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nervous newbie!
Hi. I was diagnosed with dry eyes about a month ago. But I believe this has been brewing for quite some time. I am 24. Two years ago, I had a corneal abrasion. I was sick with a virus and fell asleep with my contacts in for 2 hrs. Woke up, pulled out my contacts, and in my left eye--abrasion! Periodically since then, I have had times at night where I wake up with pain in one of my eyes (left or right), have to flush it out with solution and put some bacitracin ointment (that I had leftover from when I got a sty during college).
These occurences at night had been becoming more frequent in the last six months or so. Then, two months ago, I had my breaking point. I opened a new liquid eyeliner, and when I put it on my eyelids, immediately had an irritating reaction. Washed it off, and waited about half an hour before putting my contacts in. That was the last day my eyes have seen contacts in two months.
The next day, I had pain in my left eye, and being outside in any kind of wind was horrendous. I went to Ophthamologist #1, who diagnosed me with dry eyes and gave me over-the-counter drops to put in 4 times/day and some ointment for at night. Two days later, I was still in pain, so I went to Opthamologist #2. He said I had an infection and gave me Tobradex drops. A few days later, at the hinting of a friend, I saw an optometrist, and she told me I had dry eyes. She wanted to put me on Restasis, minocycline, prescription fish oil, and artificial tears. But I got scared because the pharmacy told me she could not prescribe the fish oil and minocycline, and the "optometrist" title had me concerned. So I stuck with the Tobradex. Noticed my eyes seemed less irritated, but the day after I returned to Opthamologist #2, who gave me a clean bill of health and told me to go back to contacts, I started having problems. My eyelids were stuck together and awful in the morning. Enter Opthamogists #3 and #4: one told me my contacts (that I hadn't worn for 3 weeks) could be sucking the moisture out of my eyes, the other told me I had GPC (giant papillary conjunctivitis), which was causing dry eyes, and wanted to put me back on Tobradex!
Finally, I saw #5, who told me I have dry eyes, not GPC. He gave me a prescription for Restasis, FML drops (for 4 weeks, which I am now finished with), ointment at night, and artificial tears. I have noticed some improvement. My eyes are still very dry in the morning, but I can open them, and then put drops in them immediately. I have also been using the fish oil for the last four weeks. I have suffered with acne since I was 10 years old, and he seems to think this is playing into my dry eyes...
Any advice for me? I am getting married in two weeks, and I just want some healthy eyes for my wedding! I wonder if my stress is affecting my eyes. Any advice or comforting words would be so greatly appreciated. I am so glad I found this forum.
These occurences at night had been becoming more frequent in the last six months or so. Then, two months ago, I had my breaking point. I opened a new liquid eyeliner, and when I put it on my eyelids, immediately had an irritating reaction. Washed it off, and waited about half an hour before putting my contacts in. That was the last day my eyes have seen contacts in two months.
The next day, I had pain in my left eye, and being outside in any kind of wind was horrendous. I went to Ophthamologist #1, who diagnosed me with dry eyes and gave me over-the-counter drops to put in 4 times/day and some ointment for at night. Two days later, I was still in pain, so I went to Opthamologist #2. He said I had an infection and gave me Tobradex drops. A few days later, at the hinting of a friend, I saw an optometrist, and she told me I had dry eyes. She wanted to put me on Restasis, minocycline, prescription fish oil, and artificial tears. But I got scared because the pharmacy told me she could not prescribe the fish oil and minocycline, and the "optometrist" title had me concerned. So I stuck with the Tobradex. Noticed my eyes seemed less irritated, but the day after I returned to Opthamologist #2, who gave me a clean bill of health and told me to go back to contacts, I started having problems. My eyelids were stuck together and awful in the morning. Enter Opthamogists #3 and #4: one told me my contacts (that I hadn't worn for 3 weeks) could be sucking the moisture out of my eyes, the other told me I had GPC (giant papillary conjunctivitis), which was causing dry eyes, and wanted to put me back on Tobradex!
Finally, I saw #5, who told me I have dry eyes, not GPC. He gave me a prescription for Restasis, FML drops (for 4 weeks, which I am now finished with), ointment at night, and artificial tears. I have noticed some improvement. My eyes are still very dry in the morning, but I can open them, and then put drops in them immediately. I have also been using the fish oil for the last four weeks. I have suffered with acne since I was 10 years old, and he seems to think this is playing into my dry eyes...
Any advice for me? I am getting married in two weeks, and I just want some healthy eyes for my wedding! I wonder if my stress is affecting my eyes. Any advice or comforting words would be so greatly appreciated. I am so glad I found this forum.
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