Hi- New here

[Tash]

Hi

If anyone has a similar experience I would like to hear from you.

I currently live in the UK & since the birth of my daughter 2years ago have not felt well due to balance problems which stemmed from an inner ear virus.

Anyway, I was finally starting to get on with life again & planning a 2nd child, when bam woke up one day with swelling around my eyes. Went to the Dr was told allergy, then sinusitus given anti-boitics & thought that given a few days the swelling would go. Well the swelling did go, but then severe dryness began.

I have been to a consultant & was told that i have a severe case of dry eye. sch test showed only 2mm & 1mm in 5 minutes so I had my bottom ducts plugged last week. I've also been given an eye ointment Optimmune (which is a veterinary product for dogs) the activate ingredient is Cyclosporin which I'm not sure helps yet but its early days.

Has anyone else been given a dog eye product? Don't know what to think as all the instructions refer to dogs. Have to go back again in 5 weeks but my consultant suspects an auto-immune cause which to be honest I'm terrified of.

I just can't bear the thought of being like this forever. My constant boat like feeling is still with me & with my eyes being affected I feel so down. I cry everyday because I feel that someone has taken my life away & i'm only 31.

Do you just get used to the dryness/soreness? Every so often I can a soreness I can only desribe as cutting onions before your tears start. The only problem is that I have no tears. What I wouldn't give for a proper ten minute cry with tears streaming.

My family although supportive don't really understand & say that I should just keep putting the drops in & get on with things. I guess that with my other health issues they are sick of hearing about my helath problems. I know logically that I'm probably going to have to learn to make the best of it.

Well thank you for letting me go on.

Tash

[GeorgeT]

Welcome

Hi Tash,
Welcome to the forum!

I have Schirmer scores of zero in both eyes and TBUT normal (10 sec).I understand your pain. There are many things to look into and you'll find them here.
You may consider upper plugs too...omega 3 (fish oil) ...lid scrubs..even moisture chamber glasses.
Have you had pinky eyes in the past ?Allergies?

All best !

George

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi Tash and welcome. Very sorry to hear about your dryness!

Has anyone else been given a dog eye product? Don't know what to think as all the instructions refer to dogs.

Not to worry. Cyclosporine has been used for a long time in severe dry eye in humans and dogs. More recently a form of it has been made into a drug called Restasis in the US which is very widely prescribed.

Do you just get used to the dryness/soreness? Every so often I can a soreness I can only desribe as cutting onions before your tears start. The only problem is that I have no tears. What I wouldn't give for a proper ten minute cry with tears streaming.

I am so sorry. What you are going through is really hard and it is very difficult indeed for friends/family to understand. The life impact of dry eye is enormous, and it is very, very common for people especially within the first several months to a year of onset to suffer from depression or anxiety. You are not alone! But things DO get better. It's important to make contact with people who have been there and understand, so I'm glad you found us.

Getting to the root of the problem is usually quite important for successful treatment. But there are lots of things you can do to at least get more comfortable, even beyond drops and pills and plugs. Warm compresses help with MGD, cool compresses can help with soreness and burning. If you get a lot of burning sensation, saline rinses - especially with chilled saline - may also help soothe things. (Just try to avoid doing it too frequently.) Protective foam-lined eyewear can also make you more comfortable. Humidifier in the home can be very important. Then there's basic things like drinking plenty of water and cutting down on caffeine that can help as well. You'll find lots more on this board and on the main website www.dryeyezone.com.

[stella]

Hi Tash
So sorry to here about your problems! Welcome to this forum
I am from the UK and suffer DE and along with others on this site am investigating all the different options open to us in GB
]Interesting that your consultant ordered the vetinary version of cyclosporin-thats 'cos you cant get it for humans in GB
My GP told me her dog had DE and the vet ordered optimune ointment and it has really helped the dog - she then went on to say that she was unable to perscribe cyclosporin for me because it was unavailable over here for humans
A disgraceful state of affairs when dogs have access to drugs and humans hav'nt
If I were you I would'nt worry whether or not it is for dogs - at least you have it
Sazi and Ian and others and myself have to pay and get it off the net.
At £89 for 32 vials it is not cheap and we end up self- perscribing without supervision which is anything but ideal
I think you will find that many many sufferers on this site from the US have found "restasis" (the human form of cyclosporin )very effective.
It seems to give a burning sensation in the eyes for a few weeks in some people but apparantly that passes
I understand it's action is anti-inflammatory to the eye ,and it helps to increase tear production
So give the vetinary stuff a chance I would say
Your consultant is doing the only thing available to him re- cyclosporin in this country
Do you get it on the health service?
Stella

[Guest]

Tash

I am really sorry to hear about your dry eye problem but offer you a warm welcome to this fantastic community.

I am not surprised that you have been prescribed cyclosporine (vet version) as it is not available in any other form here in the UK.

it seems that our pets have better care facilities and treatment options than ourselves.

Therefore, I'm going to take out pet insurance - for myself.

I am confused how a dog can tell the vet that it has dry eyes and gets prescribed cyclosporine yet I have told umteen dozen doctors about it (speaking the same language) and still struggle to get hold of it (maybe I need to start barking at them).

Now I am off to the pet store to buy a dog with dry eyes.

Cheers

Prattstar

[stella]

Good one Ian - Its hard not to get cynical !
Stella

[Judy]

Love your sense of humor, Ian!!

[Tash]

Thank you all for your replies.

I agree that it seems ridiculous that we can't get a human cyclosporin product, so I guess I have to count my lucky stars that my consultant has prescribed the veterinary product on the NHS, so I don't have to pay for it other than prescriprion charge. The only down side to the product is that its like vaseline so very blurry & makes my eye area so greasy/ I'm happy to put up with that if it helps, but as its made for dogs I guess they don't complain.

If its any help to anyone, the product is called Optimmune & my consultant mr Tole is based at the bristol eye hospital.

Just one more question. If our lacrimal glands are damaged & don't work anymore, for the most severe cases where tear flow is zero why can't they do a transplant? Any thoughts?

Tasha

[Dot]

Have they considered Lagopthalmus?

Welcome!
I was wondering why after an eye infection you would suddenly develop dry eyes...? if you have read my story you will know that the most significant help for my suffering was ensuring my eyes were shut at night. The surgery caused Lagopthalmus which is basically the lids don't touch while you sleep and so your eyes dry out and you spend the whole day trying to do damage control with drops and stuff. So I was wondering if the swelling perhaps stretched out your lids or something? Perhaps then seeing if keeping them closed well at night would improve your symptoms!? Worth a shot right. I am feeling for you not knowing why all of a sudden you are suffering with something you didn't sign up for.. I hope this is a temp. problem that will resole on its own.
Dot

[stella]

I suddenly developed DE after a viral infection in my eyes -I can even tell you the date I got the infection 4th Nov
Three of my grandchildren had "sticky" eyes including the baby + my grown son -their Dad. Eye infections are highly infectious - SO BEWARE
Everyones eyes cleared up within a week (they all took a course of chloramycetin eye drops )The doc said the baby's was viral but it still cleared up quickly without treatment i think
I had a head cold at the time and a swab of the yellow looking exudate from my eyes cultured nothing So it was concluded that it was a viral infection
The DE was a complication that set in after the meibomian glands got blocked following the infection
My theory is that it was made much worse by using antibiotic drops (that i did'nt need 'cos it was viral) for nearly 3 weeks AND they contained BENZAKONIUM CHLORIDE which i believe i am highly allergic to
So here i am in the same boat as you all
Stella