dry eyes over 50

[suedare]

Hi. I have had dry eyes since stopping HRT 4 yrs ago. My main symptom is blurred vision. My eyes rarely hurt, but I can have crystal clear vision one day and wake up the next with totally blurred vision. I have used Restasis for 10 months. It worked perfectly for 6 mos and now I am back to blurred vision. I started using a moisture barrier at night (eye mask with wet cotton pads) a month ago. I had about 30 great days in a row, but now have had 3 blurry days this wk. I use hot compresses twice a day and will now try the rice bag. Can anyone relate to my problem? I dread waking up each day not knowing if I will have a good eye day or bad eye day.
Susan

[Terri]

Your dry eyes are most likely caused by low testosterone levels, since they started after you discontinued HRT. Several people in similar situations have reported success using DHEA eye drops, which you can obtain over the internet from a compounding pharmacy like Leiters. If you do a search on this board for "DHEA drops," you should find threads with a lot of useful information. Here's one of them.

[stella]

Keep on with your HRT - but choose a type that contains low dose androgen - thats what i did - Unless there are good reasons to stop your HRT .Also be sure to be properly monitored medically whilst remaining on it

[Lucy]

Keep on with your HRT - but choose a type that contains low dose androgen - thats what i did - Unless there are good reasons to stop your HRT .Also be sure to be properly monitored medically whilst remaining on it

There may be medical reasons why she stopped HRT and unable to use any form of hormones. Cancer is just one example. It may not be as easy as just starting up again, as she probably stopped for some reason.

I had dry eyes on HRT for years, then had to stop last year and it didn't make a whit of difference to me. Unfortunately, for years it's been said HRT causes dry eyes, then once in awhile you'll read where it "fixes" dry eyes. Did neither for me. For those who get some relief and can take HRT (or other hormones) I'm happy. I still say it's a roll of the dice and the color of socks you're wearing.
Lucy

Stella: I see where you made the reference to monitoring HRT and "if there are good reasons to stop HRT." I didn't see this when I wrote my post. For others, I'm leaving my post intact because it explains some things about HRT, taking it, reasons why you not be able etc.

[Rebecca Petris]

My main symptom is blurred vision. My eyes rarely hurt, but I can have crystal clear vision one day and wake up the next with totally blurred vision.

Susan,

Just curious. Have you (well, your doctor(s)) eliminated all other possible explanations for your vision fluctuations?

There certainly are plenty people whose primary symptom is blurred vision, but when dry eye is bad enough to affect the vision as much as it has yours, more often there is some pretty significant discomfort along with it.

[stella]

Susan /Lucy
The only reason i made that sugestion was that Lucy ,you seemed to be OK whilst on it.
It may be a bit long to go back on it after 4 years - you would need to enquire
I am a lot older than Susan and have been on HRT for 15 years .
Post- hysterectomy i went on to estrogen only patches and was on those for last 6 years -- THAT probably contributed to my DE
I then stopped all HRT for several months to see if it helped the DE and it did'nt + i had all the symptoms of menapause again(hot flushes aches/pains and mood swings including becoming depressed)so i went back to the Dr and was put on to Livial - the only HRT in this country that contains a mild androgen - I've been on that now for 4 months and as I'm sure you have seen in my posts I AM SO MUCH BETTER.granted it may only be one factor in my improvement -the other two being conciencious eyelid hygiene, and the use of antibiotic ointment to the lid margins at night My condition is blepharitis(MGD) causing evaporative DE
People would ask me if i am worried about taking it indefinately -
I have thought about this a lot - Personally i have no contraindications to taking it ie thrombosis /varicose veins,history of breast cancer or heart disease
I know and accept the risks and have weighed up the risks verses bennifits ie better eye health better moods no hot flushes night sweats, also it has known bennifits ie protects against bowel cancer and osteoparosis
I attend an HRT clinic at the hospital every year and they are quite happy for me to remain on it indefinately;I also see to it that i have regular mamograms
At the end of the day it is a personal choice - The reason i mention it at all is because of my recent improvement with the eyes

[kitty]

Hi. I have had dry eyes since stopping HRT 4 yrs ago. My main symptom is blurred vision. My eyes rarely hurt, but I can have crystal clear vision one day and wake up the next with totally blurred vision. I have used Restasis for 10 months. It worked perfectly for 6 mos and now I am back to blurred vision. I started using a moisture barrier at night (eye mask with wet cotton pads) a month ago. I had about 30 great days in a row, but now have had 3 blurry days this wk. I use hot compresses twice a day and will now try the rice bag. Can anyone relate to my problem? I dread waking up each day not knowing if I will have a good eye day or bad eye day.
Susan

Have you been examined by an ophthalmologist/corneal specialist just to make sure nothing else is going on?