Dry eye after PRK

[jivgil]

I did PRK 12 years ago.
2 years ago, I've realised that my quality of vision was poor, due to the surgury.
It caused me eye pain ,ad strain.
I've decided to do another PRK. at this time I had small astigmatism of -1, and -1.25.
I think I had mild dry eye before the surgury, because I have been told about it by some doctors. I havent told the doctor about it, because I thoght he can see, and also I was afraid he wont operate me.
For 3 months after the surgury, My sight in the right eye was bad and I had very dry eyes. I have been talled to put lubricating for only 6 times a day.
After 3 months, I have been talled to put lubricating every 1 hour. It improved the situation untill a 1 from the surgury. The dry eye became better, and the sight- -1 astigmatism in one eye us it was before, and 0.5 in the other eye.
I use now eye glasses, and I think with glasses my eyesight improved, and I dont strain my eyes now.
Now 2 years after the surgury I have dry eyes.
It causes me a lot of pain over the day. I use refresh tears all the time.
in the night I wake up with dyr eyes, and cant sleep well.
I have become very depressed.
They put put temporary plugs 10 days ago and I have been talled to come after a month to check for permanent ones.
I think it somewhat helps till now.
It is hot this days, and I work in a place with air conditioning, which dries my eyes, and I am very restless all day.
I have been depressed for the last 2 years since the last surgury. I regret of having done those surguries, and hopeless about going on like this. I even have suicidial thoughts sometimes when the pain gets stronger.
I regret I havent told before the sugury that I havene told before the surgury that I have dry eyes.
Except my poor wife, I havent told any one about my condition.
I use refresh tears all the time now.
I dont use gell befomr sleep, because I saw somewhere that it might be harmfull after a surgury.
I want to ask a few questions.
1. Should I use refresh tears? I saw it contains preservatives.
2. Has it been a mistake of the doctors, of not putting me in intence treatment right after the sugury, and can I sue them?
3. what more can I do?
4 Is there a chance my situation will improve or cure, or should I prepare for a life with this desease?

[jivgil]

Tea seems to help

I stopped using refresh, and use now Tears natural free, which doesnt have preservatives.
I also moved a place in my work, where the air conditionair doesnt work so hard.
Also I strated to wash my eyes before sleep with concentrated black tea.
That seems to help in the night and the day after.
Does this make sense that the tea helps? isnt it harmfull, and why is is?
Anyway, the last days have been more tolerable.

[spmcc]

Re:tea

When I had my wisdom teeth removed, I was told to put a tea bag on each side (inside where the teeth were) and chomp down on them (not too hard).

Supposedly, the tannic acid in the tea bag helps to form a clot by contracting blood vessels.

And I think black tea has more tannins than, say, green tea.

Maybe it's doing something for your eyes, but I can't say whether or not it's healthy.

[Lucy]

SPMCC--I am going to comment, but with caution because I'm not sure of what I'm saying. Duh, I know it's rather nonsense.

I can remember during my childhood and early adulthood of having a lot of trouble with my teeth, gums and mouth. The doctor would have my mother put a tea bag in my mouth much as you have said you were doing. I think it's an old wives tale, with some merit.

I have not heard about tea bags on the eyes, nor would I do this myself.

Jivgil, you need to talk with us on the board here about your feelings and also see a professional. Suicidal thoughts are to be taken seriously. Your problems seem to be things that can be worked through, but it will take time and you'll have to have patience. Your doctor may be able to help you with meds through this tough time. Many on the board have taken antidepressants or other meds while working through this. Please get someone to talk to about your problems. You'll be ok, but you need time. Lucy

[spmcc]

RE: tea

Lucy, I agree with you completely. I think the tea bags for open wounds in the mouth are helpful, but I don't know about eyes. It's kinda like the "honey idea" that floats around here tho. Someone may be helped, but I don't know how healthy it is... it's certainly not mainstream medicine.

And I agree about seeing a professional if you are depressed. Depression is a horrible adjunct illness to dry eye. It must be taken seriously.

Jivgil, I hope you are feeling at least somewhat better since you last posted.

[jivgil]

Will this improve?

Thanks for the replies.
I am trying to come over the depression.
Lucy ,how do you know that I will be O.K., and what do you mean by O.K.
Will I have to have treatments for the rest of my life?
I asked a doctor which is doing those surguries, and he said that after 2 years there is little chance for improvement.

[Rebecca Petris]

I asked a doctor which is doing those surguries, and he said that after 2 years there is little chance for improvement.

That's not really true. Trust me. Been around nearly 10 years now and have regularly seen people with dry eye after refractive surgery who had 2 terrible years then gradually started to get better.

If you did not have dry eye the first time around but do now, chances are you have more going on in your eyes than PRK. Actually I think that for a lot of us who have dry eye after lasik or PRK that is the case.

1. Should I use refresh tears? I saw it contains preservatives.
2. Has it been a mistake of the doctors, of not putting me in intence treatment right after the sugury, and can I sue them?
3. what more can I do?
4 Is there a chance my situation will improve or cure, or should I prepare for a life with this desease?

1. Do not use a preserved tear very frequently. There are plenty of Refresh brand products that are unpreserved. But the most important thing is to get a lubricant that actually works for you.

2. Maybe maybe not. Depends what your clinical signs were. In most places you can't sue this long after surgery because of the statute of limitations.

3. Keep reading the boards and also please read pages at dryeyezone.com for more general suggestions about diagnosis and treatment.

4. Yes, and yes sort of. You are VERY likely to improve. But as I've already said you may have more going on - some underlying mild conditions that may need treatment or management. With many people surgery is just the thing that tips the scales into a chronic condition.

Many, many, many, many people have a really hard 2 years after onset of dry eye pain - usually accompanied by moderate to severe depression. They gradually climb out from the depression and they gradually find the means to get their eyes to feel better. There is every reason to believe this will happen for you too.

I had a good talk a few days ago with an old friend who was a member of this board back in 2005. Classic. Severe dry eye, pain, depression, suicidal thoughts. Today, leading a normal life. She's still on treatment, but doesn't think about her eyes all the time. She feels fine.

[jivgil]

I have allergy

Thanks Rebecca.
I have been told before the surgury, that I have allergy.
Could it be related to the dry eyes, and how can I treat it?

[jivgil]

I started honey

I stopped with the tea. It made me itchy.
I even tried once with urine, and it felt bad.
Thanks to SPMCC mentioning, I started to use raw honey, in my eyes, and eyelids, for a few days, and it seems to help.
I think I will expiriment with it for some time.

[Rebecca Petris]

Thanks Rebecca.
I have been told before the surgury, that I have allergy.
Could it be related to the dry eyes, and how can I treat it?

Allergy and dry eye can be a kind of tricky chicken/egg question. Eye allergy symptoms can resemble dry eye symptoms. Dry eyes are more vulnerable to everything environmental. I had no awareness of eye allergies before LASIK, but with dry eyes, I notice seasons and stuff in the air far more.