UPDATE: eyes are nearly free of all red veins!!!!

[sleek822]

I was taking taurine and L-arginine for a month, and didnt notice any improvement. But maybe I should have kept up with it.

[cathy8889]

Hey,

Im currently taking taurine, I have a very prominent red squiggly vein in my left eye, I'm hoping that will fade. I have a lot of veins in my right eye, still trying to work out if this is pingueculitis, hopefully the taurine will help them. Im taking lots of other vitamins too though so its hard to tell whats working. If I notice a dramatic improvement within the next couple of weeks I will let you know.

Cath x

[KristinaM]

Amino acids are essential part of our tears. The article below prove that taurine and arginine are important for ocular surface: "The relative compositions of Tau, L-methionine, and Arg (arginine ) decreased in severe ocular surface disease subjects compared with non–ocular surface disease subjects".

http://www.ajo.com/article/S0002-939...877-9/abstract


Logandly was right about interaction between amino acids and vitamin B2. Italian company producees drops with both amino acids and vitamin b2 for dry eyes (RIBOLISIN):
http://www.oogroup.it/oftaht/en/md_ribolisin.html

Did anyone else have any success with taurine for getting rid of red vessels?

[sleek822]

What happened to logandly?

[sleek822]

I'd like to thank Logan for all his very informative posts. I've learned a lot from them. I've been trying many of the supplements he has mentioned, so far no noticeable improvement, but its early days, and these posts have given me hope, and helped me to stay positive. So I appreciate them.

[LaDiva]

Wow! Just want to comment on the metrogel and acne. I had a bad bought of acne last year. Antibiotics did not help, nor did different acne gels. The doctor was in the middle of re-adjusting my hormone medications, and so I thought that was the cause of the acne, and it might have been. Yesterday I noticed that I had a big boil along the hairline, just like last year, and a pimple on the forehead. I read your post above logandly, and decided to put Metrogel on my forehead last night. Today the boil is almost gone, and the pimple has vanished. Thought I was no longer having yeast issues, but it seems that is not the case. I had no idea it could manifest on the skin as acne. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[runnergirl]

Does anyone on this thread tried restasis? I'm considering cutting back but I'm scared! It has helped the dryness but not the redness, it's made it worse I think!

I am taking restasis. I have used it for about 6 months. One day I forgot to take it in the morning and went all day without it and my eyes were horrible. I take it at 9am and 9pm. I think If I were to stop, I would slowly do it. Like stop the nighttime drop first for about a month, then ween off the other drop. I will be scared to stop to when or if I ever do. by the way, I dont have red vein eyes. Just super dry eyes.

[littlemermaid]

Logan, 1. what was the candidiasis like for you? I ask because people have posted here to ask what to look for.

2. You had bacterial conjunctivitis and then started eye trouble? Nothing before that?

3. Also, while you were on long courses of oral antibiotics for acne in your teens, did you take probiotics of any type? or did you have to take Fluconazole each time to clear it?

Sorry for numbering... your history is complicated Interesting how what we sometimes think of as parasites, like bacteria, are commensal in digestion and support immunity. It would be good to understand how nutrition changes the microbiome.

[Logandly]

Fascinating and useful. Why were you taking doxycycline?

I'm worried that you are self-medicating and very young. Do you have any guidance and help?

Hi Mermaid,

To give you a clearer overview of my history of antibiotics, when I was in my teens, I took several courses of doxycycline for acne. However, the problem initially would resolve, then come back again. Looking back, I think the anti-biotic usage was what caused all my problems at the time. I decided for a time to get off everything and started taking Melatonin when I suddenly got better. I also used Metrogel, which completely eradicated my acne problems.

I've known my GP since I was a little kid, and he gave me the Metrogel as a last resort, and he was surprised that it actually worked because it was supposed to be for rosacea not acne vulgaris. Since then, I've been doing my own research about various medications I take, and I never take anything without thoroughly researching it first and discussing it with my doctors. I find doctors are very amenable to trying different things that are not in their textbook learning of medicine if you print out research studies and ask them what they think. Also most doctors don't have time to read up on all the new research and they practice medicine from what they were taught at medical school with old textbooks and their experience with other patients.

Metrogel worked for my acne, because I had an underlying, unresolved candidiasis from the multiple courses of anti-biotics I took in my teens, and candida is a parasite, and Metrogel is an anti-parasitic gel. All the anti-biotics I took only made my acne worse in the long wrong and I started developing red, itchy patches all over with Doxycycline usage.

