Survey - Eyedrop frequency

[SirDryEye]

How often do you need to use eye drops to get through a bad day? How does this differ to a good/regular day? Also what eye drops do you use? IS LESS REALLY BETTER THAN MORE? I’d love to find out!

[Glucoa]

I usually put in eye drops roughly every 25-30 minutes during a normal workday. On the weekends when I'm able to get a bit more sleep and don't work on the computer I would say every 35 minutes. I would consider a bad day for me when I feel the need to put in drops every 20 minutes or less, which isn't too often.

I've found Refresh Optive Advanced to give me the longest period of comfort without feeling "dry" enough to put in another round of drops. I sometimes use Refresh Mega 3 drops and get similar results to the times above, but the effects diminish within a few days and I'm back to using the Refresh Advanced drops.

With most other popular eye drops like Systane, Retaine MGD, and Oasis I put in drops about 5 minutes sooner than the times I mentioned above when using Refresh, so I prefer Refresh over these.

Of course in certain social situations/meetings I'm unable to find a good time to put in eye drops even though I feel dry after 25 minutes. Due to this extra wait (30 - 60 mins) in between applications I would say I feel worse for a while after. Since getting dry eye a few years ago, I can't actually recall a time I've ever waited more than two hours to put in more drops (besides sleeping at night). My right eye usually has quite a bit of pain from the extended dryness.

Hope this helps.

[hopeful_hiker]

3-6 times a day. Used to be up to 12. Punctual plugs helped a bit followed by serum drops. So even though I use OTC drops less, I do use serum.

[MGD1701]

Before LipiFlow, needed 10 times a day, at later stage every 30 min, which only made eyes worse as doctors did not detect MGD so these drops not oil-based. Now I need 1-2 times/day.

sometimes eyes feel dryer afer dropping - but 4-5 hours later, suddenly were so great - without making compress nor enviornmental changes - such great feeling could last 5 hours, Anyone know why?
so I think less is better as there is NO drop can replace our nature tear. But, doctors recommend better apply drops before eyes become dry - so better apply every 4 hours or so.

my eyes like Systane Balance, Retaine MGD.

[hopeful_hiker]

SirDryEye forgot to mention! When my eyes were at the worst, the eyedrops no longer helped at all so I kind of stopped using them (that’s how I got my corneal scratches). So then I started using the drops regardless of my feelings.

When my eyes feel better then I actually get relief from eyedrops. It lasts for several hours.

[Guest]

My worst days, when I apply drops, it's like applying lotion to your cracked/dry hands. It burns, I can feel it hurt, then absorb the liquid. It may take a couple drops in a row to get "normal". I may have to do that once or twice an hour.

On good days, I can use drops 2-3 times like a mild dry eye patient. That's rare though because as hopeful hiker said, if I don't lubricate even when I feel good, I'll eventually end up wayyyy worse. So I try to prevent the dryness rather than bandage it after it occurs. I use serum pretty much exclusively. This is HIGHLY debated. I tried dropping my use of OTC tears and serum. Every time I end up worse...I can't escape the fact that I have to supplement tears.

[PRK]

I used to use a ton of drops back when I had dry eye. I was using up multiple vials per day since they wouldn’t stay in my eye very long and would just drain into the back of my throat. There were times when I was putting in drops constantly. The worst times were when it was dusty or late at night when I was tired. I wish I was able to get serum drops back then but I never was able to try them. I used to only use Theratears because they have the lowest osmolarity which I guess is better for decreasing high salt concentration in the eye. But they made my eyes feel better than the other brands. I wouldn’t worry about putting in too many drops as long as they are preservative free, better than a corneal abrasion.

Osmolarity link

http://www.mastereyeassociates.com/t...cant-eye-drops

[SirDryEye]

Thank you all for your responses. I guess the key is to not overuse eye drops, but use them enough to avoid serious discomfort. I guess too much of anything is bad.
I’ve just started using systane ultra preservative free vials and it seems ok so far, but I guess you can’t really tell till you’ve used it for a while. Here in the uk, hycosan extra is also very good. My frequency changes throughout the day - drops every 1 - 2 hours in morning, then drops every 2 hours + in afternoon - then drops every hour 7 pm onwards till bed (but even then my eyes are dry). This length of time the drops last is shorter in evening and early morning - 30 mins - 1 hour TOPS!

[Guest]

Serum will change your life, it did for me. I'd love for you to try and access it.

[SirDryEye]

Why would putting serum into your eyes help? I don’t understand. Plus I’m from uk don’t I could even get them.

[Guest]

Why would putting serum into your eyes help? I don’t understand. Plus I’m from uk don’t I could even get them.

It's made from your own blood so it's hypoallergenic, it has growth factors, vitamins, lipids, etc. no artificial tear can replicate that at the moment.

[SirDryEye]

That sounds awesome I wish I could have them but I don’t even have private health insurance lol