need some advise please....

[mario veda]

Hi, my name is Mario. I'm 49 years old, and because of my blurry vision, my fiancee' is typing this for me....lol.

Up until 2003, my vision was excellent. Then I got a job at a steel mill, and was given the position of 'Steel Pourer'. In a 'nutshell' this is pouring molted steel. Temperatures were really high, and it was like staring into the sun 12 hours a day.
After about a year, I noticed that the interstate signs on the highway were becoming slightly blurry, & my reading ability was diminishing (small print). I was basically told that it was because of my age & it would happen to everyone. As it gradually got worse in 2004 (blurriness, itching, etc..) I went to the eye doctor & he informed me that I have 'dry eye'.
I told him about my job, but I guess he thought that I was trying to do some sort of legal action against my employer, & he seemed hesitant to want to disuss any connection between the conditions at work & my dry eyes. This isn't the issue with me whether or not the job may have caused my dry eye.
I just want to get a better grip of what the future may have in store for me.

I am still employeed at the steel mill, but in a different position ( non-heat), & I am seeing another eye doctor. He has put me on 'Restasis', as well as, installed 'eye plugs', & I use 'Thera Tears' daily as often as possble.

Last time I saw my eye doctor I asked him what my long term prognosis could be, and all he said was it would just get worse. Which really isn't doing my emotional state any good, because nightly driving is becoming more of a chore & the blurriness is becoming more intense. I do not have any inflamation or redness. I have read that dry eye will not lead to blindness as long as there aren't any other problems associated with it. My doctor has just said that it is a 'wait & see' for new medicines to be made available.

Lately, I've I had more bad days than good days; especially with the blurriness. I am posting this on this 'site' that I found today just to try to contact other people that are at my point or beyond to see how they are handling it, or how their condition has improved or worsened. I just feel that I have to get a better understanding to get an idea of what I my have to deal with in the future no matter what the outlook can be so I can better prepare.
Sorry for such a long post.
Thank you for any advise/input.
Mario

[kitty]

Welcome to this site, Mario. While some of your symptoms may be related to DES, I have to question if there is not something else going on. After about a year with DES (plugs, Restasis, drops), I noticed that the vision in my left eye had become blurry. I had increasing difficulty driving at night, mostly due to light sensitivity, starbursts and halos and a general sense of not being able to see well. The road signs were getting more difficult to see, even in daylight. I thought I just needed a new prescription for my glasses. NOT.

My doc told me that as we age, the lens in our eyes undergo changes that result in non-correctable blurred vision. Sometimes this is the first sign of a cataract forming. For others, the cause is not known and the blurriness often reverses. My Doc checks on me now every three months to make sure he is not missing something serious. I am only a few years younger than you. I share this story to make a point. For those of us with DES, not all of our symptoms can be attributable to DES. Eyes are frustrating organs, in that it seems that most all eye conditions end up with similar symptoms. It takes an astute practitioner to separate it all out.

I would suggest you seeking another opinion. I am not a doctor so I cannot tell you whether your condition will get worse. I can say that DES is a disease that must be managed. I have noticed that with time, my eyes have begun to feel better. I attribute that to management of my disease, not the DES somehow resolving on its own. I wish you the best. Again, welcome!

[mario veda]

thank u ...

Thank you...You seem to have the same conditions as I do.I have been going to my eye DR. on a regular schulde ,I will see him again later this month and with the information from this site will be able to ask more questions.I will continue as you are doing ,and try to manage this.Somedays it is worse than other days and I think this has to do with warmer house temps ,car heater etc. .. You hit night-time driving right on as that is the way it also seems to me .I am also more sensitive to bright light,sun etc...Thanks again....Best Wishes 2 U........Mario......

[GeorgeT]

Hi Mario,
I was like you for 7 months. Hot compresses, eyelid massage/scrub helped me getting rid of blurriness. I did all of them every day and I am still doing it.
Then doxycycline helped me very much with the pain.
I learned it from this site. You have to find a better doctor also.
Take Care !!
George

[kitty]

Thank you...You seem to have the same conditions as I do.I have been going to my eye DR. on a regular schulde ,I will see him again later this month and with the information from this site will be able to ask more questions.I will continue as you are doing ,and try to manage this.Somedays it is worse than other days and I think this has to do with warmer house temps ,car heater etc. .. You hit night-time driving right on as that is the way it also seems to me .I am also more sensitive to bright light,sun etc...Thanks again....Best Wishes 2 U........Mario......

Yes, bright light and sun, and especially car headlights drive me insane. This is called photophobia, in case you want to impress your doc with your knowledge! I bought some night vision glasses at Gadget Universe that help considerably with the night driving. I have not yet discussed this with my doc but will at the next visit. While I am sorry you too share this affliction, I am glad to have found someone else who is experiencing the same symptoms. I was feeling quite alone. As they say, misery loves company.

[YGB]

Mario - dry eye can cause some vision issues, but I agree with Kitty that you should get these issues further checked out in case there is another problem as well.

Perhaps a retina specialist would be a good option for a thorough exam of your vision. Most retina specialists don't want to be bothered with dry eye, but I believe Kitty/others have seen a retina specialist and may be able to tell you what types of tests the retina MD did for their vision problems.

Also, understanding why you have dry eye (or what type of dry eye you have) is a key to developing a proper plan. Are you aqueous deficient or oil deficient or both? Since you do not have inflammation, doxycycline may not be needed since that is an anti-inflammatory. Hopefully you are working with a good MD/OD who can work with you in developing a good plan/strategy. If not, try to find one since that is important (this is easier said than done ). Best. YGB

[Adar]

What CAN get better

Mario, I'm so glad you found this place -- it really is a wonderful source of support and information.

A lot of us here have problems similar to yours. I have had less trouble with blurriness since I found the eyedrops that work best for me. It may be worth it to experiment a bit with sample sizes of different drops (talk to your eyedoc about samples.) Keeping my eyes moist helps too: I am careful when driving not to have any air blowing in a way that will dry my eyes, and if it is windy, I wear my over-my-glasses sunglasses from the dimestore.

Things that comfort my eyes on bad days: hot steamy showers, and warm wet compress over my eyelids for even as little as 15 minutes.

It may or may not "get worse" but you CAN become better at managing it!!!