Link between dry eye and sinus infection

[vgiriraj]

Hi,
I would like to know whether anyone has had this experience relating to sinus linked with dry eye. My dry eye problem, as seems to be the case for everyone else, erupted suddenly in June 2006 though there might have been a build up. I had travelled to a hot part of the country in end May peak summer. The controlled temperature in plane might have been 22Centigrade,while on landing it was 44 C in airport--open to sky. Again inside airport it was cool while getting out it was hot, inside the airconditioned taxi cool, outisde warm. I visited a factory, again hot, while in their office it was airconditioned. I developed a splitting headache followed by that 'great event' of my life--the dry eye a few days after. Even now if I sit in an airconditioned room I feel uncomfortable followed by headache and sort of drying feeling in the nose. The CT scan showed there is a pan sinus blockage. I am treating it. Both sinus and dry eyes also drains ones energies and weakens one'sresponses. If sinus is treated does dry eye problem reduce? Further I too have a moderate level of photophobia. Does it reduce over a period of time? Keen to know.Giriraj

[kdc66]

I had a similar experience twenty years ago. I never had dry eyes and went on an overseas flight. The flight was overnight and when I woke up my eyes felt dry, irritated and red and I also had sinus congestion. I have suffered since. So I do believe their is a correlation. My recommendation would be to see both an ent and an ophthamologist and to try to get an restasis and/or topical steroids such as lotemax. My suspicion is the sinus infection/problems may cause an inflammatory condition in the eye leading to dry eye so getting on a drug like restasis can treat that. Good luck.

[cherrybrandy]

vgiriraj..re sinus blockage and dry eye.

Hi I had a catscan on tuesday as i have a deviated septum with spur .The e.n.t. person said after i get it surgically fixed my eyes should improve..Il keep you posted of the outcome..I know how draining a combination of des and sinus can be.I have trouble in left side of face breathing at the moment and strangely enough my worst eye is on that side..so the link is apparent i think in my case..take care..cb.

[AlexM]

sinus / dry eye

Cherrybrandy!

I too have the same problem. I have allergic sinusitus which is triggered by allergens so I get it multiple times a year. My left nostril does not breathe as well as my right and my left eye has a worse case of dry eye than the right. I also have a severely deviated septum which intensifies my sinusitus.

I currently have all 4 punctal plugs in my eyes and am taking Ketotifen Fumarate (an allergy drop) to reduce my inflamed conjuctavae. I also have MGD and am taking amino acids for to no avail. What I am most interested in is if you underwent the surgery and if it has helped!?


Regards,


Alex

[neil0502]

Careful, Alex. Zaditor (Ketotifen Fumarate) is preserved with Benzalkonium Chloride, a chemical that's known to cause and aggravate dry eye conditions.

You may want to talk with your doctor about a preservative-free version (I think there's Acular-PF), particularly if you'll be using it regularly and for any length of time.

Best,
Neil

[cherrybrandy]

To alex m.re sinus.

Hello just read your post re sinus am away to see specialist on monday to see about surgery..Il keep you posted.I personally feel that the inflammation in my face is causing the inflammation in my eyes, but wel see.regards cb.

[Lankstarr]

Hi All,

I'm not a frequent poster to say the least but as you can see from my joining date I am a long time sufferer of dry eyes and woudl like to report something strange that happened to me last week.

My DE problem mainly manifests itself when I wake up - I can't do anything until I put my geltears in as my eyes are very dry and like sand paper when I blink.

Last week I had a stinking cold, I hardly ever get ill but this saw my sinuses blocked and I couldn't breathe through my nose. For 3 consecutive days I awoke with no dry eyes! I have probably had 3 instances in the last 5 years where I've woken up pain free but feel this last flourish of agony free waking must be related to my cold.

So, other than ensuring a constantly have a cold, please can anyone suggest a link that may enable me (and hopefully some of you) to cure myself?

Thanks,

Luke

[Pinky]

Several things could be going on:

First, as some have reported on this site, when inflammation occurs in a different area, in this case your sinuses, inflammation can be relieved from the eyes. I find it interesting that one of the meds that has helped me the most is pilocarpine, which makes my face pinkish. The more pink (i.e. slightly inflammed) my face is, the better my eyes feel.

Also, my ocular rosacea was treated with IPL at the Rosacea Treatment Institute. The doctor explained that they would be targetting vessels in the nose because these are feeder vessels to the eyes, thereby hoping to reduce inflammation. He aslo explained that facial nerves directly effect the eyes especially T 7 I believe (maybe someone can confrm this). They are just not quite sure how it all works yet.

Pinky

[sighthound]

sinus infection and wet eyes

I get 1 or 2 sinus infections a year. My eyes are nice and wet for most of the time I am sick. As soon as I start to get better, I go dry again.
Pinky: Are they using the ipl on your eyelids too, or just on your nose? Is it helping? What is the cost?