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I am a 31 year old woman from Florida. I have been wearing contact lenses since I was 13 years old. I was extremely dumb and would keep my contact lenses on, even sleeping with them most nights for years without issues. The past year I've been feeling dry eyes and irritation on occasion with contacts, but it would usually resolve by taking my contacts out and letting my eyes rest a few days. A few weeks ago I had contacts on and noticed a lot of blood vessels, like a cluster of them on the inside part of my red eye - something I had not seen before. I got scared and took out my contacts immediately, but the redness did not go away. I went to an optometrist because I needed a new prescription anyways, and to find out what is going on with my eye. She told me I had mild corneal neovascularization and to quit my contacts for a week. She prescribed an antibiotic/steroid drop to use for 5 days incase (she didn't test if I had an infection or explain anything really), and told me to come back in a week. As I was using the antibiotic/steroid drops I felt okay, and the redness seemed to subside a tiny bit, but the blood vessels were still there. The day or two after the 5 days were up from using the drops, I remember waking up with really dry eyes. I mentioned this on my follow up appointment, and told her that I still had a lot of red blood vessels. She said to start using Systane Ultra drops throughout the day, and the Systane nighttime gel at night for the dry eye. She then fitted me for daily contacts (Acuvue Moist), and I left. At this time, I had only felt the extreme dryness in the morning when waking up, making my eyes look bloodshot, and then it subsided throughout the day (although you could still see my blood vessels, especially in my right eye). I didn't feel much throughout the day yet as far as dryness, but since I had these ugly blood vessels, I decided to get the drops and gel, especially to stop the dryness in the morning. It's been about 2 weeks since my appointment with the eye doctor. I feel like over that time my eyes have gotten even worse. Sometimes I feel like in time, the drops that I use have made my overall condition worse, making me have to use them more frequently. I also feel a foreign object feeling in both eyes throughout the day which I did not feel before. I feel like I need to put drops in my eyes more often than ever. I wake up with bloodshot eyes every morning, even if I use the gel. I've tried both Systane Gel, and Genteal gel. The Systane seems to not work (still wake up with bloodshot eyes), and the Genteal Gel made it even worse and I woke up with crust and eye pain the next day after using it. I didn't use any gel last night, just drops because I'm scared to use it now. I wear an eye mask to block out the fan at night (my husband insists sleeping with a fan on). I wake up in the middle of the night to reinsert drops, but my eyes are still bloodshot in the morning (atleast not with eye pain like when I used the gel.) I feel hopeless at this point because more and more I feel like this is permanent and there is nothing I can do. Just a few weeks ago I was fine. It wasn't until after this all happened that I would wake up with bloodshot eyes and have this foreign object feeling throughout the day in both eyes.
I've been lurking a lot around this forum, and I want to thank everyone of you that has posted all your tips and tricks, and especially triumphs. It gives me a little glimmer of hope that if this is permanent, somehow maybe I'll be fine. I hope
I am trying to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist soon, but after countless hours of researching doctors online (still not sure of exactly who to pick) I am more confused than ever on where to go. I do live in Miami, if anyone has any suggestions. The one office I called told me that unless I was diagnosed with something medical (dry eye apparently isn't a medical diagnosis according to my medical insurance (I have BCBS), then I will be charged with the whole visit. It's money that I really don't have to spend and this makes me more upset.
I do want suggestions on what I can try next..
-I started with Systane Ultra, but I didn't know about the Preservative Free version so I got the bottle. I noticed it would work for a bit, but then my eyes would have this stinging feeling, especially if I used it consecutively in a small time frame.
-I use an eye mask at night to block out the fan that my husband insists on using at night. Tried Genteal gel and Systane gel but it made me worse the next day, especially the Genteal- woke up with eye pain in my right eye.
-Reading posts here, I realized it might be the preservatives, so I bought Theratears.
Theratears works, but I feel like after 15 minutes I still have the foreign object feeling, and general dry feeling. And if I use too many drops continuously, I've also had a slight stinging feeling from it.
I also started taking Fish Oil 2000mg a day.
I am confused as to what I can try next as far as nighttime protection and a different brand of tears. If anyone can help. I am sorry this is so long, but it also helps to type it all out and get it off my chest. I work at home on the computer all day and now I am scared to. I am just depressed from all of this and losing hope.
