Hello! So glad to find this forum.

[Maenad1]

Greetings from Chicago, IL! I stumbled across this forum while doing a search online for something -- anything -- to help my dry eyes. I've come here for three reasons:

1. To learn more about dry eye and what causes it, and get ideas for treatment

2. To meet others with dry eye and share stories, ideas, to commiserate, etc.

3. To get information on contact lenses that work well for dry eyes

I'm a high myope (-13.50 in glasses, -11.00 in contacts) with a very flat base curve, so there are very few lenses I can wear. I was wearing Acuvue 2 when my dry eye problems became so bad the doctor ordered me out of contacts for a month.

Well, I don't need to tell you my whole life story in an introductory post, but I look forward to meeting everyone. Thanks so much for making this website available; I am learning a great deal as I explore it.

[Stanza]

welcome!!!

I have contacts issues too, but strangely my eye doc - (ok this tells you how bad it is here for eye docs, doesn't think I have a problem) I'm switching to ProClear ones, I have a higher prescription than yours in one eye at least and they do a very flat curve one - well, so I'm told - which is supposed to be better for the eyes

[calli66]

Welcome to the forum,

This is a great group of people, so I'm sure you'll learn a lot and get the support you need.

There are several brands (like ProClear that Stanza mentioned) that work pretty well with dry eyes. And new ones are coming on the market every year, so don't give up. There are even custom contact lens laboratories that can make any power you need in any material. You do need to have an experienced and open-minded optometrist or ophthalmologist to help you get the right fit or to order special lenses (labs don't work directly with patients).

Calli

[dianat]

Welcome to the forum, Maenad1.

Can I show you around? Perhaps you'd like something to drink?

I'm so glad you and so many others are finding us here. This site offers a wealth of information and products, as well as great advice.

Best of luck as you peruse and learn more about dry eye and how it applies to your issues.

Diana

[Lucy]

Hello Mae.. and welcome.

First, I'd like to mention there are quite a few of us here because of lasik induced dry-eyes. Rebecca, Diana and me - just to name a few.

I'm a high myope (-13.50 in glasses, -11.00 in contacts) with a very flat base curve, so there are very few lenses I can wear. I was wearing Acuvue 2 when my dry eye problems became so bad the doctor ordered me out of contacts for a month.

Since you have a very high prescription, I'm throwing a little caution about Lasik and high myopes. Just be careful the docs do not try to send you to their nearest lasik mill. It's different if you look into it, and decide it's for you. Lasik for high myopes is usually not a good deal.

I sincerely hope you can find something that will fit your needs.

Lucy

[Stanza]

for high myopes is usually not a good deal.

you're right, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for extra extra thin super spectacle lenses, one day, - you never know

[Maenad1]

I have contacts issues too, but strangely my eye doc - (ok this tells you how bad it is here for eye docs, doesn't think I have a problem) I'm switching to ProClear ones, I have a higher prescription than yours in one eye at least and they do a very flat curve one - well, so I'm told - which is supposed to be better for the eyes

Thanks, everyone, for the welcome, and the thoughtful responses :-)

I looked up ProClear but the lens doesn't seem to be available in powers greater than -10.00, at least from the information I can find online. This is my biggest stumbling block with a lot of lenses -- they only go up to -10.00. I'm a -11.00 in the right eye and a -10.50 in the left. Acuvue is about the only brand that seems to make any disposables up to -12.00. My doctor ordered a pair of Oasys trials for me, so we'll see how those work.

I'm just worried, though, that if those don't work, I'm out of luck. Acuvue Advance did not work for me; I had terrible protein deposits when I tried those a few years ago. With Acuvue 2 the fit was fine but I was not getting enough oxygen on my eyes (that, plus overwearing of the lenses, is what I think kicked off this episode of dryness and inflammation).

Oh, and Lucy, thanks for the caution about LASIK. I had already looked into it and found I wasn't a good candidate -- my doctor told me so as well. I've never had any type of eye surgery.

I'm just anxious to get my eyes feeling better, and to get back into contacts so I can see properly. Vision with a pair of -13 eyeglass lenses is terrible! If I'm not looking through the exact center of the lens, everything is distorted, and the glasses I wear have such tiny frames that my field of vision is tiny as well. I've been on Restasis for a month but so far I don't notice any changes, other than my corneas being less inflamed and swollen. They don't seem any less dry.

[calli66]

Good luck with the Oasys lens--I thought it was pretty comfortable. Excess deposits are a common problem with Acuvue Advance. When I tried them, I could barely make it 12 days (daytime wear only).

I had started investigating custom lens manufacturers because I could never get the power I wanted. I have less myopia than you, but since I wore -7.00 and -7.25 in contacts, it was problem because I couldn't get anything but half-diopter powers in contacts. One eye was always unhappy and my eyes didn't work together well. I usually wore 2 different brands of -7.00--the "stronger" one went into my -7.25 eye (my drier eye).

Calli

[Stanza]

looked up ProClear but the lens doesn't seem to be available in powers greater than -10.00, at least from the information I can find online.

Hi, they do, honest, but it's a tailored line, you might have to call up the makers or go via an optometrist, but one of my eyes needs higher than yours and they've made them for me.

Vision with a pair of -13 eyeglass lenses is terrible! If I'm not looking through the exact center of the lens, everything is distorted, and the glasses I wear have such tiny frames that my field of vision is tiny as well.

this is my problem too it's horrible...

[Zarla]

hi Maenad - I've got similar problems with lenses as you. My dry problem eye is -9.50 (other is -6.50 and less dry). I have a flat cornea with a -9 base curve, the second highest there is apparently. Only about 6 lenses are available in that. I've ordered Oasys but don't hold out much hope as they only go up to a 8.8 curve. I was wondering how your Oasys trial was going?

[Maenad1]

Just got them yesterday...

Hi Zarla. I got my trials yesterday. They feel fine so far. They're actually more comfortable than the Acuvue 2s I was wearing. My eyes are flat, but anything from an 8.7 to 9.0 base curve usually works on me.

I'm not wearing them today because I came down with a nasty cold. I'll report back after I've worn them for a few days.

Let me know if you find a lens that works well for you. Are you in the U.S.?

[Zarla]

Hi Maenad, I'm in London, Uk. For about 8 years I wore Zero 6 quite happily for 12 hours a day, but they've changed the design and are less comfortable now. They might be too thick for you in -13 and I'm not sure if they go over -10 but I will check. They do come in a 9 base curve which is one of the reasons I found them so comfortable. In the US you can order tailor made 02 Air Optix which do come in your prescription and are supposed to be very comfortable (though very expensive). I tried to order them but they cancelled my order and said they won't ship to the UK.