Severe dry eye... nothing works!

[ds0078a]

I've had SEVERE dry eye for over a year. I also have glaucoma in both eyes. My eye doctor has been treating me with Lumighan for over 5 years. My eye doctor also put in plugs in my lower tear ducts & put me on Restatis & Pantanol, 2x a day, last year without any results. I also use Refresh liquigel & Optiva in between treatments. Last month, he told me I have Rosasea in both eyes, which he's treating with Doxycycline Hycate. My eyes cannot take anymore.... I think now my eyes are reacting to over-treatment. Anyone have any suggestions where to go now???? ;-(

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi there and welcome!

Sorry to hear what you're going through.

First off... about those glaucoma drops. I don't know too much about glaucoma but have you discussed with your doctor whether there is a glaucoma medication WITHOUT BAK (which is very harsh/toxic on the cornea) that may be suitable for you. Lumigan is preserved with BAK. There are a few on the market that do not have BAK, such as Travatan Z.

Second... there is a lot more to dry eye treatment/management than drops, drugs and plugs so don't lose hope - you can and will find things that make you much more comfortable! I'd like to invite you to explore the site a bit more to get some ideas. Here's a link to some of the places that have a lot of the best information consolidated in one place.