My story

[Blueyes]

Three months ago I had a really bad day. I cried for maybe an hour, maybe two. Next morning, when I woke up, my right eye was totally red and itchy. I thought - I must have rubbed it, when I was crying - expected it to go away.

One week later the eye was still red and itchy, so was the other one. I went to see an opthamologist. She concluded that I had an allergy and gave me steroid (Patanol) as well as lubricating drops. I stopped using makeup and facial cream.

Two weeks passed, I did not get better. The doctor gave me a stronger steroid, which initially seemed to help. Still, redness was coming back. I was washing my eyes with "no more tears" baby shampoo twice a day. Did not help.

The doctor came up with another theory, or another one to blame, the contraceptive pill. I actually got a new kind of a pill shortly before I started having eye problems. I am off the pill. I also had a blood test for autoimmune. The test was fine. My eyes are worse than ever.

Today the doctor said I have DES and gave me restasis. I have just picked it up at the pharmacy. Could not believe the price, but at this point I will try anything.

I am 28. I had LASIK 3.5 years ago. After the procedure, I had dry eyes for about 3 months. Dryness went away and I was only using eye drops sporadically (once every few weeks). I had my LASIK done because my vision was really bad (-9.5, -12.5). The doctor was saying that after the procedure my vision will cease to get worse. The procedure was quite successful, though I wear glasses (no contacts) of (-1,+1) and it has not changed in the last 3 years.

My eyes feel like I am very tired all the time, although I am not tired at all! At work I need to use the computer non stop and every day I cannot wait to leave my desk for the day. I know it sounds dramatic, but I suffer!

I got an appointment with a dry eye sprecialist, but it is not until mid-February. For now, I am thinking I will try restasis, omega 3 and preservative-free drops.

[Blueyes]

an Update

The day I started this thread I got Restasis from my doctor. The same night, desperate, I also read about preservatives and and how they can irritate the eye. My doctor never mentioned that! I decided to try another thing - I got preservative free drops (Bausch and Lomb Advanced Eye Relief Rejuvenation). I stopped Systane and Refresh Gel and just used those for the past couple of days. I also took Omega 3's. I never started Restasis.

Surprisingly, my eyes went from red, itchy, light-sensitive and hurting to... fine! Today I have not used drops AT ALL - for the first time I woke up and did not have extremely dry eyes.

Does it make any sense? My left eye itches a little bit around lower lid, otherwise they look fine and I feel great. Is it posible that Systane and Alrex did this to me? Maybe I do not have DES after all...

[Terri]

Blueeyes: It is absolutely possible that your problems were caused by the preservatives in the drops. I used bottled drugstore drops for more than two years and developed a severe reaction to the preservatives. It built up over a period of time and resulted in an increasing need to use drops, followed a few minutes later by burning and pain and the instillation of more drops.

I told three different doctors (two opthalmologists and one neurosurgeon) that I was using drops every five or 10 minutes, and not one of them suggested I might be having a reaction to preservatives or told me to do anything different. I stumbled across a post about this issue on another website, switched immediately to preservative-free drops, and the pain, redness and frequency of use began to dissipate.

I still had other issues to deal with, but you may find that the preservatives in the drops you were the sole cause of your problems.

[Blueyes]

Terri: I had the same observation - five or ten minutes after putting eyedrops I had to do it again, otherwise the eyes would feel even worse. I mentioned that to the doctor before and she told me I can put them in as often as I want. I think whatever you put in your eye every five minutes that is not your own tears will finally irritate it.

I still think I have a moderate problem - today after work my eyes are red and sore. I usually spend over 10 hours in front of the computer every day. I felt much better on the weekend at home than in the office. My plan is to take more short breaks to rest my eyes, and, finally, start taking advantage of my one-hour lunch break that I tend to work through...

I wish I had found this forum before I did my LASIK. My LASIK doctor was only helpful before the surgery, afterwards they were denying I had any residual values for over 8 months, until I went to the other doctor and got my glasses (-1, +1). I am going to show this website to all my friends considering this surgery.

[Blueyes]

Update to my story

It's been a week without preservatives. I still did not touch Restasis. Only thing I was using was B&L Preservative Free Rejuvenation as well as Omega 3's. I am so much better! Redness, itching and burning still come back but it is nothing like before.

I do not know if it is typical, but I noticed that my eye condition change literally from minute to minute. In the morning after I wake up it is a bit red and dry. Then I take a shower (humidity helps?) and I am totally fine. On the subway, I can feel my eyes "getting red". I reach the office and half an hour later I have to put in drops. Throughout the day it changes non-stop. The computer makes it worse, so I am really trying to blink more and take breaks. I just cannot understand - one minute I am good, the next it burns, then I am good again... still, I am happy it is not as bad as before, though it is probably a way soon to tell...

[Rebecca Petris]

Afraid I didn't notice this before... it's hard to keep up with all the new posts lately. But...

It's been a week without preservatives. I still did not touch Restasis. Only thing I was using was B&L Preservative Free Rejuvenation as well as Omega 3's. I am so much better! Redness, itching and burning still come back but it is nothing like before.

That is great to hear!!

I do not know if it is typical, but I noticed that my eye condition change literally from minute to minute.

In my opinion... based on what you describe... this is a classic case where putting a 'microenvironment' around your eyes may help with providing some stability and greater comfort, at least till you get some bigger issues squared away.

