Hormone link - question for ladies

[lizlou29]

Hi All

Just wondering if anyone else notices that their dry eyes are worse at certain times of the month? I know that menopause can trigger dry eyes so I assume that changes in estrogen levels are the culprit. My testosterone level has been tested and can back 'normal', my progesterone was tested and cam back as ok but then my endocrinologist said the test was pointless because they should have tested at a certain day in my cycle which they didn't.

Around days 25-28 of my cycle my eyes are far far worse, this has been the case since my dry eye problem started when I was 22.

Understand not everyone would want to share but I want to know if this is common. I know the topic of birth control pills has been covered, my ophthalmologist suggested I avoid birth control pills as he has seen only one patient who found her eyes got a little better whilst taking it compared to quite a few patients that got worse. I never noticed a difference when I used to use it but then my eyes were nowhere near as bad back then.

[Katewest]

I stopped my bc about a month ago and just like you they tested me but it was inconclusive because of the timing. So I will probably go get tested again in the beginning of next year. (better insurance hopefully by then) I also think I see a correlation between symptoms and cycle. That being said, I don't know if HRT is effective or not. It doesn't seem like too many people have seen results. Oh, and I am getting the paragaurd (copper T) this week for my new bc. Its non-hormonal.

[lizlou29]

None of the eye doctors I have seen have been that bothered about testing my hormone levels. Pehaps it's because I don't have any other problems indicative of high/low estrogen. I had a saliva test done by a naturopath and she said my estrogen level was very low for someone my age and wanted me to buy a £90 supplement from her. The endocrinologist said he highly doubted it as my cycle is regular and no other symptoms. Would like to know for sure though.

[No tears in ATL]

None of the eye doctors I have seen have been that bothered about testing my hormone levels. Pehaps it's because I don't have any other problems indicative of high/low estrogen. I had a saliva test done by a naturopath and she said my estrogen level was very low for someone my age and wanted me to buy a £90 supplement from her. The endocrinologist said he highly doubted it as my cycle is regular and no other symptoms. Would like to know for sure though.

Not a hormone expert here, but I did read somewhere that in non-menopausal women it is low progesterone that can sometimes make dry eye worse. However, I think it is taken in the form of a cream the last two weeks of the cycle (not daily) for those women that have normal cycles. I have not tried this nor have I had levels tested, just something I read once. I guess I say this to reiterate that hormones are a very delicate thing. There may be some excellent naturopaths out there but it seems a lot of them are peddling snake oil. So glad you did not waste money on those tablets.

[NotADryEye]

When you say your eyes get worse, what exact symptom gets worse. For example, are they more dry and there is a gritty sensation or do they burn more or does something else happen?

[lizlou29]

The dry feeling is more intense and my eyelids feel swollen although they don't look swollen.

[NotADryEye]

What about your complexion. Does it change also? Do you get blemishes?

[Katewest]

My eyes burn more and I think my lids also look red and maybe swollen a little on the tops. I sometimes also get a pimple or two but only sometimes. I am getting retested tomorrow for my hormone levels and should know where I am at in a couple of weeks. I just don't think anyone on here has gotten better from HRT . Either that or they don't comment maybe?

[NotADryEye]

My eyes burn more and I think my lids also look red and maybe swollen a little on the tops. I sometimes also get a pimple or two but only sometimes. I am getting retested tomorrow for my hormone levels and should know where I am at in a couple of weeks. I just don't think anyone on here has gotten better from HRT . Either that or they don't comment maybe?

My eyes got worse on HRT, testosterone and progesterone. When the testosterone dose was increased it was noticeably worse.

Your mgd may be at least in part hormone related. Whatever happens to your complexion is also happening in your meibomian glands. The mg's are a form of sebaceous gland. So if you do get a blemish imagine what might be happening in the mg's. It does not take a lot of poor quality meibum to feels like soap/burning in the eye - saponification, aka foamy tears.

[Peppermint]

My eyes feel their best between day 3-18 so I definitely think hormones are involved in some way. I am on bioidentical progesterone cream from day 14 until the start of cycle. I tried bioidentical testosterone briefly but it made my eyes worse as it increased sebum production and since my glands were clogged at that point, it made my eyes more swollen.

[lizlou29]

NotADryEye - my complexion doesn't change. I have rosacea but it's quite mild and I don't have any pimples.

Peppermint - day 5 to mid cycle is normally a little better for me. Did you have blood or saliva tests? Towards the end of my cycle I have profound insomnia which I've always assumed is due to falling progesterone levels so I know my hormones cause me other problems.

[Peppermint]

Liz-
From what I have read, insomnia in the last few days leading up to your cycle is caused by the decrease in estrogen, which makes sense since estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest at that point. And progesterone does help with sleep. I've had 3 saliva tests in the past 2 years.

Peppermint - day 5 to mid cycle is normally a little better for me. Did you have blood or saliva tests? Towards the end of my cycle I have profound insomnia which I've always assumed is due to falling progesterone levels so I know my hormones cause me other problems.[/QUOTE]

[spmcc]

New research article (Dec 2013): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24332276

Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2013 Dec 10.

Changes in tear film, corneal topography, and refractive status in premenopausal women during menstrual cycle.

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes in a questionnaire based subjective symptomatology, tear film break-up time, tear volume, corneal topography, and refractive status in premenopausal women during menstrual cycle.

METHODS: Seventeen premenopausal females and 15 healthy males were enrolled in this prospective study. After routine ophthalmologic examination, an ocular surface disease index questionnaire was administered, tear film break-up time (TBUT), and Schirmer I tests were performed. Keratometry readings and refractive status were also obtained. All examinations were repeated at day 21, day 12 and day 2.

RESULTS: OSDI score in day 21 was significantly lower than that in day 12 (p=0.004) and day 2 (p=0.01) in the female patients; however, no significant change was found in the male subjects (p>0.05). No statistically significant difference was found in TBUT and Schirmer I tests, keratometry, and refraction results in both of the female and male subjects at all of the test points (p>0.05). There was a significant correlation between OSDI score and TBUT (p=0.02, p=0.03, respectively), and Schirmer I test at day 12 (p=0.004, p=0.008, respectively). A significant negative correlation was found between oestrogen level and horizontal keratometry values at day 21 (r=-0.5, p=0.03; r=-0.4, p=0.04, respectively) for the right and left eyes in the female subjects.

CONCLUSION: Our study confirms that fluctuations in the blood levels of oestrogen produce alterations in ocular surface equilibrium during the menstrual cycle and consequently affect the subjective dry eye symptoms in female patients. However, no ocular surface parameter changes were observed.

[spmcc]

From the above post about new research article:

RESULTS: OSDI score in day 21 was significantly lower than that in day 12 and day 2 in the female patients;

For people unfamiliar with the OSDI, the OSDI (Ocular Surface Disease Index) is assessed on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores representing greater disability.

That means that women felt *better* on day 21 compared to day 12 and day 2. I don't know if that's what others here have experienced.



**To find the OSDI, see: http://www.dryeyezone.com/documents/osdi.pdf

[RFREITAS]

I can relate with this.

I already have have performed the shimmer test just before my cycle and the results were diferent!
Just before the cycle R: 10 L:11
During the month R: 10 L:15

Also, during that time the dry feeling is worse.