New here today.

[MikefromsouthNZ]

HI, MY NAME IS MIKE AND I LIVE AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF NEW ZEALAND. PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR USING ALL UPPER CASE, BUT MY DISABILITY ONLY LETS ME USE ONE FINGER.

I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH EXTREMELY DRY EYES AND NOSTRILS. MY DOCTOR SUSPECTS I HAVE SJOGREN'S SYNDROME AND I'M BOOKED IN TO SEE AN EYE DOCTOR ON 30 APRIL.. AT PRESENT I'M USING POLLY GEL EYE LUBRICATION PLUS AN OINTMENT MY DOCTOR DX WITH A STEROID, AS MY EYES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE ON FIRE.. THEY FEEL EXTREMELY GRITTY LIKE I HAVE "SAND IN MY EYES", BUT WHAT EVER I DO IT WON'T GO AWAY..

I'M UNABLE TO USE MY EYE LUBRICATION DROPS NOR MY EYE OINTMENT, AS MY FINGERS ARE VERY LIMITED WITH ANY FUNCTION. I'M RELY'NT ON MY CARE SUPPORT TO PUT IN MY DROPS AND OINTMENT MORNINGS AND AGAIN AT BEDTIME, BUT I HAVE AN EYE SHOWER I AM ABLE TO USE AND WASH AWAY THE GLOOP FROM MY EYELIDS DURING THE DAY... I DO FEEL SOME RELIEF FROM A WET WASHCLOTH OVER MY EYES, BUT WHEN IT WARMS UP THEY START TO BURN AGAIN.. CAN ANYBODY HELP PLEASE..?

I'VE NOW GOT QUITE BLURRED VISION SO I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY PERCEPTION, AND I REALLY NEED SOME GOOD SUPPORT...

THANKS HEAPS FOR YOUR HELP,
MIKE

[PAllen]

Hi, Mike.

sorry to hear about your struggles. perhaps a cold compress would help. It really helped me. Here are some instructions. I would encourage you to get to a doctor sooner. 30 days is a long time to wait if your eyes are this bad.


SAAG
25-May-2010, 18:24
This is what has worked extremely well for me:

Buy a package of knee-high nylon stockings.

Take one out - fill it with plain uncooked rice - use however much rice you want for desired firmness. Tie off the filled stocking at desired length, and trim off the excess.

I stick mine in a ziplock bag, and keep in the freezer. It's a bit too cold straight from the freezer though, so I typically would let it stand for a few minutes before using it.

These are great though - they can hold the cold for 10-20 minutes. (plus, they are dirt cheap to make!) If you don't feel like making your own, Rebecca sells rice baggies in her shop (no doubt they are much nicer looking than my home-made ones!)

[Lacrima]

Hi Mike,

Have you heard of something called Tranquileyes? They are goggles for dry eye- they still involve some preparations but not as intricate as having to use eyedrops. It's available on ebay Australia (doesn't seem to be on ebay New Zealand).

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_f...All-Categories

I agree with PAllen that 30 days is a long time to wait for an appointment.

Hope you get the help you deserve and need asap. Good luck

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi Mike and welcome. Sorry I didn't see your posts sooner, been out sick most of the last week+ so not reading very much. I'll have a look through now and see if I have anything useful to share. What an awful predicament for dry eye, to not have the freedom to use a lot of the things that we need to keep our symptoms under good control! But there is always a way. Moisture chamber glasses are really helpful for most people who need lubricants regularly.

[Hopeful2]

Hi Mike, I posted this in another thread, but copied it here in case you couldn't find it.

I'm not sure if it is me that you have addressed your question about moisture chamber goggles, but I will go ahead and answer

I have used moisture chamber goggles and glasses from time to time. I certainly were glasses when out in the wind. In the early days post lasik, I did notice a difference with the glasses. Now I don't notice much of a difference when I wear them, but MANY people here do benefit from them.

It wounds like you have some difficulty with inserting drops. There are some things that I think you could try:

1. Moisture release eyewear. I couldn't find these on the DEZ shop, but maybe I didn't look well enough. These glasses have a little reservoir that release moisture as you wear them, see link.
http://www.eyeeco.com/category/icate...unglasses.html

2. Some people use an eye mist spray. It acts similarly to an eye drop. I'm not sure if it would be easier to manage than an eye dropper bottle.
http://www.naturestears.com/

3. There is also a product called, Lacriesert. It is a pellet that is inserted once a day, in the lower lid. It releases moisture throughout the day as it dissolves.
http://www.lacrisert.com/

4. Just an idea . . . have you worked with an occupational therapist yet? I would hope that they would be able to offer you some tools or suggestions around how to gain more mobility in general. Sorry if I'm stating a strategy you've already tried.

I'm not sure how many of the products I've listed are available in New Zealand. I would check with your local pharmacies. If not readily available they may be able to order in, or have other suggestions. Also, check with your eye doc. If a product requires a prescription (e.g. lacriserts), your doctor could get this ordered, even if not available in New Zealand.

Best of luck! I really hope some of these options are of help to you.

Hopeful2