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My dry eye story.
First, after 7 years of dry eyes, I just find out about this website. It makes me feel better to see that I’m not alone in my case and thank you in advance for all your contribution. I’m looking forward to read and learn more about our problem.
I’m Swiss and live in Thailand for more than 20 years now. My first language is French, so forgive me if my writing is sometime “funny”.
I started to have dry eyes in 2001, probably because of wearing contact lens. So I went to the local hospital were the doctor, without much proper examination decides that I must have an allergy and gave me antihistamine. A few days later, it was not better so the doctor gave me more medicine for allergy. 2 weeks later, it was worst and I went to see another doctor who says the same and gave me the same medicament. (Antihistamine contributes to make tears drier). After 2 months, with so many scratches in my eyes and so much pain, I decide to visit the best clinic in Thailand (Rutnin hospital) where after a short examination the Doctor told me that I have dry eyes. After 1 week of proper medication and drops, my eyes were back to normal, but no tears. After 6 months still no tears. So the doctor says that it will be for life. My tear canals have been cherubically blocked to avoid drops flowing down out of the eyes. You all know about the discomfort, pain, so I pass on it.
Some interesting stories specific to Thailand. In Thailand, when people have red eyes (conjunctivitis), they thing that that person is possessed by a Ghost. I don’t have conjunctivitis, but dry eyes, but both make red eyes. So Thai people are afraid of people with red eyes and sometime they show their tongue to scare the ghost away. Just imagine when you don’t know that yet... Another story about dry eyes in Thailand is that when I explain to Thai people that I have dry eyes, they laugh and find that very funny. They think it is a joke, but sometime I have difficulties to find this funny especially if I’m in pain. Quiet often, in the evening, my eyes are so sour and red, that people will send me to bed, thinking I’m tired, or they may think I’m drunk or on drug...
I’m working as tour leader now, and the first thing after introducing myself is telling people about my dry eyes, so they know I’m not on drug or drunk. I wear sun glass as it eases a little bit, even at night.
Another interesting thing: Acupuncture. I’ve been to a hospital in Bangkok called Huakiew. It’s a Chinese hospital with a traditional medicine branch. While the specialist ophthalmologist says that there is no hope at all to get my tears back, the Chinese doctor could do it. I had my tears back for 3 days... And then dry again. Hoping to get more successes, I’ve keep going to acupuncture for more than 100 times (until I run out of money). Sometime, I had my tears back just for a few hours. Note that I had no insurance to cover eye problem, and still now, it cost be a good part of my income just to buy artificial tears.
I use to have a small guest house in the North-East of Thailand, but because I had to go to Bangkok often for the acupuncture, I had to find more money. I find a job as tour leader and I’m still working for the same company. I like this job. But as I was rarely home, I lost my guest house business.
Both my eyes are completely dry. But strangely, I always have problem with my right one. No doctor are able to explain me that.
I’ve been visiting doctors in Thailand, Switzerland and Australia, I’ve seen Buddhist monks with magic power (he rubbed tiger balm on my eye balls!!!!!). On bad days, I’m considering removing my right eye ball to replace it with a fake one which doesn’t need tears...
SO YES! Thank you everybody for this forum, and I hope I will be able to bring useful contribution..
Jean-Daniel
First, after 7 years of dry eyes, I just find out about this website. It makes me feel better to see that I’m not alone in my case and thank you in advance for all your contribution. I’m looking forward to read and learn more about our problem.
I’m Swiss and live in Thailand for more than 20 years now. My first language is French, so forgive me if my writing is sometime “funny”.
I started to have dry eyes in 2001, probably because of wearing contact lens. So I went to the local hospital were the doctor, without much proper examination decides that I must have an allergy and gave me antihistamine. A few days later, it was not better so the doctor gave me more medicine for allergy. 2 weeks later, it was worst and I went to see another doctor who says the same and gave me the same medicament. (Antihistamine contributes to make tears drier). After 2 months, with so many scratches in my eyes and so much pain, I decide to visit the best clinic in Thailand (Rutnin hospital) where after a short examination the Doctor told me that I have dry eyes. After 1 week of proper medication and drops, my eyes were back to normal, but no tears. After 6 months still no tears. So the doctor says that it will be for life. My tear canals have been cherubically blocked to avoid drops flowing down out of the eyes. You all know about the discomfort, pain, so I pass on it.
Some interesting stories specific to Thailand. In Thailand, when people have red eyes (conjunctivitis), they thing that that person is possessed by a Ghost. I don’t have conjunctivitis, but dry eyes, but both make red eyes. So Thai people are afraid of people with red eyes and sometime they show their tongue to scare the ghost away. Just imagine when you don’t know that yet... Another story about dry eyes in Thailand is that when I explain to Thai people that I have dry eyes, they laugh and find that very funny. They think it is a joke, but sometime I have difficulties to find this funny especially if I’m in pain. Quiet often, in the evening, my eyes are so sour and red, that people will send me to bed, thinking I’m tired, or they may think I’m drunk or on drug...
I’m working as tour leader now, and the first thing after introducing myself is telling people about my dry eyes, so they know I’m not on drug or drunk. I wear sun glass as it eases a little bit, even at night.
Another interesting thing: Acupuncture. I’ve been to a hospital in Bangkok called Huakiew. It’s a Chinese hospital with a traditional medicine branch. While the specialist ophthalmologist says that there is no hope at all to get my tears back, the Chinese doctor could do it. I had my tears back for 3 days... And then dry again. Hoping to get more successes, I’ve keep going to acupuncture for more than 100 times (until I run out of money). Sometime, I had my tears back just for a few hours. Note that I had no insurance to cover eye problem, and still now, it cost be a good part of my income just to buy artificial tears.
I use to have a small guest house in the North-East of Thailand, but because I had to go to Bangkok often for the acupuncture, I had to find more money. I find a job as tour leader and I’m still working for the same company. I like this job. But as I was rarely home, I lost my guest house business.
Both my eyes are completely dry. But strangely, I always have problem with my right one. No doctor are able to explain me that.
I’ve been visiting doctors in Thailand, Switzerland and Australia, I’ve seen Buddhist monks with magic power (he rubbed tiger balm on my eye balls!!!!!). On bad days, I’m considering removing my right eye ball to replace it with a fake one which doesn’t need tears...
SO YES! Thank you everybody for this forum, and I hope I will be able to bring useful contribution..
Jean-Daniel
On a serious note, though welcome to our website. I would hope you can try some of the remedies recommended here, rather than have your eyeball surgically removed and lose complete sight for that eye. God Bless! Judy
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