Small victory, feeling good...

[Guest]

I am by no means a success story yet, but I am functioning much more normally. When the dry eyes took hold, further induced by a corneal abrasion, I couldn't walk without pain. Some of you know what I'm talking about, just the wind from walking burned and felt like needles. I was hopeless...I saw my world shrink before my eyes.

fast forward 7 months since the injury...I'm sitting on an airplane on my way to Las Vegas, serum tears in my bag, slightly dry eye and happy about it. Happy I have the ability to do this right now. I'm about to cry on this plane like an insane person lol. Matter fact, that well of tears just refreshed my tear film

My life has changed so much, but I'm finally adapting and feeling human again. Just being here makes me way less fearful for the future. And hey, I may be jumping he gun, once I land my eyes may feel like the sandpaper in that desert air. But I'll toss some drops in and keep going about my life.

One last thing...I was listening to Jordan Peterson talk and he said something that really hit me. He said, dont let your disability be an excuse not to do things. So I'm making a promise to myself never to do that. To embrace life regardless of the hand I'm dealt. I have a beautiful daughter that needs a HAPPY father. My wife has been so patient with me, with my mental breakdowns, my crying my anger, she's the best...she deserves a HAPPY husband. I have work to do...thank you all for listening. I hope you're all doing well today and if not, I hope my words help you stay positive.

[farmgirl]

So happy for you, and yes you are not perfect yet but surely this is a success story that can inspire.

[Guest]

So happy for you, and yes you are not perfect yet but surely this is a success story that can inspire.

Im going to be honest, today was rough. The wind and the smoke was harsh on my eyes, but I pushed through. I think this reinforced the fact that I need sclerals to function in difficult environments. At home, or even in the hotel room, I'm pretty normal. But once I hit that nasty air, it starts going downhill.

Still happy I came, I'm visiting a good friend that moved here, so that's nice of course.

[quattroboy]

I've read your story and you've been on a hard journey.

I've got a family holiday in August in Turkey, at one point I was going to cancel it, scared of flying from the UK to Turkey with a long transfer time. Spending two weeks in a very warm climate.

Before LASIK and dry eye I would be looking forward to it. I used to love flying and being in the sun.

I didn't cancel the holiday and I'm determined to make it work for my family who has watched me come apart since April. I won't lie I'm still very nervous and little scared, but your example has made me even more determined!

[MGD1701]

quattroboy

Long flight
You may try swimming google or apply gel every hour.

Lasik
It is NOT your fault. If I were you, I would go to that dr who did Lasik showing him glands images etc. as he said you did not have dry eye/MGD issue, if I remember correctly. Maybe the only mistake you made is you placed trust on WRONG doctors like me.

[Hokucat]

Yes, it helps to wear moisture chambers on the plane and use a thicker gel drop, to have a double barrier against the dry airplane air. Even better if you can close your eyes most of the flight. When I was in Vegas during my moderate-to-severe dry eye years, I actuallly had to do the moisture goggles and gel drops the entire time while I was there, because of all the air conditioning, smoke, and outside dry heat and bright sun.

To me, getting sclerals was one of the best things I ever did to provide more comfort in these types of conditions, and just daily functioning in general. In fact, last month I was at an outdoor graduation for several hours where it was very windy and sunny, and I forgot my sunglasses, but was fine with just my sclerals. My mom who also has dry eyes was wearing her wrap around sunglasses, and was amazed I was fine. Of course I am better than I was, but definitely still have dry eyes. I know many people say sclerals is one of the last resorts, but if you can get a good fit and tolerate these lenses, you may not even be aware you’re wearing them, similar to regular contacts. Plus they help my eyes feel better on days when I’m wearing glasses instead, likely the result of the sclerals protecting and moisturizing my eyes the days prior.

BTW, I started on serum tears again a few months ago to try to get further improvements. Right before I put my sclerals on, I put a drop in each of my eyes. Then I include a few drops in the lens bowl along with the PF saline and a couple drops of PF artificial tears, and insert them. When I saw I my PROSE scleral specialist a few weeks ago, I told her I was doing this, and she said that was fine, and said actually the surface of my eyes looked better than last time. So this may help you as well.

Am glad you are able to make the trip, just being able to do that is something to celebrate. Enjoy the rest of your trip with your friend, and all the buffets in Vegas!

[MGD1701]

Hi Hokucat

Scleral Lens
Wondering if we will forget to blink when we have such lens on?

