Hi - Brief Intro/Advice required ;flying

[Smithy K]

Hiya

I am Karen from Uk aged 35 - was diagnosed with Dry Eye about 6 weeks ago now - Started off about 3 months ago -with red bloodshot eye (left one) - then eyes slowly became more red and itchy eye lids. Two Mis-diagnoses from GPs Conjunctavitis (after an over watering/tearing episode) and then another GP said HAYFEVER ! I dont think so !!!! I went to Specsavers (opticians) and a nice young optician diagnosed Dry eye - evaporation.

I am coping well using Viscotears at the moment. For example - I have only put drops in once today (19.30 hrs) and will have another drop before going to sleep as one eye especially gets very dry at night - I find that the symptoms in eyes alternates from one to thee other - strange!

Not sure what caused my Dry eye - I was taking an IVF drug (Buserelin) which dry eye is a side effect - this may have contributed. However I had taken this drug numerous times before and not experienced dry eyes from it ??

Spooky - as I had been having reflexology before my red eye appeared - both eyes were fine - I wear glasses - and she pkept picking up my eyes after each session ?????? weird!

Anyhow I did fly to spain 1 week after being diagnosed and the optician said I would feel it on the plane, and in the dry heat - yep he was right! The outward journey was horrible - kept putting drops in every 20 mins or so - but strangley enough the return journey was fine ????? (even tho the flights were only 2 hrs each!).

We are thinking of going to North Carolina in November and this is a 7 / 8 hours flight - I am really scared of my eyes playing up...any tips???

Oh and Alcohol is a devil too. Sometimes I only have one glass of wine and it goes straight to my eye ! Great...no more hot holidays/flying and alcohol - wheres the cliff?!?!?! Only joking. I will not let this rule my life -


Thanks
karen

[Mcgoldilocks]

With the booze, I recommend you alternative every alcoholic one with a soft one. Easier said than done I know! I make it a habit on a night out every so often to get a pint of water and I just down it in one. Same goes for flying, just rehydrate yourself lots.

[Rebecca Petris]

"Drink up, lube up, cover up" is my travel rule. I think someone once posted about bringing a wet facecloth in a sealed plastic bag to use as a compress during flight. Depending how you feel about investing in products for travel... Some people use Tranquileyes moisture goggles while flying (esp. on the return journey which is an overnight flight), and some like the Onion Goggles for daytime trips so they can read or watch movies more comfortably.

[brd888]

Hello,
At least after only 3 months it may be only a temporary condition! The "Evaporation" is another misleading term. I've the exact same diagnosis at the Optometrist. You can read about this here on the website but basically it is "dry" spots forming on the eye - not because of evaporation to the atmosphere.
The drug thing is another dead end - I had a similar experience after using Propranolol. Despite not using it for months the dry eye remains. I think many drugs have many side effects listed but the science behind the side-effects is inconclusive.
As for flying (I am not talking from experience) use either tranquileyes or a heat bag on the eyes while trying to snooze. After a bad dry eye at work I find having a 1/2 hour rest with a heat bag over the eyes really helps so this should protect your eyes from the bad aircraft atmosphere.
Finally, as for alcohol, it is bad for the eyes but you just have to force yourself to have that drink!!

Best of luck,
Bruce

PS can you elaborate what you meant about the reflexologist?

[Smithy K]

Hiya

Thanks for the replies.

Reflexology (foot massage) - the person doing it can pick up on other parts of the body via sections of the feet whilst massaging.

After each session she would tell me what she had picked up. She could even feel that I clench my jaw in my sleep ! And after each session she would say "your eyes have shown up"? and we would just look puzzled at each other. She would then say probably its because you wear glasses. So now I am thinking ...probably I have always suffered with a minor dry eye(s) - my eyes are quite large (blue) and have never never been brilliant white, always veiny ish when drinking alcohol/next morning - but then I suppose everyones are. She was also pick up on my Liver each time which puzzled/worried me too !

I went to a wedding yesterday and was so scared to drink alcohol incase my eyes turned into flashing beacons. So I drank/sipped wine, and then gulped down lots of water in between....i am never gonna get drunk doing that am I, so may as well just drink water to begin with..how depressing.

I am hoping/preying this is a temporary glich of dry eyes and is going to rectify itself... The optician said that my eyes are still producing the tear film, but it evaporated in 4 secs - (should be 8 secs ????? Not sure??)

I am still using Visco tears which is soothing.

Karen

[brd888]

[QUOTE=Smithy K;32750]Reflexology (foot massage) - the person doing it can pick up on other parts of the body via sections of the feet whilst massaging.

Karen,
Thanks for replying. I am a believer in this sort of thing although there are many sceptics! Maybe you need a liver de-tox diet or some milk thistle?
A healthy tear film should "evaporate" only after about 15 seconds. From what your optician says it sounds like your watery tears (from lacrimal gland) are ok but your oily tears (from meibomian glands) are unhealthy. This is MGD or blepharitis. There is a tenuous link between how the liver metabolises fatty acids and nourishing the meibomian glands with these essential lipids.
Regards,
Bruce.