So glad I found this website

[yildiz2010]

I've just found and joined this website. The last 6 weeks have had huge problems with my eyes. At first thought it was an allergic reaction (pollen season ...I had similar problems last year at this time but never before) then my left eye became infected .... and then the right eye. Eyes were so ğitchy I was rubbing them in my sleep. Finally went to eye specialist who told me that I had infection, but that also my eyes were not producing the right kind of tears, which was root of problem. He has prescribed Restasis, ....which there is no way on earth I can afford. In any case, I would prefer to use a natural equivalent ... does anyone have any experience of herbal or any other kind of alternative treatment that has similar positive effects to Restasis??

Looking into why I have develped the dry eyes ...I seem to have 3 risk factors......I've been taking sleeping pills for years (this is just the kick I needed to finally stop this! and I will), I'm a 60year old female, and I've worn contact lenses for the past 42 years. I want to go back to the lenses as soon as I am over the infection (am using glasses now and really appreciating the contacts!).......Ive used soft lenses for years, but wondered about switching to another type to hep with the dry eyes. I have very poor distance vision (current lenses are -7). Slight Astigmatism in left eye but I can get by without correcting that if means more comfortable lenses.

I have a follow up appontment at the hospital on Saturday morning, when the doctor will also test my eyes for a new lens prescrition. Is there anything I should ask him that would be helpful?

All advice appreciated

[mylittlem]

Please be careful with the soft contacts. There have been a number of posts (mine included) on this site from people who suspect that contacts, being worn over a long period of time, have in fact caused their eye problems. You will find that some of the common themes on this site concerning possible causes are: lasik surgery, allergies, and contact lenses.

I recently have returned from the Boston Foundation for Sight where I asked Dr. Perry Rosenthal about my suspicion in my particular case concerning the soft contacts. He has diagnosed me with corneal neuralgia, and although there is no evidence or data to support my suspicion, he does not rule it out.

[yildiz2010]

contact lenses

Thanks for your message. Ive worn soft lenses for most of the time (I began with hard ones in the 60s ... cant remember when I switched but definitely years ago)

Do you know if the gas permeable or silicon hydrogel ...or any other kind of lenses ....are better for dry eye? Ive never tried these ....just read about them recently on the internet.

[littlemermaid]

Contact lens overwear - MG dropout, corneal change

yildiz2010 - Seriously. Please give up on contact lenses and get some fashionable spectacles that make you feel great, maybe photochromic prescription sunglasses for Turkey sun?

Your eyes are suffering badly (Restasis?!) and the doctor doesn't know why - can you get another specialist opinion? We are the first generation to wear contacts for decades (30 years for me) and we loved them, but damage information is suppressed by the industry - ophthalmologists are having to deal with it.

Obviously there will be change to the eye surface and underside of the lids. I damaged my eyes by soft contact lens 'by post' overwear when I had my pre-school children to look after and skipped checkups (neovascularisation, meibomian gland atrophy, permanent dryness under upper lids, pannus from inflammation, indents from ill-fitting lenses). Why not quit while you are ahead in case you start to lose vision? It's difficult enough to get help with dry eye if you live near world class teaching hospitals (good research from Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ankara).

My daughters say I look more intelligent, richer and more fashionable in full time glasses anyway (wrinkles, eye bags) But my eyes are so grateful.

[yildiz2010]

wearing glasses

yildiz2010 - Seriously. Please give up on contact lenses and get some fashionable spectacles that make you feel great, maybe photochromic prescription sunglasses for Turkey sun?

Your eyes are suffering badly (Restasis?!) and the doctor doesn't know why - can you get another specialist opinion? We are the first generation to wear contacts for decades (30 years for me) and we loved them, but damage information is suppressed by the industry - ophthalmologists are having to deal with it.

Obviously there will be change to the eye surface and underside of the lids. I damaged my eyes by soft contact lens 'by post' overwear when I had my pre-school children to look after and skipped checkups (neovascularisation, meibomian gland atrophy, permanent dryness under upper lids, pannus from inflammation, indents from ill-fitting lenses). Why not quit while you are ahead in case you start to lose vision? It's difficult enough to get help with dry eye if you live near world class teaching hospitals (good research from Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ankara).

My daughters say I look more intelligent, richer and more fashionable in full time glasses anyway (wrinkles, eye bags) But my eyes are so grateful.

I've not worn lenses for the past month now .... and finding so many things difficult without my contact lenses. My glasses do darken with the sun, but not enough to cope at this time of year. After staying home till after sunset, it ocurred to me to stick sunglasses on top of glasses and this works ok (I probably look weird but am past caring after being stuck indoors for weeks).

Its the situations where glasses cannot be worn that are the problem ...I sat with fingers crossed while having my hair cut and colored (no glasses allowed)!

But how do I swim??? (and I cannot bear to give up swimming - I love it). Without lenses I cannot see to get in and out of sea ( avoiding slippery stones etc ) or find my way back to my belongings. If I wear glasses to swim in I will need sunglasses on top ( the reactolite prescription glasses are not enough alone to cut the glare on the water .... which triggers epileptic seizures in me. I've previously worn tightfitting sunglasses over lenses ...they wont go over another pair of glasses of course).

How do other people (with strong prescriptions)manage to swim in the sea without contacts??

I do realise glasses hide the wrinkes ..... but I am more concerned with what I can see than with how I look.

I realise I need to research contacts in general more thorougly.

I am due a followup appointment with the eye specialist tomorrow morning, when he will also do a check for glasses/lenses prescription. I will see what he says. (But I always check out anything any doctor says to me before making any decisions)