Eye whitening / depressed

[phil]

Hi everyone

Decided to post on here my story

Im from england and suffer with numerous unsightly permanent blood vessels on the sclera and have done since i was 20. Im now 35. This was caused by overusing contact lenses in my teen years. Unfortunately they often burst and look terrible.

I have seen a few ophthalmologists over the years who all say the same thing (dry eyes). However, i dont suffer with discomfort and have tried the treatments they recommend (ikevis, numerous steroids, and preservative free eye drops). Nothing has helped them go away.

I recently met a really helpful consultant ophthalmologist who decided to cauterize them. Its early days following this procedure but im pessimistic it has worked and actually has made them worse. The vessels still appear prominent and my right eye look terrible (nasal side).

Im now at the point where i have decided i am potentially going to fly to america to have eye whitening down by dr brian wachler or dr soroudi in LA California.

I dont know what else to do and just looking for advice. Im not gonna lie.. ive had suicidal ideation regarding this issue but im not going to to that as i have a young son.

I have been tortured by this for years and unless you suffer with red eyes or unsightly permanent vessels you cannot appreciate the impact it has on ones self esteem. I avoid standing at certain angles when conversing with people due the vessels on my eyes. Worse thing is when they burst i dont know they have. Sometimes when i do notice they burst (especially at work) i stand in the toilets with an eye ice mask to try and reduce the redness and constrict the vessels.

Ive even had a body dysmophic test but unless you stand in front of the mirror hours per day you probably wont meet the criteria for a diagnosis. I like most on here who have this, actually avoid looking in the mirror, but i digress...

Additionally, i am blessed that i have no physical health ailments or psychiatric issues. I do now take an antidepressant but any chronic/progessive issue increases that chance of developing depression..

Thanks whoever takes the time to read this.. its a first world problem but you cannot help the way you are wired can you...

hope wherever u are reading this you are well and safe.

[phil]

Be nice if someone with any advise could reply to my post. Anyone who has had the eye whitening procedure done. I know it is frowned upon but i have done my research all the way back to dr kim who started it in south korea...

Last resort... but im one of the few who has tried pretty much everything now...

The forum seems quiet

[Panda eyes]

Hi Phil

Thanks for sharing your story.

I share your pain regarding red eyes and the emotional turmoil this causes. I am 34 and in otherwise good health except I have been plagued by red eyes for 6 years. Little did I know when this all began that life would never be the same. I feel like no one, especially not any of the doctors I come across, understand how much this impacts our mental health/relationships and pretty much every aspect of our lives.

Thoughts about my eyes consume me and I find making eye contact with people excruciating. I feel like I have poured so much money down the drain over the years on eye drops and supplements etc none of which ever seem to make much difference. I can't walk past a mirror without a petrified glance at my eyes and I dread social situations, especially those involving alcohol which always cause me to flare up. Artificial lighting is another trigger and just opening my eyes in the morning feels like its own form of torture.

In one of my nightly Google searches desperately searching for answers I stumbled across the eyebright procedure but fairly quickly dismissed it as I don't think it would do much to help me as the redness I get seems to be more due to inflammation for which I am considering IPL as my next step, although the cost of it is such a barrier.

Sorry I cant offer any insight into the procedure but your story resonated with me so wanted to reach out anyways. Hopefully there are others on here who can offer you some insight on this.

Take care x