New to Forum - Dry Eyes for several years

[Lesley Ann]

Hi
I am a 50 year old lady and I have had dry eyes for several years. The problem is I have been given lots of different reasons.
Initially I was diagnosed with blepharitis. This started with a totally red eye. I was given anti biotic drops and viscotears. I had no significant problem for a while, but did find my symptoms worse before my period.
More recently I have been suffering with foreign bodies in my eyes. I was then told that the glands were blocked and I needed to use salt water scrubs as well as use heat compresses. I have found the heat quite comforting.
For the last few months I have had several cysts in my right eye. First around the margins of my eyes and now in the middle of the eye. These are treated each time.
On my last visit I was advised to try taping my eye lids shut. The tape provided was painful to use and removed some of my eye lashes! Also as I rarely sleep through, I couldn't see to get to the toilet!
I have an appointment booked for the end of the month and it was suggested that I may need my tear ducts syringed.
I am getting rather fed up now with the regular feeling of something in my eye. I know that there is no cure, but I feel like no one seems to know what is going on.
I also have arthritis, but no one has ever taken a medical history from what I recall.
I wonder if this sounds familiar to anyone?

[howdryiam]

hello

Very familiar to me - My eyes got dry over time and eventually I had them plugged and that's seemed to work for me anyway

[msienkiewicz]

I also have cysts in my eye, on the white of my eye. I had them aspirated and now I have scars on my conjunctiva. How did you treat your cysts?

Melissa

[msienkiewicz]

May I ask why you will have your tear ducts syringed? I have not heard of this before. I sympathize with your feeling things in your eyes all the time. I have a terrible time in the morning. It feels like I have a knife in my eye with the scar tissue. I also have trouble if I don't get the drops in in time.

Best wishes,
Melissa

[Lesley Ann]

My cysts were basically pricked with a fine needle under a local anaesthetic. Not pleasant and left me with rather blood shot eyes for a few days, but better than having the feeling of something in my eye all the time.

I don't know what the tear duct syringe is about either. I hope to get a clearer picture when I go back to the Eye Hospital. If I don't get a decent explanation, I am not going to agree to anything that could cause more problems.

[irish eyes]

Hi there Lesley Ann

I too found it puzzling that they suggested syringing your tear ducts without giving you an adequate explanation. It's something that is done quite often with infants but relatively uncommon in adults.

You are right not to agree to something if there is any doubt that it might cause you additional grief.

When I was a `regular' at NHS outpatients, it was often the case that I saw different doctors - and that meant a range of contradictory opinions & expertise.

[Lesley Ann]

Hi there Irish Eyes. Thanks for your comments. It is exactly like you say, a different Doctor or Nurse and a different explanation (or lack of) and different diagnosis each time. I do appreciate that the condition is not straightforward but I only really want to understand.