Looking for a *great* dry eye doctor in Edmonton, Alberta (CANADA)

[menace97]

I've already tried numerous ophthalmologists in Vancouver and Edmonton - and had no luck...

I see that many others have had trouble communicating with their eye doctor just how much this is affecting our lives. I am getting very frustrated because I feel I am not being taken seriously, and being dismissed with little concern. I'm sure many of you would agree, I know my own body... and I know when something just isn't right. I'm tired of hearing "you live in a dry climate part of the country", "this time of year is bad", "try to get more sleep", "stay hydrated - drink lots of water", "just take frequent breaks from the computer" and my favorite - "everything looks just fine, nothing to worry about - just use these eyedrops." Thank God for Rebecca Petris and The Dry Eye Zone/Shop - the products and information/support is the only *real* help I have received.

I would dearly love to travel to New York and see Dr. Latkany, who would most likely be able to dramatically improve my situation, but realistically that just isn't going to happen. I just hope I can find an empathetic doctor here in Alberta.

I am at my wits end , and I would truly appreciate any assistance.

Thank you.

[jenpoff]

Good optometrist in Calgary

Hi there,

I hope you've been able to find someone since you posted your note, but if not then I can recommend an optometrist in Calgary. Her name is Dr. Kirsten Froese-Loewen (her web site is http://www.drkirsten.ca). I just discovered her this week (after having multiple ophthalmologists, optometrists, and family doctors pooh pooh the pain I'm in with my eyes). Kirsten spent over an hour with me and she really knows her stuff. I've implemented some of her recommendations and I'm seeing some improvement already. I found her by Googling "dry eye specialist, Calgary" - maybe you could find someone similar in Edmonton by doing that. If not, then I highly recommend her. She has dry eyes herself and so really "feels our pain". Good luck!

Jen

[odydnas]

Did she happen to have recommendations not mentioned by this site? What were her recommendations that helped you? thanks.

[CalmerThanTheDude]

Are we out of luck here in Edmonton? I can't seem to find anyone that's good at all. I can't even find anyone that knows how to do a gland expression. I have to do it myself, but would prefer a more aggressive procedure. If anyone knows of a doc that does gland expressions, please let us know!

[menace97]

Well it's time again unfortunately... I've been doing pretty well for quite a while, but now i am in need of seeing an ophthalmologist. I've had some recent flare ups in one eye and the doctor I've been seeing has put me on some ointment, then when I went in after 5 days of things not getting better, suggested I stop using the ointment altogether, but NOT using ANYTHING new! Come see him in a week. "I'd like to see what happens when you don't put any of that 'gunk' in your eyes for a week" Nice, while I suffer in discomfort and pain for a week not using anything that might help... ugh, I had forgotten how horrible this whole experience can be.

So I've been poking around on this website:
https://www.ratemds.com/doctors/?pro...ntry=undefined

... and I know it's hardly something that can be taken completely seriously, it does give an interesting insight into these doctors' ATTITUDES about how serious dry eye and other afflictions can be. I have had my fair share of eye doctors with very poor/lazy attitudes about my well being. So after looking through the list two stand out as being attentive & caring - actually interested in hearing what a patient is going through and might be up for seriously helping me. I realize that the age of the internet has been both a curse and a blessing. A blessing for us as patients, able to research things on our own, and a curse because doctors must realize that patients now are much more informed, and feel they are 'experts' - and we all know that most doctors don't like the idea of some patient suggesting to them what might be the problem, or what might be a solution. God forbid... even if it helps the ailing patient, lol! My apologies... years of negative experiences with eye doctors have jaded me.

Dr. Ian MacDonald
https://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratin...monton-AB.html

Dr. Chad Baker
https://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratin...monton-AB.html

After years of becoming my own expert of sorts in my eye issues, I truly believe I have a condition such as Dacryocystitis or at least a serious infection in the tear ducts or lacrimal sacs - but getting a doctor to actually take what I believe seriously has been another thing. All the symptoms are present, and I seem to only be having issues in my one eye still... and to think, of this could have been caught nearly a decade ago when this all started, I might have had a much more pleasant experience over the last while... it just makes me very frustrated and upset.

Well, I just felt like ranting... as I haven't really had much happen in quite a while, and then getting that deja vu feeling after visiting the first doctor about my eyes in years, and having such a typical negative experience. I hope things go much better this time around.