Anyhow, thank you for asking about me and being such a great mom to all the people on the forum. I'm glad for your caring advice and comments.

Logan x

[Logandly]

It's obvious that your eye redness improved because you stopped wearing your contact lenses. It has nothing to do with supplements. And when you start wearing contacts again, your eyes will probably turn red again no matter what supplements you're taking.

C.L.A.R.E stands for "contact lens induced red eye." Caused by bacteria, C.L.A.R.E. is a reaction to the toxins that normal bacteria create in your eyes. Toxins that would normally be flushed out of your eye by blinking can bind to a contact lens. These toxins build up and can create a very unhappy red eye. C.L.A.R.E. may resemble microbial keratitis. It is treated by removing the lens until complete resolution has occurred. Recurrence is common if extended use lenses are worn once more.

There is also idiopathic superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis - which arises in hydrogel lens wearers, particularly in women between the ages of 20 and 60 and especially with abnormal thyroid function (30-50%). This again presents with redness, intolerance to lenses and irritation of the eye and is associated with fine papillae formation in the superior tarsal conjunctiva. Treatment is by removing the lens until the condition has resolved.

There are other ways contact lenses can cause red eye e.g., poor lens fit, poor lens care, lens damage, lens drying, overwear, allergy to cleaning solution, and much more. Again, redness is improved by not wearing contact lenses.

Taking away the cause of the problem is the step towards getting better. So happy there is an answer to your problem.

I had the red veins AFTER I stopped wearing contact lenses. I did not have CLARE, I had conjunctivitis which turned into scleritis and this happened while I wasn't wearing contact lenses.

I hope that's clear

Logan x

[spmcc]

I've had dry eyes since extended contact lens wear and every ophthalomogist told me that my tear evaporation was faster than average, but the eye redness problems came on suddenly late last year when I switched to Acuvue Advance lenses from Acuvue 2s.

I'm going to try wearing contact lenses in a month or so, and see what happens.

It's obvious that your eye redness improved because you stopped wearing your contact lenses. It has nothing to do with supplements. And when you start wearing contacts again, your eyes will probably turn red again no matter what supplements you're taking.

C.L.A.R.E stands for "contact lens induced red eye." Caused by bacteria, C.L.A.R.E. is a reaction to the toxins that normal bacteria create in your eyes. Toxins that would normally be flushed out of your eye by blinking can bind to a contact lens. These toxins build up and can create a very unhappy red eye. C.L.A.R.E. may resemble microbial keratitis. It is treated by removing the lens until complete resolution has occurred. Recurrence is common if extended use lenses are worn once more.

There is also idiopathic superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis - which arises in hydrogel lens wearers, particularly in women between the ages of 20 and 60 and especially with abnormal thyroid function (30-50%). This again presents with redness, intolerance to lenses and irritation of the eye and is associated with fine papillae formation in the superior tarsal conjunctiva. Treatment is by removing the lens until the condition has resolved.

There are other ways contact lenses can cause red eye e.g., poor lens fit, poor lens care, lens damage, lens drying, overwear, allergy to cleaning solution, and much more. Again, redness is improved by not wearing contact lenses.

Taking away the cause of the problem is the step towards getting better. So happy there is an answer to your problem.

[littlemermaid]

every time I took doxycycline

Fascinating and useful. Why were you taking doxycycline?

I'm worried that you are self-medicating and very young. Do you have any guidance and help?

[Logandly]

Logan, did you still have itchy scalp while you took oral Fluconazole?

Did you have dandruff flakes or hair loss? did you have flaking eg between the eyebrows? did you have red patches behind your ears or beside the nostrils? were your eyelashes falling out?

Hi Littlemermaid,

My symptoms weren't that pronounced, merely the itchy scalp. However, I remember every time I took doxycycline that I developed red, itchy patches all over my hands and feet which went away after a course of Fluconazole.

Logan x

[Logandly]

Logandly- can you repost that first link it didn't go through….
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) deficiency symptom

Hi Kate,

Here is the site where I attached the pic:

http://www.surgical-pathology.com/ri...deficiency.htm

Logan x

[littlemermaid]

I used to suffer from really itchy scalp and had to always use shampoos or conditioners with sulfur in it

I suddenly noticed that my scalp wasn't itchy anymore

Logan, did you still have itchy scalp while you took oral Fluconazole?

Did you have dandruff flakes or hair loss? did you have flaking eg between the eyebrows? did you have red patches behind your ears or beside the nostrils? were your eyelashes falling out?