one day there will be some sort of cure or safe procedure, but please don't go and try some of these dangerous, gimmicky procedures. I remember some horrific sounding thing called I Brite that someone was shilling on this site, and luckily the site moderator called them out and kicked them off on this thread:

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/forum...-wachler/page3

So, unfortunately, no magic bullet. Speaking with your doctor and investing in moisture chamber glasses is going to be a good first start.

[Bones1579]

I don't think there is much to be done to get rid of them, but you can try as best you can to manage dry eye, which is very important to your eye health anyway. You could also ask your doctor about ocular rosacea.

I have had a large pinguecula and veins due to dry eye for years, and they are there even when my dry eye symptoms are under control. I think some are more prone to them. I hate it and am very self conscious about it, but I guess there is a point where you just accept it.

Taurine (already tried it--I know, I was kind of naive at the time) is just a waste of money.

Maybe one day there will be some sort of cure or safe procedure, but please don't go and try some of these dangerous, gimmicky procedures. I remember some horrific sounding thing called I Brite that someone was shilling on this site, and luckily the site moderator called them out and kicked them off on this thread:

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/forum...-wachler/page3

So, unfortunately, no magic bullet. Speaking with your doctor and investing in moisture chamber glasses is going to be a good first start.

I'm using the taurine before I go to the gym so it's fine if it doesn't help my eyes since I'm going to use it anyway. I'm not going to have eye whitening surgery.

[pythonidler]

Bones - are you seeing an ophthalmologist for this issue? That would be an important first step towards recovery.

[Bones1579]

Bones - are you seeing an ophthalmologist for this issue? That would be an important first step towards recovery.

I've told my optometrist about it but I don't think there's much else can be done other than maybe Restasis and tear duct plugs. I'm not sure I want to do either of those things.

He said that he wouldn't bother going to a dry eye specialist.

Two nights ago I forgot to put the bowl of hot water in my room and when I woke up my eyes were really red with veins everywhere and they felt like sandpaper. Last night I had the bowl of water and when I woke up this morning my eyes felt fairly normal and weren't as red. Closing the air vent, not using the fan, and keeping the humidity high seems to help when I sleep.

As long as my eyes feel fairly normal and aren't like sandpaper then I guess that's what matters more. I don't have much hope in being able to get rid of the veins because it seems like they're permanent and there's nothing to indicate that a doctor would be able to remove them without significant risks.

[chuto]

Hi Bones1579,
I am a 31 years old female from Turkey and suffer from severe red veins in sclera for 4 months now. I have been using contact lenses for 15 years, used Accutane 10 years ago and taken antidepressant pills for last 3 years, unfortunately without knowing their negative complications to dry eye problems. 4 months ago, I had worn contacts all day and the next day I noticed my eyes were bloodshot. Then I went to an ophthalmologist and he diagnosed me with conjunctivitis and prescribed me an eye drop similar to Visine. Unfortunately I did not know the vasoconstrictor effect of this eye drop and after 1 week of usage; my eyes have become worse with so many scleral veins that I cannot get rid of and are enlarging day by day. This drop caused pingueculas in both my eyes also.
I have visited 4 doctors afterwards, they all said there is nothing to do for those veins, that they can only take the inflammation under control with known drops such as Lotemax, Patanol etc. One of them prescribed Restasis to reduce dry eye symptoms which is supposed to diminish reddish appearance of blood vessels but it worsened my condition, it enlargened pingueculas and increased the number of red veins. I quited my job and I cannot continue to my social life due to the veiny, red, irritated, burning eyes.

I use Arterac eye drops daily, Thilo Tears gel at night, Lotemax when I have inflammation but with a limited use (1 drop per day, 1 week), since I have glaucoma as well. I take Omega 3 pills and Eyebright Complex from Solgar (which include Vitamine A, C, E and taurine as well), there is a humidifier at my room. But these do not seem to work good for me.

I hope there will be some cures soon in medical litterature for this condition, that doctors do not care much since we do not have vision problems.

[RedEyez]

Chuto,

I feel your frustration. Mine is actually worse because I have big eyes and no white part what so ever It also gets to me how the doctors don't care about it as much as we do... some of them think I'm crazy for complaining since I have healthy eyes, they don't know how it affects my daily life! I just wish someone shares a success story here ..for even a small improvement.. it hurts living in the dark ...

[chuto]

Dear RedEyez,

I also have big eyes with big as well as tiny veins all over the white part, along with yellowish bumps called pinguecula, unfortunately.. And all of them have been caused by a prescribed eye drop containing vasoconstrictor I wish I had never gone to this ophtalmologist, I always accuse myself. My doctors recommend me to see psychiatrist as they don't understand our frustration with this appearence. I also suffer from constant eye burning and pain, evet without an apparent inflammation, doctors do not care about this neither.. I wish the same with you, I hope some remedies will be found soon for our problems..

[pythonidler]

Bones,

It's not clear whether this is actually a chronic or acute issue. It could be that you're in the beginning stages of chronic dry eye. Or it could simply be that you keep your eyes open when you're sleeping and cause them to dry out during the night. Or it could be both - nobody on this forum knows for sure, because nobody here is a doctor and has seen your eyes in person.

Either way, I would HIGHLY recommend that you see an ophthalmologist, not the optometrist you've been seeing. The difference between the two is significant when it comes to dry eye. The optometrist is more like a general practitioner for your eye, whereas an ophthalmologist will be more specialized in focusing on specific diseases of the eye. In my opinion, an ophthalmologist who specializes in dry eye is far more likely to help you than an optometrist who may only know the basics about it. And don't just pick a random ophthalmologist either. I myself have seen 4 different ophthalmologists, so I know how important it is that you find the right one.

In the meantime, in case you are opening your eyes at night, I would recommend one of two nighttime ointments.

The first is something called Muro 128, which is a thick, sodium chloride ointment that you put in your eyes at night. If you buy the Bausch and Lomb's version of it, it costs $20. But there are generics from Amazon that cost half as much, such as this one from Akorn. If you buy a pack of 3 on Amazon, it's even cheaper.

The second is Genteal, which is a clear gel. This doesn't work quite as well in sealing your eyes shut, but your eyes won't feel greasy in the morning like they would if you used Muro 128.


That would be my advice to you. Please, please see an ophthalmologist about your condition. Even if it's just a case of you opening your eyes at night.

[Bones1579]

I just got the Systane nighttime ointment and I've used it for two nights now. Too early to say whether it's beneficial but my eyes didn't feel like sandpaper when I woke up this morning. They're still extremely red with veins everywhere though. I also purchased Eyeseals 4.0 Sleeping Mask but it hasn't arrived yet.

[pythonidler]

It's nice to hear that your eyes are feeling better. Do you have any other pain in your eyes, or is your only symptom the red eyes now?