Beginning of a new era...

[Kristie]

Hi all fellow patients!

This post goes back many, many years. Started with me waking up each day with bloodshot eyes. After a while (years?) it went from the morning to throughout the day. Went to a doctor that said it was allergy, after going though all anti-histamines available and excluded all possible sources of allergy (mold,cat,dog,grass,trees...) they told me it was nothing to do about it.
I thought about suicide but decided to find a new doctor. This step repeated itself many many times. They I took all the doctors advice to live with it and decided a lousy life were better than none...

I still had some hope left and googled to this forum about a year ago. RCE? MGD? Blepharitis? Lid care? Supplements?
Huh, many years of red eyes and no doctors told me anything of this?
I decided give this forum a chance...
RCE: Check
MGD: Check

Then I learned what I should have done 5 years ago. Instead of listening to all those retarded doctors in Sweden I should give each one of them the finger and tell them to go **** off. Yes, a Swede with a hatred against the medical system.

For months I tried Supplements, Lid Care, Lid Warming, Eye mask, humidifier and maybe more. Not much improvement and after a while I only used Q-tip twice a day and managed to get a semi decent week. Then I woke up with badly bloodshot eyes! Before I punched the bathroom mirror in rage I remembered I had a huge glass of milk and chocolate the night before. Maybe the bad guy is Lactose or Milk protein? My doctors said no when I asked about food...

With me excluding milk protein (and lactose) while also doing lid care I got more good days than usual. But it was still a roller coaster with good and bad days so I knew it also had to be something else. Then I stumbled across syrup/fructose...

For the first time in many, many years I have had a good week:

• NO supplement like vitamins/flaxseed/anti-histamine or any other medication.
• I ONLY eat potatoes, rice and chicken. Only drinking water.
• The bedsheets are washed in 95 degree to remove dust mites.
• I have a my mobile set on 45 min interval alarm, when it goes of I apply tear substitute.
• Yes, The alarm is on during the night.

Time to start all over from here. Flaxseed, anti-histamine, plugs, eye mask and more will probably help. But a more crucial step is my food intake. I did just eat a bowl of Broccoli to prevent Scurvy. Soon I will find out if it affect my eyes...

Over and out for now

[Hopeful2]

Hi Kristie,

Welcome to the Dry Eye Zone! I'm sorry it took you sooo long to find some answers. You will find lots of information and support here on DEZ.

I developed dry eye a week after my lasik surgery six months ago. It has been a long and difficult journey to get my eyes comfortable again. I have learned that relaxation, meditation, exercise and nutrition are key to having the eye feel better.

I too noticed that after a sugar binge my eyes would be worse. I am trying to eliminate sugar but it is not so easy. I am wondering about cow's milk as a potential irritant as well. I have consulted a few alternative medicine practitioners and they tell me that according to Chinese medicine, the liver and the eyes are connected. If the liver is congested than it will show up in the eyes. One practitioner even said to me "I'm not surprised you did the eye surgery. Your liver was probably trying to get your attention and in doing the eye surgery you may have been trying to help your liver, on a sbuconscious level". . . I don't know about all of that, but I am now looking at stressors on the liver and trying to minimize them. And yes sugar in all its forms: sucrose, fructose, honey, alcohol . . . are all stressors on the liver.

I think probably for me this dry eye problem has been a gradual process, over many years. It's probably been aggravated by years of contact lens use, menopause and certainly the lasik surgery.

You might want to keep a journal indicating food eaten and supplements taken. See if you notice any patterns over time. If you want to look at how nutrition affects you health, you might want to consult with a naturopathic doctor.

Keep asking questions and looking for answers.
Hopeful2

[Optic]

Since you're focusing on diet you might want to try eating more eggs. My eyes usually feel a bit less burning pain after eating them(both yolk and white). Carrots have been helpful to a lesser extent.