Hello!

[johannasas]

This is my first time posting on Dry Eye Talk! I am so excited to be able to converse with others who are plagued with dry eye and all its mysteries and problems. I am diagnosed with dry eye conjunctivochalasis, and have just begun to consult with a doc in Manhattan. I've been living in Santa Fe, NM for two and a half years, and I come from New York. I had lasix about ten years ago, and was having NO problems until I moved to Santa Fe, and then the not-fun began. The docs in NM have not been helpful, so I went to see (last week) this good one in NY, who prescribed Restasis and Lotomil. What's wierd is that, although usually my eyes are so much better in NY, this time they've been worse. I'm thinking the over heated places and the cold may be the cause, and maybe the stress???? At any rate, has anyone had severe reactions to going to or living in dry climates?
Thanks for listening/responding.
Johannasas

[bp77]

This is my first time posting on Dry Eye Talk! I am so excited to be able to converse with others who are plagued with dry eye and all its mysteries and problems. I am diagnosed with dry eye conjunctivochalasis, and have just begun to consult with a doc in Manhattan. I've been living in Santa Fe, NM for two and a half years, and I come from New York. I had lasix about ten years ago, and was having NO problems until I moved to Santa Fe, and then the not-fun began. The docs in NM have not been helpful, so I went to see (last week) this good one in NY, who prescribed Restasis and Lotomil. What's wierd is that, although usually my eyes are so much better in NY, this time they've been worse. I'm thinking the over heated places and the cold may be the cause, and maybe the stress???? At any rate, has anyone had severe reactions to going to or living in dry climates?
Thanks for listening/responding.
Johannasas

Hi, can u tell me who is ur doc in the city? what was the cause of ur problem after 10 years of lasik? thanks.

[johannasas]

My doc in NYC

His name is Tal Raviv.

[Rebecca Petris]

Hello and welcome!

New Mexico really is one of the hardest states to have dry eye in. Combination of altitude and dry eye. We have members here who live there and do fine with the right tools to take care of their eyes. - This time of year is really hard on everyone anywhere that it's cold... the cold outside, the heat & dry air inside, it all takes its toll.

[johannasas]

Thank you!

Thanks for your response, Rebecca. Can you share with me what the tools are that the people you referenced are using to deal with the dry climate? Also, do you know the names of any docs there who may have been helpful? Also is there any information about the progression of dry eye disease and conjunctivochalasis? Mine is becoming worse.
I very much appreciate any information you could share with me.
Johanna

[Rebecca Petris]

Thanks for your response, Rebecca. Can you share with me what the tools are that the people you referenced are using to deal with the dry climate?

#1 is protective eyewear. Glasses/sunglasses with a shield or foam lining - this is absolutely a must outdoors and very helpful indoors esp. for computer use etc. To get an idea of eyewear options look at the eyewear section of the dry eye shop. You can buy most of these things locally and it's a good idea to do so to make sure you get the best possible fit. A Harley Davidson dealership is a good place to start - they carry the 7Eye and Wiley-X brands usually.

Other things...
...really good lubricants. The drops that might be just fine in a different climate may be completely inadequate at a high elevation in very dry air.
...assuming you have dryness issues at night (most of us do), physical barrier protection at night. Sleep mask, moisture goggles, plastic wrap, whatever.
...attention to meibomian gland dysfunction treatment if you have MGD (most of us do, in some degree or other). Again, it's one of those things that you might not have symptoms from in some environments but in a high-stress (for the eyes that is) environment you may need to really squeeze all you can out of the little glands, so to speak.

[johannasas]

Rebecca,
I apologize for not responding to your message from months ago with the information about the tools I could use in New Mexico. I was absolutely blown away at the mention of such radical measures (which I am now considering). Every day is such a challenge here. The humidity on most days ranges from 2-11 percent outdoors, and rarely gets over 19 percent with a humidifier. so, thanks again for your good advice.
Johanna