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I have been reading this forum off and on for a while now. I posted once but I have never "introduced" myself. I have a lot of questions which I am sure have been covered here before, but it is hard for me to put it all together so I thought I would go at this directly.
I am 53 (female) and have been having what I would call severe problems with my dry eyes for five years now. I had been told a couple of times early on over the years that I had dry eyes and that was why I couldn't wear contacts. I first got contacts when I was in my mid teens (back when they were semi-permeable) and wore them great at first. Then I had some kind of problem with them (it was a long time ago) and was treated for an infection, but I never could wear them very well after that. I would wear them when I went out until I was in my early twenties, then eventually gave up wearing them at all. A couple of times over the years I tried again thinking that since they had improved over the years I might be able to wear them, but I still couldn't and the doctors said that it was because I had dry eyes. No problem. I just didn't wear contacts. Since that was the only problem I had due to dry eyes, it wasn't a big deal and my attitude toward it was what most people have about dry eyes.
Then about twelve or thirteen years ago I noticed my vision burring while I was watching tv. This went on for several years and I kept thinking I needed new glasses, but whenever I got new glasses it never helped. The blurriness got slightly worse over the years. Then about six years ago I read that antidepressants can cause dry eyes. I had started taking Effexor regularly around the time my blurriness started. Ding Ding. So I went off the Effexor and the blurriness cleared up. I thought. Not long after that I was moved to another section of the building where I work and started having major problems with my eyes. I was around people who wore excessive amounts of perfume and it would bother my eyes. Jumping ahead, this has gotten worse and worse. I am to the point now where it is painful to go anywhere in public, not to mention 40 hrs a week at work. The mall in general (certain stores are avoided at all cost), doctor's offices (they seem to have the worst fragrance build up from candles to perfumes), other people's homes, my car, and my own home due to having to have some a/c to survive in the south.
I went to an ophthalmologist in 2008 and he did tests and said I had dry eyes. He said it was the quality of my tears and not the quantity. He called it a "primary tear deficiency" in his letter for me to give to my boss. And he said there was nothing I could do about it but avoid the environmental causes. I went to him every year for four years and he just kept telling me to use eye drops.
So I went to an optometrist who advertised herself as a dry eye specialist. I knew as much or more than she did. She didn't do any tests. But at least she tried some things with me. Lotemax, Alrex, Restasis and FreshKote. The Lotemax and Alrex made my eyes look better but didn't really stop the other symptoms and is just for short-term use. I tried Restatis for at least four months and I thought it might be helping but wasn't sure. I finally stopped that and I'm not worse than I was before so it must not have been helping. I am using FreshKote right now. I'm not sure if it is helping. I do know it is better than the otc drops. It seemed like the more I would use those drops, the worse my eyes would feel.
I don't know what else to do. I guess I just needed to talk to someone who understands. The people I work with and even my family don't get it. The phrase "dry eyes" has been tossed around so casually by people that no one understands that it can be much worse than an occasional irritation.
I am a legal secretary/assistant and I have a hard time doing my job due to the pain and blurriness. Of course, it is hard to look at a computer monitor all day long every day. I don't see very well and am in constant pain. They got me an air purifier (not big enough for my area but they wouldn't listen), a humidifier (I think the fact that it blows air makes it worse), and a filter for my monitor (it isn't dark enough). These "accommodations" they have made for me have really done nothing to help my situation. They won't make it a fragrance free workplace. The biggest offender for fragrance wearing has toned down the amount she wears a bit and it improved my pain somewhat, but not altogether. Any fragrance or chemical fumes bothers me. It has been a nightmare just to go to work for the past five years. I don't know if it is my imagination or not, but it seems like I have a hard time focusing on my work due to my eyes not focusing. Is that possible? It is like my brain is scrambled when I try to read or concentrate on something.
I am really worried about not being able to continue working. I've tried to think of something else I could do but there doesn't seem to be anything. Not working around people, air, or computers doesn't leave much.
