New here, are these symptoms related?

[technochick99]

All,

What a joy it is reading these boards. I haven't been diagnosed yet, but I will be making an appointment soon. I believe that I have DES.

First - does anyone have any book recommendations?

Second, I have a few eye symptoms I haven't seen mentioned, and I was wondering if these are related to DES at all:

A. "fluttery eye" - I've noticed when I am doing my commute (1 hour plus) in the morning (only), my eye (just one at a time - could be either eye) will start fluttering, for lack of a better term. This only happens when looking straight ahead - if I look elsewhere, it is ok. And, it feels like it is flutterying... I don't really know how to describe it. It's almost like my eye is going crazy and rolling into the back of my head.

B. Sinus / lacrimal gland sensitivity. I've noticed that it is tender over where my lacrimal gland is - has anyone else noticed this?

Thanks all!

[cherrybrandy]

re your thread on fluttery eye,sinus problems.

I have had what you describe your eyes are doing since i got des back in february.Mine started out as uncontrollable blinking but now it is sort of a stuttering eye i call it.Bright lights and tiredness make it worse.When i concernedly asked doctor he told me that all people with dry eye blink more.but this is more than a blink i said,its driving me nuts...Of course everyone with dry eye has different symptoms of it no two people are the same, some people can hardly blink at all.Mention your eye fluttering to your doctor asap ..I can understand completely what your going through as its embarrassing as well as anything else..regards from uk...

[cherrybrandy]

sinus sensitivity over lacrimal gland.

Hi me again forgot to mention that sinus trouble is closely related to your des.I myself have what you feel in lacrimal gland and also facial pain in bones of face.doctor referred me to e.n.t.specialist for sinus scan... You may need to see doctor about possible infection..Im now on my 3rd lot of antibiotics for recurring sinus infections... regards cherrybrandy...

[kitty]

Hi me again forgot to mention that sinus trouble is closely related to your des.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but i just could not leave this alone without comment. I think we need to remember that most of us here are not physicians or medical researchers and we should be careful how we phrase our comments. Just because you have DES and a sinus infection does not mean that the two are related. Cherrybrandy, what is your background that qualifies you to make such a statement? What studies in medical journals can you quote that relate sinus trouble to DES? I am no expert, but the only possible relationship I am aware of is related to the preservative benzalkonium chloride which is found both in many eye preparations and in many nasal sprays. I also know that when I have reflex tearing, my nose will run, just as it would run if I was crying. I don't think I would call that sinus trouble. And just because my nose runs when I cry does not mean I have DES. Just my two cents for what it is or is not worth.

[indrep]

I would agree with Kitty on this. I know that some sinus meds and OTC meds will cause dryness in the eyes. Theoretically if you stopped taking the meds you would think the tears would come back. Unfortunately that doesn't always happen as the tear make up has changed and started the progression of Dry Eye Syndrome.