Years of Dry Eye

[bsteeves]

In my mid 20's,I took Accutane and that is the cause of my dry eyes.That was over 30 years ago.I have used all kinds of drops,had plugs put in(didn't help)even tried Restasis(also didn't help).Recently have an optometrist who is a dry eye specialist,who has helped me more than any other doctor I have had in the past.She has told me about things I can do to help(where other doctors didn't).They do help but I have good days and bad days.And my eyes are red 90% of the time,which is depressing.I have taken jobs where I don't have to deal with people so much because of the red eyes.So I feel Accutane has destroyed my confidence and self-esteem.But that's another forum.

[TARYN]

I had problems with redness and visible veins and burning for years and also could not find relief from eyedrops or compresses or changes in diet or supplements or procedures like IPL. My problems were not from accutane. My redness and burning were from wrinkling in my conjunctiva. In one eye I had conjunctivochalasis and in the other eye I had pingueculas. They were different but were similar in that I did not have a smooth conjunctiva and both conditions kept my tears from spreading smoothly over my ocular surface. Both were corrected with a surgery were they remove the damaged conjunctival tissue and replace it with amniotic membrane. It is a simple surgery with an easy recovery. I saw so many doctors before I found one that could help me. I needed to travel because none of the doctors where I live were able to diagnose me properly and to suggest or perform the surgery I need. Good luck

[How]

Hi bsteeves,

I also took Accutane and regret it. My dry eye situation is quite complex as I've had so many possible contributors to the situation it's hard to pinpoint what happened. But I didn't know that Accutane was a possible cause of dry eye when I took it. It caused me other issues too and didn't even permanently clear up my skin. (As I've gotten older though it's clearing up on its own.)

I hope that you find a solution here.

[alex123711]

In my mid 20's,I took Accutane and that is the cause of my dry eyes.That was over 30 years ago.I have used all kinds of drops,had plugs put in(didn't help)even tried Restasis(also didn't help).Recently have an optometrist who is a dry eye specialist,who has helped me more than any other doctor I have had in the past.She has told me about things I can do to help(where other doctors didn't).They do help but I have good days and bad days.And my eyes are red 90% of the time,which is depressing.I have taken jobs where I don't have to deal with people so much because of the red eyes.So I feel Accutane has destroyed my confidence and self-esteem.But that's another forum.

Are you able to share what has helped so far?

[bsteeves]

Taking Omega 3 6 9 supplements have helped.Also lubricating drops and warm compresses.Just started doxycycline so we'll see.I haven't done Lipiflow or anything like that because no doctor in my city does it.Could'nt afford it anyway because insurance doesn't cover it.

[Guest]

Due to the dry eye element, I would suggest ensuring that the eye is away from irritants, allergies, wind, etc, as a lack of tears to wash these away would probably enhance the discomfort.
That might include taking anti-histamines and inflammatories (some have a negative effect) that don't dry out the eye.
I would encourage good eye hygiene by using eye wipes that you find comfortable and effective. Possibly at night time, wearing a mask may help minimise moisture loss. Looking at a holistic approach, avoiding allergic food types (wheat/gluten/milk) may be beneficial.
In terms of eye drops, it's important to ensure that you have the right eye drops, as some are more focused on being liquid, others on being viscous.