[Blueyes]

after seeing dry-eye specialist

Yesterday I saw a dry-eye specialist. My appointment was after work and my eyes were pretty bad that day. Schrimer test was 4 on my right eye and 0 on the left!

I must say, I was not happy with the appointment. First I got to tell my story to the doctor's assistant, who was typing it up. The doctor was not that interested in listening to me herself, and she got parts of my story wrong (I told the assistant I was so much better after stopping Alrax and Systane, the first thing the new doctor wanted to do was to put me back on it).

I tried to tell my story again to the doctor underlining that right now my problems occur ONLY when I am at work - on the weekends I am fine. I really suspect it is something environmental.

She gave me a bunch of leaflets and told me that I need to decide myself what to do and gave me the options: punctal plugs, restasis, antibiothics (apparently I have ocular rosacea as well - the other doctor did not think that at all). Anyway, she left the decision what to do next to me.

When I asked about the side effects (long term) of restasis, she said I should read the leaflet inside the restasis' box.

I am so confused now.

[Blueyes]

In my opinion... based on what you describe... this is a classic case where putting a 'microenvironment' around your eyes may help with providing some stability and greater comfort, at least till you get some bigger issues squared away.

That is what I think too. This new doctor really got me confused. But she did not listen, I'm afraid. Today I did not go to work, cause I am not feeling well, and my eyes are so FINE.

[Rebecca Petris]

She gave me a bunch of leaflets and told me that I need to decide myself what to do and gave me the options: punctal plugs, restasis, antibiothics (apparently I have ocular rosacea as well - the other doctor did not think that at all). Anyway, she left the decision what to do next to me.

In my not altogether humble opinion... THAT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS.

Run, don't walk, to a new doctor.

Sorry, but I am fuming. Practice of medicine is one thing, a self-service buffet is another!

[Blueyes]

Rebecca,

I am not going back to that doctor. I think I am going to try a humidifier for my office for now, and try to see doctor Latkany. I just found that his office is round the corner from where I work!

So I am deciding for myself after all...

[Blueyes]

An update

Since I saw the doctor last week I have been feeling worse. My eyes are very red now and Theratears, with which I was happy two weeks ago do not seem to help much any more.

Today I woke up and I was really bad. My right eye, which usually is a better one, was red like never before. The veins in the white part were also very visible.

Yesterday I got a humidifier for my office, but I am not sure how much will it help, because I work in a huge open space and I am afraid it all gets "lost in space."

I was trying for about 2 weeks, but I cannot take the Omega 3's fish oils, it gives me the worst GI problems

I am so miserable today. Work, which I usually do not mind, seems like torture (I am on the computer all day). I have final exams in grad school coming up in two weeks and tons of reading to do and all I can think about is going home, taking a bath and going to sleep...

[Rojzen]

Wondering, Blueyes, if you're referring to a new doctor, in this most recent post, or to the one who so outrageously offered you a buffet (t.y., Rebecca) of options to choose from, and sent you on your way. . . Also, have you gotten hold of some protective eyewear, as mentioned in Rebecca's post about ways of reducing the erratic swings from good to bad, even in a hostile eye environment. . .

Also wanted to steer you to Dr. Holly's recent post on preservatives. . .It is wonderful that your avoidance of preservatives initially made a big difference, but many other factors and forces may be brought to bear, in order for you to experience real change and improvement. . .I've personally found Dwelle to be the only drop, so far, that stabilizes the way I feel (it also completely eliminates my eye pain). . .Yes, it has a preservative, but in Dr. Holly's discussion about this, he explains how the particular preservative cannot do the harm that other preservatives may do. . .

Anyway. . .I'm thinking glasses/goggles/wraps and Dwelle as 2 directions you may want to research from posts here, from Rebecca's reference materials, and from the Shop's offerings. . .

[Blueyes]

Rojzen,

Thank you for your comments. Yes, I was referring to that "buffet" doctor. I just wanted to point out that my eyes have gotten so much worse after seeing her. It also added to my stress level, I think, simply because I was waiting to see this "specialist" for a couple of weeks and had expectations of better care. Right now I am not doing well, I am getting really anxious at times, especially that I have so much going on in my life for the next couple of weeks - work and school finals would strain healthy eyes!

My appointment with doctor Latkany is not until next week. I haven't tried protective eyewear yet. I will definitely research those as well as doctor Holly's drops. I am still relatively new to the problem, however, this website is a great source of information and support.

I am also seeing a dermatologist soon to verify my rosacea diagnosis from 3 years ago - I had skin problems for a couple of months at that time and was diagnosed with mild rosacea. Now my skin is fine, but I have a tendency to flush.

I think the humidifier makes me feel a bit better (maybe 20% better). My office is really dry, many my coworkers also experience eye dryness.

[Maenad1]

I am not going back to that doctor. I think I am going to try a humidifier for my office for now, and try to see doctor Latkany. I just found that his office is round the corner from where I work!

Wow! Just wanted to chime in to say you are so lucky to be near Dr. Latkany. I would love to be able to have an appointment with him, but I'm nowhere near New York.

It's too bad you had to deal with that unhelpful doc, but I'll bet you get the answers you're seeking soon. Hang in there and let us know how it goes with Dr. Latkany.

[dianat]

Blueeyes,

Have you tried using your allergy drops (Patanol) right before work? It might be interesting to see what happens.