Sorry for being so long and thanks for listening.
I am 53 (female) and have been having what I would call severe problems with my dry eyes for five years now. I had been told a couple of times early on over the years that I had dry eyes and that was why I couldn't wear contacts. I first got contacts when I was in my mid teens (back when they were semi-permeable) and wore them great at first. Then I had some kind of problem with them (it was a long time ago) and was treated for an infection, but I never could wear them very well after that. I would wear them when I went out until I was in my early twenties, then eventually gave up wearing them at all. A couple of times over the years I tried again thinking that since they had improved over the years I might be able to wear them, but I still couldn't and the doctors said that it was because I had dry eyes. No problem. I just didn't wear contacts. Since that was the only problem I had due to dry eyes, it wasn't a big deal and my attitude toward it was what most people have about dry eyes.
Then about twelve or thirteen years ago I noticed my vision burring while I was watching tv. This went on for several years and I kept thinking I needed new glasses, but whenever I got new glasses it never helped. The blurriness got slightly worse over the years. Then about six years ago I read that antidepressants can cause dry eyes. I had started taking Effexor regularly around the time my blurriness started. Ding Ding. So I went off the Effexor and the blurriness cleared up. I thought. Not long after that I was moved to another section of the building where I work and started having major problems with my eyes. I was around people who wore excessive amounts of perfume and it would bother my eyes. Jumping ahead, this has gotten worse and worse. I am to the point now where it is painful to go anywhere in public, not to mention 40 hrs a week at work. The mall in general (certain stores are avoided at all cost), doctor's offices (they seem to have the worst fragrance build up from candles to perfumes), other people's homes, my car, and my own home due to having to have some a/c to survive in the south.
I went to an ophthalmologist in 2008 and he did tests and said I had dry eyes. He said it was the quality of my tears and not the quantity. He called it a "primary tear deficiency" in his letter for me to give to my boss. And he said there was nothing I could do about it but avoid the environmental causes. I went to him every year for four years and he just kept telling me to use eye drops.
So I went to an optometrist who advertised herself as a dry eye specialist. I knew as much or more than she did. She didn't do any tests. But at least she tried some things with me. Lotemax, Alrex, Restasis and FreshKote. The Lotemax and Alrex made my eyes look better but didn't really stop the other symptoms and is just for short-term use. I tried Restatis for at least four months and I thought it might be helping but wasn't sure. I finally stopped that and I'm not worse than I was before so it must not have been helping. I am using FreshKote right now. I'm not sure if it is helping. I do know it is better than the otc drops. It seemed like the more I would use those drops, the worse my eyes would feel.
I don't know what else to do. I guess I just needed to talk to someone who understands. The people I work with and even my family don't get it. The phrase "dry eyes" has been tossed around so casually by people that no one understands that it can be much worse than an occasional irritation.
I am a legal secretary/assistant and I have a hard time doing my job due to the pain and blurriness. Of course, it is hard to look at a computer monitor all day long every day. I don't see very well and am in constant pain. They got me an air purifier (not big enough for my area but they wouldn't listen), a humidifier (I think the fact that it blows air makes it worse), and a filter for my monitor (it isn't dark enough). These "accommodations" they have made for me have really done nothing to help my situation. They won't make it a fragrance free workplace. The biggest offender for fragrance wearing has toned down the amount she wears a bit and it improved my pain somewhat, but not altogether. Any fragrance or chemical fumes bothers me. It has been a nightmare just to go to work for the past five years. I don't know if it is my imagination or not, but it seems like I have a hard time focusing on my work due to my eyes not focusing. Is that possible? It is like my brain is scrambled when I try to read or concentrate on something.
I am really worried about not being able to continue working. I've tried to think of something else I could do but there doesn't seem to be anything. Not working around people, air, or computers doesn't leave much.
Sorry for being so long and thanks for listening.
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