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Hello to all my dry eye companions,
I first wanted to apologize to all for not being very active on this site. I know sometimes that just one new triumph may help encourage others. Hence, my update on my current situation.
Around June 2011, I finally sat Dr. Pflugfelder. At that time and I believe this is still the case, he was only seeing dry eye patients 1 day a week. Therefore, I had a 3 month waiting period before I could see him. He did the standard eye tests with the machines and drops, nothing special. I went to him because he is a well-known dry-eye doctor at Baylor (Alkek Eye Center) in Houston, TX. My eyes seemed to just be getting redder and my hope was that he could help. He suggested I take HydroEye softgels obtained from a local manufacturer called Science Based Health. I would take 4 per day for the first 2 months, then a maintenance dose of 2 per day every month. He also noticed that part of my cornea was sagging in both eyes and thought this may be contributing to the tears not properly being distributed over my whole eye. He noted he could tighten this up but there were no guarantees that it would fix my red eyes, just the tear distribution. I was not sold on this surgical suggestion. So, I started with the HydroEye. It actually helped me quite a bit – I did not have to use artificial tears as much or at all. Before HydroEye, I was using tears every 30 minutes. I had quit the Restatis because I felt it was not helping much and expensive. He put me back on Restasis along with the HydroEye. I have been on both ever since.
After about 6 months, I was still frustrated with my red eyes. I could not tell if they were just red from the dryness or actually infected. I went to an HEB redi-clinic and they immediately referred me to an eye doctor across the street – for he was an Optometrist and could better diagnose me they felt. I went to this doctor who thought he could help. The first thing he did was remove the tear duct plugs I had – he thought they were making the situation worst by not allowing the “bad stuff” to flow out of my eyes. Immediately, I noticed my eyes felt better but I still looked like the devil. He did many eye images and even would show them to me on a video screen magnified how my eyelid glands were clogged, which was contributing to the dry eye or maybe the primary cause. MGD is what they call it. Then, he prescribed doxycycline to try and reduce the bacteria. The doxycycline helped somewhat, but he suggested hot compresses. This was hard for me to keep up with since it requires consistency. Then, I went to the Alodox kit for a while. Again, expensive and hard to keep up with. So, eventally, I ended up just being on Restasis and HydroEye until 5 months ago when my current eye doctor suggested the Prokera membrane lens. He inserted the lens in my right eye fairly easily. The side effects were quite challenging for me given that I was not prepared for my vision to be blurry for the first 5 days in that eye. The lens was supposed to remain in for at least 10 days was my understanding but I requested removal on day 7. That was a relief to just get it out! I was hoping after this treatment, maybe my right eye at least would not be so red. I was wrong. What did improve though, is the dryness. In comparison to my left eye, I notice very little if any dryness in my right eye so much so that I have not been using Restasis in my right eye.
I am to follow up with the optometrist on tomorrow to see if not using the Restasis in my right eye has caused any unseen damage, like dry eye spots. My current doctor is great. Even though my problem has not been resolved, I’m thankful that he is patient with me and keeps me in mind when any new treatment comes available. Plus, he has a very steady hand when probing my eyes and lids which is quite reassuring.
All in all, even though my self-esteem and whole quality of life have went down the drain in what should have been the best years of my life, I am still grateful that I have my sight. I hide behind glasses that have a tint on them which is not very attractive but neither are my red eyes. And the kicker is I don’t wear glasses. I have 20/20 vision. I was advised by all eye doctors seen that Visine is a “no-no.” I use it on occasion but it does not really work anymore - it just makes me feel better. I pray that one day I will just wake-up and my eyes be white again or at least if they are not, I have the self-confidence to just shed the glasses and not care what anyone says or thinks about my red eyes. I have had red eyes for the past 10 years but maybe one day they will be white again.
Thanks to all who took the time to read and listen to my story.
Faye
I first wanted to apologize to all for not being very active on this site. I know sometimes that just one new triumph may help encourage others. Hence, my update on my current situation.
Around June 2011, I finally sat Dr. Pflugfelder. At that time and I believe this is still the case, he was only seeing dry eye patients 1 day a week. Therefore, I had a 3 month waiting period before I could see him. He did the standard eye tests with the machines and drops, nothing special. I went to him because he is a well-known dry-eye doctor at Baylor (Alkek Eye Center) in Houston, TX. My eyes seemed to just be getting redder and my hope was that he could help. He suggested I take HydroEye softgels obtained from a local manufacturer called Science Based Health. I would take 4 per day for the first 2 months, then a maintenance dose of 2 per day every month. He also noticed that part of my cornea was sagging in both eyes and thought this may be contributing to the tears not properly being distributed over my whole eye. He noted he could tighten this up but there were no guarantees that it would fix my red eyes, just the tear distribution. I was not sold on this surgical suggestion. So, I started with the HydroEye. It actually helped me quite a bit – I did not have to use artificial tears as much or at all. Before HydroEye, I was using tears every 30 minutes. I had quit the Restatis because I felt it was not helping much and expensive. He put me back on Restasis along with the HydroEye. I have been on both ever since.
After about 6 months, I was still frustrated with my red eyes. I could not tell if they were just red from the dryness or actually infected. I went to an HEB redi-clinic and they immediately referred me to an eye doctor across the street – for he was an Optometrist and could better diagnose me they felt. I went to this doctor who thought he could help. The first thing he did was remove the tear duct plugs I had – he thought they were making the situation worst by not allowing the “bad stuff” to flow out of my eyes. Immediately, I noticed my eyes felt better but I still looked like the devil. He did many eye images and even would show them to me on a video screen magnified how my eyelid glands were clogged, which was contributing to the dry eye or maybe the primary cause. MGD is what they call it. Then, he prescribed doxycycline to try and reduce the bacteria. The doxycycline helped somewhat, but he suggested hot compresses. This was hard for me to keep up with since it requires consistency. Then, I went to the Alodox kit for a while. Again, expensive and hard to keep up with. So, eventally, I ended up just being on Restasis and HydroEye until 5 months ago when my current eye doctor suggested the Prokera membrane lens. He inserted the lens in my right eye fairly easily. The side effects were quite challenging for me given that I was not prepared for my vision to be blurry for the first 5 days in that eye. The lens was supposed to remain in for at least 10 days was my understanding but I requested removal on day 7. That was a relief to just get it out! I was hoping after this treatment, maybe my right eye at least would not be so red. I was wrong. What did improve though, is the dryness. In comparison to my left eye, I notice very little if any dryness in my right eye so much so that I have not been using Restasis in my right eye.
I am to follow up with the optometrist on tomorrow to see if not using the Restasis in my right eye has caused any unseen damage, like dry eye spots. My current doctor is great. Even though my problem has not been resolved, I’m thankful that he is patient with me and keeps me in mind when any new treatment comes available. Plus, he has a very steady hand when probing my eyes and lids which is quite reassuring.
All in all, even though my self-esteem and whole quality of life have went down the drain in what should have been the best years of my life, I am still grateful that I have my sight. I hide behind glasses that have a tint on them which is not very attractive but neither are my red eyes. And the kicker is I don’t wear glasses. I have 20/20 vision. I was advised by all eye doctors seen that Visine is a “no-no.” I use it on occasion but it does not really work anymore - it just makes me feel better. I pray that one day I will just wake-up and my eyes be white again or at least if they are not, I have the self-confidence to just shed the glasses and not care what anyone says or thinks about my red eyes. I have had red eyes for the past 10 years but maybe one day they will be white again.
Thanks to all who took the time to read and listen to my story.
Faye