What has helped your dry eyes the most? Desperate to find something to help mine...

[CarlyS123]

Its a long story but I've had dry eyes for 3 years now and they just feel awful at the moment. My right eye schirmer test was 3/10 and my left eye was normal but both eyes lack in the lipid layer. I currently use lacrilube around 10 times a day as drops do absolutely nothing, its worse now because I'm revising for exams so I'm using my eyes a lot. Stuff I've tried includes omega 3 for 2 months, primrose oil for 3 months, antihistamines for 3 months and I've tried changing various products I use.
Can anyone suggest anything thats worked for them?
Thanks

[Guest]

Its a long story but I've had dry eyes for 3 years now and they just feel awful at the moment. My right eye schirmer test was 3/10 and my left eye was normal but both eyes lack in the lipid layer. I currently use lacrilube around 10 times a day as drops do absolutely nothing, its worse now because I'm revising for exams so I'm using my eyes a lot. Stuff I've tried includes omega 3 for 2 months, primrose oil for 3 months, antihistamines for 3 months and I've tried changing various products I use.
Can anyone suggest anything thats worked for them?
Thanks

Hi!

Over the past few months I have managed to improve my schirmer results so I hope what I've done could help you but firstly, what diagnosis has your opthmologist given you? Do you know the cause behind your dry eyes? You say you take antihistamines - so is it allergy related? Have you been checked out for blepharitis? That's what caused my dry eye. So important you get a professional to try and find out what the problem is!

Personally I found using an ointment was counterproductive for me. I believe the tear film is a very delicate thing and ointment was too heavy for it. I've harped on about this so much on here but truly believe working on natural stimulation is best answer. I appreciate you depend on the ointment and it may well be unbearable without it but have you tried warm compresses? I use a blephamask (actual product!) every day for 10 minutes. It warms your glands up which keeps the eyes moist. On top of this ditching the fizzy drinks and caffeine and drinking lots of water helps.

I've researched tons into vitamins and I'm taking a variety ATM! Eyebright and bilberry helps deli ever blood and oxygen to the eye, vitamin a is essential for a healthy eye surface, as you know flaxseed oil and omega 3 help lubricate the eye, taurine is good for eye health and I also take kudzu which is meant to help red eyes. There are specially formulated eye vitamins which might be worth investing in that packs lots of beneficial vitamins in one. I bought BioTears oral gel capsules, they contain omega 3, zinc, vitamin a and c and vitamins b and b12 - it is meant to encourage tear film formation so it might be a good purchase especially if your lipid layer is affected.

On top of this I found that my dry eye irritation when away when I ate. I read that chewing apparently stimulates your eye glands so maybe try chewing on some gum - see if it helps!

[CarlyS123]

Thanks for the reply Claire, I've used a warm compress for over a year now and it did improve my symptoms initially and it seems to have improved my oily layer. My diagnosis was MGD but now I also have a lack of tears which I didn't think I had before. I am taking the following vitamins: zinc, A, C and all the B vitamins. I've tried omega 3 in the past with no luck but I will be trying it again with a different brand. Did you find cutting out fizzy drinks and drinking more water made a huge difference? I only have a few fizzy drinks a week but I suppose its worth a try. I'm not sure if its allergy related, the doctors say its hard to tell.

[spmcc]

Can anyone suggest anything that's worked for them?

Moisture chamber goggles/glasses. They are the #1 best thing for lipid deficiency/MGD.

Check out Rebecca's Guide to Moisture Chambers: http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...2305#post62305

Good luck. I hope you get to the place where your eyes are comfortable, especially when revising for exams.

[BeckaG]

I'v been meaning to log in since I'v introduced myself to update my progress, but saw your thread you started and decided to reply to this instead

I'v tried dozens of different shotgun approaches to things that might help me, so I can't pinpoint exactly what has helped me, but whatever I am currently doing has made a huge difference to me. I'v gone from in the summer using several drops throughout the day and having to put thick eye drops before and halfway through the night, to none at all.

I have visited a naturopath about a month ago regarding my dry eyes and also fatigue. She tested my thyroid, and found out even though I am within the 'normal' range of the thyroid test, I am right on the low end, so if I went to a doctor, they would have said I am fine as I am within the correct range, however she feels at her discretion as I am exhibiting the same symptoms of thyroid she has given me herbal pills to get my levels more optimal. Perhaps this has helped my eyes because my hormones have been out of whack, maybe not.

I have also been taking vitamin d oil, she stated its important to take the drop form (apparently the chalky pills don't get absorbed as well) apparently vitamin d is great for your eyes. She also put me on a high quality fish oil, I was on a no name brand before and she said the type of fishes they source omega 3's from is pretty important in their effectiveness.

Other things I have changed is switching from regular makeup to hypoallergenic, and putting olive oil under my eyes.

I'm not too sure what to pinpoint as to what made a big impact but I have been able to go from being able to barely wear my contact lenses for 2 hours every few weeks in the summer to four times of wear this week including a 10 hr stint on Christmas eve without irritation!

If you have any questions please let me know, hope you can find some success with what I mentioned!

