New to dry eyes :(

[mesta009]

I am a 21 year female, I was diagnosed with narcolepsy about a year ago and have been taking Ritalin since to help with excessive drowsiness. About four months after I started taking Ritalin I started experiencing dry eye symptoms. I'm not sure if taking the Ritalin caused it but at this point I am going through all possibilities. I haven't been able to wear my contacts for months now and my eyes constantly burn. They are especially dry in the middle of the night and in the morning, they feel like rocks!

I have been to multiple ophthalmologists and none of them can give me a real reason for my dry eye. I have tried several over the counter drops and use lubrifresh pm at night. I also had punctal plugs put in my lower eyelids, except for when they put one in my right eye they pushed it in too far into my tear duct so it had to be surgically removed right away...my tear duct isn't healed yet so I have yet to try putting another plug in. I was recently given Restasis which I have been using for about a week now. I was also given Azasite but experience INTENSE burning, and my eyes actually feel worse from the drops, so I haven't used it in a few days now.

Can anyone tell me if they have heard of Ritalin causing dry eye? Or any suggestions?! I HATE wearing glasses and I am constantly in pain.

Thanks!

[aga]

I have got dry eyes after drug as well ( antidepressants). Even they are dry I wear contacts-Acuvue oayses. I went to a doc yesterday and he told me that if the cornea is not dry you can wear contacts. Morover it is much easier to put drops while wearing contacts than to take your glasses off,put drops and put your glasses on again. For me it's a torture.

[Rebecca Petris]

I am a 21 year female, I was diagnosed with narcolepsy about a year ago and have been taking Ritalin since to help with excessive drowsiness. ...
Can anyone tell me if they have heard of Ritalin causing dry eye? Or any suggestions?! I HATE wearing glasses and I am constantly in pain.

Thanks!

Hello and welcome. I'm really sorry for what you're going through. The frustration about contacts vs. glasses is well known here.

We have had one or two reports about bout Ritalin and Adderol (sp?). I doubt you'll get any hard & fast evidence for a connection but there are SO many drugs which can cause dry eye - especially in predisposed individuals - that nothing would surprise me.