I have heard some doctors, including prof./Dr. Sheri Rowen
say contact lens wearers often forget to blink as they offer comfort. In fact, I really saw a young guy only blinks once per minute when he read a magazine. Woo, how could it be possible! Well, I reminded him how important to blink, he said he has lens on.

[Hokucat]

MGD1701 , that’s interesting about possibly not blinking as much when having sclerals continuously bathing the eyes. I’ve been in the habit of doing blinking exercises regularly, so don’t think my glands have been further compromised by sclerals. But something for scleral users to be aware of. It would be telling to have a LipiView or something to monitor the blink rate or partial blinks before and after sclerals.

[edmunder]

Dowork123 sorry you are having some trouble with the smoke there. Im a bit worried about winter coming here in MI. I can put on a bunch of humidifiers and turn off the heating vents in and around my bedroom.

[Guest]

MGD1701 , that’s interesting about possibly not blinking as much when having sclerals continuously bathing the eyes. I’ve been in the habit of doing blinking exercises regularly, so don’t think my glands have been further compromised by sclerals. But something for scleral users to be aware of. It would be telling to have a LipiView or something to monitor the blink rate or partial blinks before and after sclerals.

This was actually one of my fears about sclerals...would it make my MGD worse? Would I have incomplete blinks because of the hard prosthetic? I guess that's why I looked at it as a last resort, because I feel like putting anything in my eye complicates things. However, I have to give them a shot. I appreciate you always coming in my threads and speaking up about it, makes me realize it's a possible option I really need to look into. Thank you.

[diydry]

It’s true, even before reading this thread I do feel like I blink less when using my sclerals, and I feel like my blinks are less complete as well due to the large prosthetic in my eye. However this is very subjective and I haven’t read or heard about any risks of worse MGD from lens use. I would like to think that with proper lid hygiene and blinking exercises (without sclerals) any theoretical risks of MGD from scleral use can be avoided. I think in the literature the risks from scleral lens appear to be corneal neovascularization and non-mgd stuff. Either way, my philosophy so far (as a relative newcomer to scleral lenses) is to only wear them when I need them and not simply to insert them out of habit, in case there are unknown risks.

[Guest]

It’s true, even before reading this thread I do feel like I blink less when using my sclerals, and I feel like my blinks are less complete as well due to the large prosthetic in my eye. However this is very subjective and I haven’t read or heard about any risks of worse MGD from lens use. I would like to think that with proper lid hygiene and blinking exercises (without sclerals) any theoretical risks of MGD from scleral use can be avoided. I think in the literature the risks from scleral lens appear to be corneal neovascularization and non-mgd stuff. Either way, my philosophy so far (as a relative newcomer to scleral lenses) is to only wear them when I need them and not simply to insert them out of habit, in case there are unknown risks.

Did you ever look into hybrids? I'm curious why I don't see more people trying them...but there's gotta be a reason. I wonder if hybrids would cut down on some of the side effects of the gas permeable lens.

[farmgirl]

Im going to be honest, today was rough. The wind and the smoke was harsh on my eyes, but I pushed through. I think this reinforced the fact that I need sclerals to function in difficult environments. At home, or even in the hotel room, I'm pretty normal. But once I hit that nasty air, it starts going downhill.

You mentioned smoke and wind, that is a deadly combination (speaking from experience) and here is why...

Exposure to smoke on any level can cause irritation to your eyes—symptoms such as burning sensations, redness, and tearing up are commonplace with exposure to smoke. Robert N. Weinreb MD, a distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of California San Diego, claims that “even a healthy person’s eyes can be bothered” when it comes to smoke exposure and, particularly in the case of those with dry eye syndrome, “exacerbate symptoms.”

What causes this irritation is the existence of small particles, which are two and one half microns or less in size (for reference: 25,400 microns = 1 inch), within the smoke that get stuck in your eyes. These particles are too small to be seen with the naked eye. These particles can remain floating in the air long after the smoke has cleared, so if you are around fire or a place where large amounts of fire have been recently, many firefighters recommend the use of protective eyewear.

[hopeful_hiker]

Great to hear about improvements, always. Hope you keep having more and more good days! And same goes for the rest of us.

[diydry]

No, I haven't looked into hybrids. Is that like Dallies? I've heard some folks with dry eye use that, but I would think it would just make my eye dryer if my cornea is not bathed in fluid. I'm not clear who it is indicated for. I will ask my optometrist though, thanks.