Actually Dry Eye?

[Gryfon19]

I'm just about at one year post-LASIK. I've had dry eyes for quite a while now, but I'm starting to wonder if it's actually dry eyes. They are dry in the mornings (probably don't close them all the way or something); however, I have found that it seems my top eyelids seem "heavy" and I think that is what has made me think my eyes were dry for some time.

I have general allergies to cut grass, cats, etc. nothing exotic, pretty standard stuff. My doctor recommended Pataday/Zaditor but I never used it because I didn't have red eyes, burning, etc. I'm starting think that I could have an allery inside the top eyelid and the ocular allergy medication could really help.

Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing? I'm hopefult that's the case because if I can control that then I will be doing great. Thanks!

[bernmee]

Hi and welcome.

First off I would like to say I am not a pro on this, I can only tell you about my experience and what I understand from reading other posts and talking to other people on this site. I am 18 months post Lasik and while I am not perfect, I am doing a lot better then I thought was possible.

I know that eyelid heavy feeling. For me it was like cold metal pellets weighing down my eyelid, my top one. This was the pain I got when I was on relief from the burning/raw feeling...but it was so so cold. I diodn't like it because it felt so strange, and made me feel like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders.

As for the allergies...I believe, though I could be wrong, that if the tear film is distrupted then it is unable to properly wash away those irritants, at least that is my understanding. I never had any eye allergies before Lasik. Now I have allergies in my one lasik eye and my non Lasik eye is holding up great.

What is causing your dry eye? Do you have an evaporative problem or are you just not making enough tears to start with. Let us know what your routine is an we can see if we can add any thought. It was from other peoples postings that I began to understand what was causing my dry eye, and made me move to a Dr. who was willing to try and help me.

Keep well and once again welcome.

Bernadette

[Gryfon19]

I don't really know what is causing my dry eye. My regular eye dr hasn't been particularly helpful. I suspect it is the viscosity of the tears that causes them to dry quickly after blinking, etc.

My daily routine, at the moment, is a couple of drops first thing in the morning to wet my eyes, they're pretty dry in the mornings. Restasis before I head to work. Pataday at lunch time. Restasis again in the evening and regular eye drops throughout the day whenever they feel dry. Just before bed I've recently started using Refresh PM with the goggles I was given following LASIK and that seems to make my eyes a little less dry in the morning when I wake up.

I also have permanent lower duct plus, which I don't think made much of a difference.