I am a 31 year old woman from Florida. I have been wearing contact lenses since I was 13 years old. I was extremely dumb and would keep my contact lenses on, even sleeping with them most nights for years without issues. The past year I've been feeling dry eyes and irritation on occasion with contacts, but it would usually resolve by taking my contacts out and letting my eyes rest a few days. A few weeks ago I had contacts on and noticed a lot of blood vessels, like a cluster of them on the inside part of my red eye - something I had not seen before. I got scared and took out my contacts immediately, but the redness did not go away. I went to an optometrist because I needed a new prescription anyways, and to find out what is going on with my eye. She told me I had mild corneal neovascularization and to quit my contacts for a week. She prescribed an antibiotic/steroid drop to use for 5 days incase (she didn't test if I had an infection or explain anything really), and told me to come back in a week. As I was using the antibiotic/steroid drops I felt okay, and the redness seemed to subside a tiny bit, but the blood vessels were still there. The day or two after the 5 days were up from using the drops, I remember waking up with really dry eyes. I mentioned this on my follow up appointment, and told her that I still had a lot of red blood vessels. She said to start using Systane Ultra drops throughout the day, and the Systane nighttime gel at night for the dry eye. She then fitted me for daily contacts (Acuvue Moist), and I left. At this time, I had only felt the extreme dryness in the morning when waking up, making my eyes look bloodshot, and then it subsided throughout the day (although you could still see my blood vessels, especially in my right eye). I didn't feel much throughout the day yet as far as dryness, but since I had these ugly blood vessels, I decided to get the drops and gel, especially to stop the dryness in the morning. It's been about 2 weeks since my appointment with the eye doctor. I feel like over that time my eyes have gotten even worse. Sometimes I feel like in time, the drops that I use have made my overall condition worse, making me have to use them more frequently. I also feel a foreign object feeling in both eyes throughout the day which I did not feel before. I feel like I need to put drops in my eyes more often than ever. I wake up with bloodshot eyes every morning, even if I use the gel. I've tried both Systane Gel, and Genteal gel. The Systane seems to not work (still wake up with bloodshot eyes), and the Genteal Gel made it even worse and I woke up with crust and eye pain the next day after using it. I didn't use any gel last night, just drops because I'm scared to use it now. I wear an eye mask to block out the fan at night (my husband insists sleeping with a fan on). I wake up in the middle of the night to reinsert drops, but my eyes are still bloodshot in the morning (atleast not with eye pain like when I used the gel.) I feel hopeless at this point because more and more I feel like this is permanent and there is nothing I can do. Just a few weeks ago I was fine. It wasn't until after this all happened that I would wake up with bloodshot eyes and have this foreign object feeling throughout the day in both eyes.
I've been lurking a lot around this forum, and I want to thank everyone of you that has posted all your tips and tricks, and especially triumphs. It gives me a little glimmer of hope that if this is permanent, somehow maybe I'll be fine. I hope
I am trying to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist soon, but after countless hours of researching doctors online (still not sure of exactly who to pick) I am more confused than ever on where to go. I do live in Miami, if anyone has any suggestions. The one office I called told me that unless I was diagnosed with something medical (dry eye apparently isn't a medical diagnosis according to my medical insurance (I have BCBS), then I will be charged with the whole visit. It's money that I really don't have to spend and this makes me more upset.
I do want suggestions on what I can try next..
-I started with Systane Ultra, but I didn't know about the Preservative Free version so I got the bottle. I noticed it would work for a bit, but then my eyes would have this stinging feeling, especially if I used it consecutively in a small time frame.
-I use an eye mask at night to block out the fan that my husband insists on using at night. Tried Genteal gel and Systane gel but it made me worse the next day, especially the Genteal- woke up with eye pain in my right eye.
-Reading posts here, I realized it might be the preservatives, so I bought Theratears.
Theratears works, but I feel like after 15 minutes I still have the foreign object feeling, and general dry feeling. And if I use too many drops continuously, I've also had a slight stinging feeling from it.
I also started taking Fish Oil 2000mg a day.
I am confused as to what I can try next as far as nighttime protection and a different brand of tears. If anyone can help. I am sorry this is so long, but it also helps to type it all out and get it off my chest. I work at home on the computer all day and now I am scared to. I am just depressed from all of this and losing hope.
I wouldn't worry about being on if your whole life, put it this way comfort or discomfort which would you prefer? I think if restasis works stick to it, it'll help a lot. If not keep looking.
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