Eyes get really bad from cooking heat/steam.

[CharlieGreenEyes]

I wondered if anyone else gets this? For the first time in a few weeks (perhaps the steroid drops had started to work) my eyes seemed slightly better. But then I went into the kitchen whilst something was being cooked on the stove (not by me). I was only in there for a minute getting some water and the window was open so there was fresh air in the room. But since then (two days ago) my bad eye has been unbearable. It feels like it did when I got corneal abrasions (I had several in the bad eye) a couple of months ago.

The first night after it happened I wasn't able to sleep because of the pain. Had to get up twice for painkillers. And it hurt to keep my eye open during the day.

It seems slightly better today but still hurts a lot and it has that feeling I get when it's really bad - feels like it's burnt (not burning, but more like a sort of burned/sunburn/scalded type of feeling).

I'm a bit confused because I keep hearing that humidity and/or heat is good for my issues - I've been told I have MGD. But whenever something's cooking in the kitchen, and also when the weather was really hot and humid a few months ago, the eye (the bad eye) gets worse.

Does anyone else get affected by heat and/or steam. Is it the heat, the steam, both, or hot steam? I also got worse when the central heating was on in winter - had to open windows, which caused arguments because I was told I was wasting the heating/causing high bills - but my eye was agony unless I opened the windows or turned the heating off.

[PhoenixEyes]

Could be irritants in the air. With the cooking - spices, acidic oils and such. With the humidity - I hear dust mites and such like warm humidity, so it's a catch 22 for people with dry eye and allergies. Central heating I think evaporates moisture so can be drying.

Without MGD the eyes would have a protective oily barrier to deflect these kinds of irritants and reduce evaporation but without it I think we can become more sensitive.

For air irritants I once saw this balm people spread around the eyes to draw irritants to it rather than going in the eyes. I saw some suggest common Vaseline is as effective and cheaper though. I use Ziena moisture chamber glasses which can also help with that and also protect against wind etc.

http://haymax.biz/

[CharlieGreenEyes]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've sort of ruled out moisture chamber glasses for now because of my complex vision issues and the fact that I can't see properly with glasses. But I guess if/when (Hopefully not too far off) I get sclerals I could then try them out.

Thanks for the link. I'll try vaseline first because if something cheaper works that would be best, but if not perhaps I'll try the balm.