I am a new member.

[Rini]

I am a new member...suffering with dry eyes. finding this website makes me hopeful to gain information. I have been suffering for quite a while and now it has affected my quality of life. I have been reading your entries and can not quite understand the drops that seem to work for you.

I have tried punctal plugs, cauterization, and long term use of Restasis. I am seeing a corneal specialist at Bascom Palmer in Miami and considering surgery,described as an "eye facelift" and contacts that somehow generate more tears.......I am desperate. If anyone is familiar with these procedures I would love to know more about them. MY eyes are painful, sticky and at times have trouble keeping them open. Any advise would be appreciated.

[liz56]

Hello

Welcome, Rini.

I think that what might be confusing about the discussion of eye drops is the varied successes each of us has with them. my only advice is to try and see what works best for you. If you have tried a host of drugstore eye drops and feel like eye drops might as well be water for all they help, it may be worth considering when your eyes feel worst. If you may sleep with your eyes partially open, then it may be worth considering using Genteal Gel (Severe) at bedtime and re-applied through the night. If you have difficulty all day, something like Dwelle might help. There are so many factors that getting a straight answer depends on being aware of your symptoms, information from your doctor, and varied treatments besides eye drops, like, maybe goggles, sealed eye glasses for the daytime, lid scrubs, or warm or cold compresses.

I don't know anything about the surgeries that you describe, but my mom just had a procedure that corrected a condition in which her eye lids drooped to the point that she could not see when she looked down (as in going down steps!). The surgery went well, but afterwards her eyes were drier. On the bright side, healing happened quickly, and a month later, she was back to what is normal for her.

--Liz

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi Rini and welcome.

I am seeing a corneal specialist at Bascom Palmer in Miami and considering surgery,described as an "eye facelift" and contacts that somehow generate more tears.......I am desperate. If anyone is familiar with these procedures I would love to know more about them.

I wonder if the surgery you're talking about is ocular surface reconstruction of some kind. If so, be cautious and most definitely seek additional opinions and exhaust the non-invasive options first. Let us know when you get more information because whatever it is, chances are somebody here has had it done.

Great advice from Liz56. I'd certainly look into the moisture-retaining eyewear if you haven't already.

As regards contacts: No contacts will generate more tears. The two uses of contacts in dry eye that I know of are (a) use of soft contacts as a "bandage" (usually short-term, to promote healing), and (b) use of scleral lenses, which is a large rigid lens that holds fluid against the eye surface all day, keeping it hydrated.

[Rini]

Thank you. Thanks to this site I know more about my dry eyes than I ever dreamed about. I only wish I had discovered it earlier. Once I see "another" corneal specialist I will post. Unfortunately that is not for another month. I live in Daytona Beach and will be traveling to Miami.

[bernmee]

Hi,

i think Liz said it all so well. I am about 4 weeks ahead of you and am just starting to work out what triggers and what might work....it is a bit of a guessing game at the start I'm afraid

The Genteal gel that Liz mentioned was suggested to me by 6 different people on this site when I mentioned my pain seeemed to stem from a bad night. I can not begin to describe the difference using this gel has made for me. It has provided an instant relief that I have seem the next morning.

Other drops you have to give them time, which can be hard to do, and Dwelle seems to be a drop that gets good reviews, though I believe it may be soemthing you have to work with for a while to see a difference, though there have been times that I have felt immediate relief from it.

Another definite thing to take is Omega 3 oil, available as fish oil or flaxseed oil. There is no disputing how beneifial this is to the body, whether you fell the difference or not. It is supposed to help in the production or "healthy tears"...I don't know the medical side of this, but I am happy to take something that helps my body

Another great place to start is by getting the dry eye book by Dr. Robert L. that is for sale through the dry eye store on this site. It wil get you thinking about your diet, environment and stress levels.

Please please please consider ALL other options before having surgery on your eye. I had Lasik in one eye without realizing what "dry eye" really was, and I am now paying for it. I would hate to see someone make their condition worse before first considering all the options.

Yes you are right, there is alot of info on this site, and it is very hard to digest when you first join. But as you notice something, just post a question and there will be someone here with a bit more experience then you who can fill you in a bit.

This site has been so helpful for me, and people are willing to take the time to type their experience in order to help.

Good luck and keep well