Don't you wish...

[Rebecca Petris]

... all eye doctors "got" what dry eye is like as well as this one does?

The severely dry eye patient is constantly aware of their condition due to extremely uncomfortable symptoms. Not only is management of their affliction a problem, but even control is a challenge.... They often will refer to their life in two segments of time...before they encountered this problem and since they have had this problem. Dry eye rules how they live, where they go, limits what they do and how long before they close their eyes to find some level of relief....

I also like this part. I wonder how different one's doctor would feel if s/he submitted to this?

People often wonder how a seemingly insignificant thing as a “Dry Eye” can be much of a problem. Even attending clinicians often lack the empathy these patients call for and deserve. A simple demonstration is not difficult to arrange for the skeptic to be convinced.... I ask the volunteer to give me just 20 seconds of his time, whereby I prop his eyelids open with my thumb and index finger of one hand, and use my other hand to fan his eye with a note card. It usually on takes a matter of seconds before the person would like to end the experiment, but we try to complete the task for a 20-second duration. At the end of that time, the recipient of this cruel treatment has simply experienced the effects of corneal drying; just twenty seconds worth - and he is glad it is over!

[eyes78]

YES.

I think I've found a good Dr. who understands, thankfully.

[irish eyes]

This is so true. I am always aware of the discomfort and it certainly 'rules' and puts limits on what I do.

The 2nd part is interesting too. In the early days of trying to deal with the discomfort, I used to refer to it all as being 'cruel'.

[lizlou29]

We can but dream.

Strangely the ophthalmologist who i found to be the least sympathetic was one who had mild dry eye himself. He told me not to get upset about it or think about it too much. My current ophth has become more sympathetic over time especially as he has too other patients my age who have also told him about the feeling of two different lives - one before dry eye and one with. In a way I feel lucky my signs match symptoms or goodness knows what response i would have received.