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I've had dry eyes ever since I can remember. I guess when I was little they didn't know that much about it (I'm 54). My parents took me to an opthamologist for exams, but he didn't say anything about how dry my eyes were. On Halloween when we went to the homes of our aunts and uncles, they could always spot me through my mask right away among the throngs of kids, because I blinked so much. Nonstop blinking in a child is pretty noticeable.
I had RAI for Grave's Disease about 12 years ago, and subsequently have extremely dry eyes, worse than ever before, protuding left eye with retracted lid, and slightly droopy right lid. My optometrist sent me to an opthamologist last year to discuss surgery. He didn't think surgery was necessary yet, and I really don't want it if I can avoid it. Sometimes I'm self conscious about the protruding eye, but it isn't too bad yet, and I'm living with it. I know it will likely get worse. My left eye doesn't close when I blink or when I sleep.
I've been using Systane Ultra for a couple years, before that I just Visine. I know ~ yikes! The Systane gave some relief, but my eyes were still always very red, and quite dry. I wore contact lenses from 19 - 20 something, and gave them up because I always felt like I needed to rip them out. When I started needing bifocals, I went for the monovision contact idea. Lens in my right eye for distance, no lens in my left eye which had really good near vision. A few weeks ago I had a contact lens emergency, and have seen my optomotrist 5 times in 3 weeks. She thinks my eye is healed enough now that I don't have to go back for 6 months, unless I have problems. I have pretty major scarring and reduced vision in my right eye as a result, but it could have been worse. At my last evaporation test (Friday), my optometrist actually jumped and said "Whoa!" The tears evaporated immediately. Obviously worse than the last few years. That explains why I can't be outside when it's windy. Sometimes when I'm driving, I have to pull off the road because my eyes hurt so much I can't drive. I wear the darkest sunglasses I could find.
Since my recent visits to my eye doctor, I've switched from Systane Ultra to Systane presertative free, and from Refresh PM ointment to Genteal gel at night. I also use Occusoft+ wipes on my eyelids at night. Since switching to the Systane pf and Genteal, my eyes are the whitest they've been in my adult life. Not really white, but better. Yesterday I ordered Dwelle and Tranquileyes. I'm going to get prescription goggles (probably 7Eye Briza) in a couple weeks. I tried them at my last visit to my optometrist Friday, and I like them. But the optician wants me to wait a week or so, so she can get a few more models in for me to try.
There's more, but I've pretty much written a novel already.
It's nice to be among people here who understand my life with my eyes. I've never had that before.
Denise
I've had dry eyes ever since I can remember. I guess when I was little they didn't know that much about it (I'm 54). My parents took me to an opthamologist for exams, but he didn't say anything about how dry my eyes were. On Halloween when we went to the homes of our aunts and uncles, they could always spot me through my mask right away among the throngs of kids, because I blinked so much. Nonstop blinking in a child is pretty noticeable.
I had RAI for Grave's Disease about 12 years ago, and subsequently have extremely dry eyes, worse than ever before, protuding left eye with retracted lid, and slightly droopy right lid. My optometrist sent me to an opthamologist last year to discuss surgery. He didn't think surgery was necessary yet, and I really don't want it if I can avoid it. Sometimes I'm self conscious about the protruding eye, but it isn't too bad yet, and I'm living with it. I know it will likely get worse. My left eye doesn't close when I blink or when I sleep.
I've been using Systane Ultra for a couple years, before that I just Visine. I know ~ yikes! The Systane gave some relief, but my eyes were still always very red, and quite dry. I wore contact lenses from 19 - 20 something, and gave them up because I always felt like I needed to rip them out. When I started needing bifocals, I went for the monovision contact idea. Lens in my right eye for distance, no lens in my left eye which had really good near vision. A few weeks ago I had a contact lens emergency, and have seen my optomotrist 5 times in 3 weeks. She thinks my eye is healed enough now that I don't have to go back for 6 months, unless I have problems. I have pretty major scarring and reduced vision in my right eye as a result, but it could have been worse. At my last evaporation test (Friday), my optometrist actually jumped and said "Whoa!" The tears evaporated immediately. Obviously worse than the last few years. That explains why I can't be outside when it's windy. Sometimes when I'm driving, I have to pull off the road because my eyes hurt so much I can't drive. I wear the darkest sunglasses I could find.
Since my recent visits to my eye doctor, I've switched from Systane Ultra to Systane presertative free, and from Refresh PM ointment to Genteal gel at night. I also use Occusoft+ wipes on my eyelids at night. Since switching to the Systane pf and Genteal, my eyes are the whitest they've been in my adult life. Not really white, but better. Yesterday I ordered Dwelle and Tranquileyes. I'm going to get prescription goggles (probably 7Eye Briza) in a couple weeks. I tried them at my last visit to my optometrist Friday, and I like them. But the optician wants me to wait a week or so, so she can get a few more models in for me to try.
There's more, but I've pretty much written a novel already.
It's nice to be among people here who understand my life with my eyes. I've never had that before.
Denise
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