I want my life back!

[Helena]

Dry eye seemed to come on very quickly about 16 months ago. I've been to 5 doctors and one allergist at Kaiser in Sonoma county and have received no info other than "it will eventually go away" and "just take drops." Like others whose stories I've read here, I know that it's related to sinus problems but these 6 medical professionals have denied a connection.

My life has changed in profound ways. Can't read, watch films, drive at night and can look at the computer monitor for a few minutes at one time. I have to wear dark glasses all the time. My eyes are constantly red rimmed and gritty-feeling.

Hope to hear from others who have sinus problems and who believe that that's the source of their dry eyes. Thanks so much.

[JAH1973]

My story sounds like yours.... The doctors don't diagnose, but do say that it will go away someday. I was so frustrated with the statement after each month that went by and asked one doctor When?

Here's my story.

I developed Dry Eye in early May of 2008. Although it has only been 5 months, it feels like forever to me. Like you, I have been to several Eye Specialists,a neurologist, counseling, and three allergists. Nobody seems to know why I have the dry eye and why I constantly have mucus in my left eye.

After being tested for several autoimmune diseases, MRI's, CT Scans of the Head and Brain, most simply said that my problem was "psychosomatic" or stress related. I have been perscribed so many antidepressants (won't take since they dried my eyes out worse), headache, nausea, sleeping, and various other medications. Finally, after months of complaining of severe dry eye, headaches, dizziness, and extreme facial swelling upon waking in the morning, jaw pain, etc., my doctor finally ran a CT Scan of the Sinuses last month. This test reflected a severe sinus infection which required a strong dose of antibiotics. I am now on my fourth week of the antibiotics and am starting to feel better. Today, I almost felt kinda normal.

I am not sure what is helping, either the restasis, chiropractor (neck and back pain), fish oil, antibiotics, who knows.

Since I am not a doctor and have no clue whether or not the sinuses and the dry eye are connected, I am not qualified to confirm. All I can tell you is that with the treatment noted above, I am beginning to feel better. It is amazing that after all the pain in the last five months, the first question I asked my doctor in May was whether or not this could be sinus related.....

Last week, he tried to be humorous and stated "Wouldn't it be something if after all of these months and medical testings, your problem was simply a sinus infection."

[Nimmykins]

It makes sense that it's linked because it's all together biologically. If it wasn't then why do we get runny noses when we cry.

Try and see an eye specialist, I'm sure they'd be able to help.