Tweet
Hi everyone. I've recently been diagnosed with dry eye syndrome, my symptoms are severe enough that I've been unable to work or study until I get better. I'd like to see if anyone here has been through the same thing as me, and I'd also like to ask for advice on what I should do now.
I live in eastern Australia, we're heavily affected by the El Nino southern oscillation which creates extremely hot and dry conditions every 3 to 5 years. Australia is usually very hot during summer, but the El Nino years are unbearably hot and dry, if you walk outside it actually feels like you're in an oven. This year there has been the biggest El Nino on record, which I think is the biggest reason for the severity of my dry eye symptoms, although excessive computer and air conditioning use probably also contributed.
Around April last year I noticed white discharge coming out of my eyes as well as occasional eye pains. I thought this was a bacterial eye infection, so I went to see a doctor and I was prescribed antibiotic eye drops for bacterial conjunctivitis. These drops seemed to reduce the symptoms while I was taking them, but when my prescription ended the symptoms came back. At the time, these symptoms were easy to deal with and they didn't disrupt my life, so regrettably I just left it alone and told myself that I'll just see a doctor again if it starts to get worse.
Later on, around October last year, I started getting flu-like symptoms such as headaches, runny nose (due to increased tear production) and fatigue. This was happening for weeks at a time, on and off for a few months (looking back at weather records, I've noticed that those symptoms were worst when the climate was very dry). In early February of this year, the climate became very, very hot and dry, and I woke up with severe anxiety, depression, strong headaches, feverish flushes, eye pains, a lot of discharge from the eyes, eye fatigue and floaters all over my eye balls, it was the worst thing I've ever experienced in my life.
Since then I've been to an eye doctor and for the last three weeks I've been taking tear drops every hour and tear gel when I go to sleep. My symptoms have improved a lot, but I'm still seeing floaters and I still get headaches as well as anxiety attacks once or twice a week.
I'm hoping that the symptoms improve more once the climate where I live becomes cooler and more humid, but I'd like some advice from people here. Should I see my eye doctor again and see if I should get punctal plugs? Are there any other treatments you recommend? I was also studying and doing an internship before this and I'd like to get back into my studies and work as soon as I can, but at the moment I can't due to the headaches and panic attacks, does anyone have any advice on how to work/study with severe dry eye symptoms? Everyone's input is appreciated, thanks.
I live in eastern Australia, we're heavily affected by the El Nino southern oscillation which creates extremely hot and dry conditions every 3 to 5 years. Australia is usually very hot during summer, but the El Nino years are unbearably hot and dry, if you walk outside it actually feels like you're in an oven. This year there has been the biggest El Nino on record, which I think is the biggest reason for the severity of my dry eye symptoms, although excessive computer and air conditioning use probably also contributed.
Around April last year I noticed white discharge coming out of my eyes as well as occasional eye pains. I thought this was a bacterial eye infection, so I went to see a doctor and I was prescribed antibiotic eye drops for bacterial conjunctivitis. These drops seemed to reduce the symptoms while I was taking them, but when my prescription ended the symptoms came back. At the time, these symptoms were easy to deal with and they didn't disrupt my life, so regrettably I just left it alone and told myself that I'll just see a doctor again if it starts to get worse.
Later on, around October last year, I started getting flu-like symptoms such as headaches, runny nose (due to increased tear production) and fatigue. This was happening for weeks at a time, on and off for a few months (looking back at weather records, I've noticed that those symptoms were worst when the climate was very dry). In early February of this year, the climate became very, very hot and dry, and I woke up with severe anxiety, depression, strong headaches, feverish flushes, eye pains, a lot of discharge from the eyes, eye fatigue and floaters all over my eye balls, it was the worst thing I've ever experienced in my life.
Since then I've been to an eye doctor and for the last three weeks I've been taking tear drops every hour and tear gel when I go to sleep. My symptoms have improved a lot, but I'm still seeing floaters and I still get headaches as well as anxiety attacks once or twice a week.
I'm hoping that the symptoms improve more once the climate where I live becomes cooler and more humid, but I'd like some advice from people here. Should I see my eye doctor again and see if I should get punctal plugs? Are there any other treatments you recommend? I was also studying and doing an internship before this and I'd like to get back into my studies and work as soon as I can, but at the moment I can't due to the headaches and panic attacks, does anyone have any advice on how to work/study with severe dry eye symptoms? Everyone's input is appreciated, thanks.
Comment