An "accidental" solution

[Plynn]

Hi,
I have been waking up in the mornings with red miserable eyes, and was recently examined by an eye doctor who diagnosed "Dry Eye". I tried everything from changing my pillow, and various eye products. I realized I must be opening my eyes at night. I have recently ordered the night goggles and am waiting to receive them. I can manage the daytime with frequent drops, but night is a dilemma.

Gels and ointments made things worse. Drops are best, but I have to wake up several times a night for results. One night I got some gel product on my eyelashes, and woke up with my eye stuck shut. I was scared to try to pull them apart, but I found that adding more gel product to my lashes loosened the product and I could open the eye. This eye looked better than the other. But I still had red irritated eyes.

Last night I tried an experiment. Lying in bed, I put plenty of tear drops in my eyes and immediately closed them. Then, I took the gel product and applied it to the outside of my eye, all over the lashes! I woke up once in the night to repeat the process. Yes, the sticky gel managed to hold my eyes shut in the night. It was a mess, but well worth it.

I hope this suggestion is helpful to others.
Plynn

[Rojzen]

ingenial

Plynn - -I think this is absolutely ingenial. . .and omething similarly accidental has happened to me, but i never thought to advocate repeating it deliberately, as you have, so ingenially!

I use Dwelle at night, and as many here can attest, Dwelle can tend to form a pretty stiff crust on the eyelashes, if not washed off from the lids after instillation. I just put the Dwelle in before bed, and let it seep out on to the lashes. Then, whenever I awaken during the night, I find that my lids are nearly sealed shut, and only if I need to get up and see, do I pull apart the lashes and open the eyes. . .I have a little lagophthalmos on the left eye, and I sense that the mechanical closing formed by the Dwelle has pretty much solved that. . .

Thank you so much for posting this. . .

Regular users of Tranquileyes will probably have lots of interesting comparisons to offer on this, btw. . .

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi Plynn and welcome!

I sometimes dump extra Dwelle on my right eye specifically for this effect. Lemons, lemonade, etc!!!

[Plynn]

Thanks, I hope this idea will help others. Thank you for this site. I feel like I make progress with dry eye during the day, but nightime undoes most of it. I got my goggles in the mail today and I am excited to try them. Although the eye doctor told me I should use artificial tears, I am also doing warm compresses to the eyes, using an external eye wash, and starting nutritional supplements on my own. The information on this site is very helpful, and I have just started learning.
Plynn

[Rojzen]

drops do drop

Sounds good, Plynn. . .Just wanted to convey that in my experience, docs who don't understand the differences among various artificial tears push heavy/frequent use of any eyedrop, on the theory that adding moisture to the eyes is always good. . .Please be careful, though, in this regard. . .Dropping anything on the eye too often can do damage. . .Dr. Holly has written about this very explicitly,in his section, here. . .Far better is to do those things that stabilize your tear film and heal the cornea (which you are exploring beautifully), without necessitating constant dropping of fluid on to the ocular surface...Protective eyewear is an obvious step in that direction, and you are doing that and more. . .Please keep us closely posted. . .

[skygoddess]

If you don't like the idea of prying your lashes apart ,
( I am trying to keep as many as I can ), What works for me is a spray of Natures Tears Eye Mist. It is just water so it can't harm.
I find it dissolves the dried drops and I can open my eyes easily with my lashes intact.,
CVS Drugs carries Natures Tears.

[Plynn]

I just got my goggles and they made a difference- better than "sticking" my eyelids together!..I sleep next to a humidifier, started supplements....This site has made me realize relief is something to work for- but also gives me hope.

I have always had sensitive eyes- could never tolerate contacts, and so I am very skeptical about putting anything in my eye. I use non preservative over the counter drops-and am reading about the ones mentioned on this site.

I love my goggles. They make my husband laugh. I saw on the web that you can buy little "bikinis" for them. Maybe I'll surprise him
Plynn

[Plynn]

Thanks to my night goggles, I don't have to use gel to stick my eyes together.
My problem started in December when I started waking up with irritated eyes in the morning, getting better during the day. Then when I visited a house where the owner smokes and had a big dog, they just got redder. I assumed it was allergies but when nothing helped, got the diagnosis of dry eye.

The goggles work some, but I still wake up with red eyes. What is different is that the "recovery time" is less and they are not as red in the morning. Over the day, with replacement drops, they improve. But nightime starts the cycle all over again.

I am new to this, and starting the whole regime- supplements, warm soaks, lid hygene. Today I noticed a clogged mebodian gland, but honestly, before this board, I never really looked at them as much as I do now!

This board had taught me so much. Mostly it has given me the ability to help the process get better. I know it takes time, but I have hope.

Some tips I learned- I buy the tear replacement drops without preservatives in the individual packets. This way I can keep them all over the place- every bathroom in the house, my purse, car... so I don't get stuck without them.

Although there is concern about overuse of the drops, my eyes are "happier' kept moist. I have ordered onion goggles and some of the Dwell, Dakrina.. etc drops and I hope they help.

Thanks for all the advice so far on this board. I wish I could solve the nightime redness problem, but maybe this will improve with time.

Plynn