Dry eye specialist in UK

[lemonjelly]

Hi

Does anyone know how I can find a dry eye specialist in the UK? I know there's a clinic in London but I'm in Merseyside so it's too far. My mum has had severe/dry eye blepharitis for over a year ever since she had radiotherapy on her nose. She is under the care of the hospital who have treated her with drops, antibiotics and steroids. Every time she stops the steroids, the inflammation comes back. I sense the hospital are beginning to 'lose interest' because she's not responding to their treatment. I'm encouraging her to take omega 3 (she's just started taking flaxseed supplements) but she's very cautious because she's on warfarin. Mum is 80 and thoroughly exhausted with it all.

I think that the inflammation (caused by the radiotherapy) is the root cause. The hospital doesn't seem interested in this. They don't acknowledge radiotherapy could cause this problem (how, I don't know ... she's a consultant and this info is all over the internet) and they don't know anything about omega 3 for dry eye.

So I'm wondering if we can find someone private who will recommend omega supplements alongside the conventional therapy. Mum is far more likely to take notice of someone 'professional' rather than just me.

I know that some of the opticians run dry eye clinics but I'm not sure how good they are. Mum's condition is so bad they'd probably just refer her to the hospital anyway. But I just want someone who can advise re the omega 3s.

Can anyone help??? Thanks.

[littlemermaid]

Hi Lemonjelly, Mr SH at this hospital http://www.qvh.nhs.uk/our-services/h...ophthalmology/ is thoughtful and kind to vulnerable people, and treats tertiary/quaternary problems. Of course the GP should refer NHS. There's also national eye hospital http://www.moorfields.nhs.uk/consult...esh-angunawela. If there are problems, consider http://eyecliniclondon.com/ to get an assessment the GP can act on. I use http://universityrooms.com/ if there's nothing reasonable in hotels.

We shouldn't have to travel so far though. Wherever you can find, I would email ahead with your poor mum's history and queries.

Hopefully, someone will post with a specialist nearer to Merseyside who can do what's needed to get her comfortable. Is there anyone else treating ocular surface disorders in your regional teaching hospital?

Only a doctor or Pharmacist can advise about using prescription medication and supplements. Hospital Pharmacists can be very good on interactions. Could be eating oily fish, eating and drinking well etc, has a similar good effect on the eyes. Interesting that drinks with straws go down well if we're going for volume. GP can do the usual weekly or more Warfarin blood tests.

From Google, St Pauls Eye Unit at Royal Liverpool University Hospital looks promising http://www.rlbuht.nhs.uk/Ophthalmolo...s/Default.aspx, a supraregional centre with oncology (here's some of them too http://www.theliverpooleyeclinic.co....nsultants.aspx). Presumably they treat severe dry eye after radiotherapy often http://www.rlbuht.nhs.uk/Ophthalmolo...-Patients.aspx. I would ask for advice. Specialist Nurses can be the best help, eg http://www.looc.uk.com/treatment-of-ocular-tumours.html. Sometimes they will informally suggest an ophthalmologist or what people do.