[L8rgator]

1. Scleral lens
2. Moisture chamber glasses & patches
and a distant 3rd- Permanent plugs (and by permanent I mean they fall out every 1-3 months)

At night it's also a must for me to seal my eye with an airtight waterproof moistened "cup" (I use a knee and elbow bandage wetted with sterile saline to make a soft cup over my eye). This helps it heal overnight, and keeps it on (unlike moisture goggles, which just fell off).

[MGD30]

Moisture chamber goggles/glasses. They are the #1 best thing for lipid deficiency/MGD.

Check out Rebecca's Guide to Moisture Chambers: http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...2305#post62305

This is by far the what has helped me the most for my MGD.

[André Pereira]

1 - Moisture chamber glasses
I use my oakley wind jacket all day almost.

2 - Vitamin D
This is the tricky part. Helped me a lot. But I take very high doses. If someone wants to use it, it is good to have full control of your health condition. In rosacea, for example, I've read articles that Vitamin D too much can be harmful.
Helped me a lot with inflammation.

3 - Eye drops "Natural"
I no longer use the usual eye drops, with or without preservatives.
I use only a drop of a natural compound called cineraria Maritima.
My eyes took a few weeks to get used to it.
After that, I had no more Flare-ups due to drops.

4 - Autologous serum eye drops
Helped me a lot with eye discomfort and also with the redness.
They do not serve to lubricate.

5 - Healthy Eating
I followed a super-restricted diet for a year. Things have improved enough for me at that time. It is important to know if we are allergic to any type of food.

6 - swimming goggles to sleep.
I started using a Speedo I had at home. It helped me a LOT on days with low humidity. On other days too. The only problem is that these glasses worked with negative pressure, so I woke up with those red circles around the eyes. This week came my Barracuda b300 (3 months now to get the United States) and ... WOW !!!! It is wonderful to sleep with them. Super comfortable, my eyes are waking up very well. They work with positive pressure. My last great discovery. (Thanks to much research)
My skin has accepted very well contact with the glasses. Some more sensitive skins can not accept.
If you buy a glasses with clear lenses. You can use them to study at home too.

I have dry eye due to Lasik surgery. I researched your profile, but there is no information on the cause of your dry eye.

[No tears in ATL]

Aqueous deficiency and MGD here. In order of importance:

1. Upper plugs only. Quadraplugs just created that whole toxic soup problem.
2. Moisture chambers and modifying environment. Invest in a good humidifier for winter (and if you don't have a humidistat, get one now).
3. Stay away from screens whenever possible and take breaks often.
4. Sleep. So important.
5. Controlling allergies, which is an added challenge, because antihistamines are drying. Look for tips on keeping home free of dust, mold, pet dander, pollen. Air purifiers can help, but most of all, be diligent with dusting and vacuuming.
6. 20 mg doxycycline.
7. Lotemax gel to have handy for bad flareups. There is a lot less BAC in the gel and low risk of raised eye pressure.
8. Omega 3 supplements: specifically, krill oil and seabuckthorn, one dose each per day.
9. For me specifically: NO ARTIFICIAL TEARS. Or at least, don't overdo them.

[L8rgator]

I
I have also been taking vitamin d oil, she stated its important to take the drop form (apparently the chalky pills don't get absorbed as well) apparently vitamin d is great for your eyes. She also put me on a high quality fish oil, I was on a no name brand before and she said the type of fishes they source omega 3's from is pretty important in their effectiveness.

My vitamin D's and Omega 3/fish oils all come in gummy vitamin form. I'm not sure if that counts. I'm going through a "make my vitamins into sour gummy worms phase" because I like the D's so much. I can tell you there are definitely some things that should never ever be put in gummy form. Yuck.

[L8rgator]

I also have a hot tub. I go in it every day anyways because I have fibromyalgia and am always freezing cold. It's nice to sit in it and let my moisturize in the steam. It's kind of a pain to take my scleral and other regular contact out to do it though (you are not SUPPOSED to take a bath or shower with any kind of lens in because you can get bacteria or deposits or I suppose chemicals on the lens from the water). If you find you get relief from baths, then I definitely recommend a hot tub. It's a HUGE difference to be able to go into a perfectly heated hot tub any time without having to run water to fill a tub. And if you have an indoor one, then bonus your house gets a little extra humidity. The downside is you have to be careful not to foster mold growth with too much humidity.

I keep a space heater in our bedroom and figured out a couple days ago that if I put a bowl of water in front of it, I get a nice wave of moisture blowing over me all night. More targeted than than the big humidifier I have in the living room.

[BeckaG]

My vitamin D's and Omega 3/fish oils all come in gummy vitamin form. I'm not sure if that counts. I'm going through a "make my vitamins into sour gummy worms phase" because I like the D's so much. I can tell you there are definitely some things that should never ever be put in gummy form. Yuck.

Taking vitamin D is important to take in the drop form because it is only soluble in fat, not in water like other vitamins. So it might be worth switching over to the drops. I haven't done my research into it but I already give my toddler vitamin d drops so I just started using the same ones i give my son after my naturopath advised me the pill form wouldn't be absorbed properly.

[Dru]

Cineraria Maritima

Regarding the Cineraria Maritima, what brand did you use? Did you use the kind with or without alcohol? Thanks very much.

[Phillips55]

A meibography is a good diagnostic tool for lipid problems. Warm compresses can help greatly but in my case I needed meibomian gland probing which really, really helped. It's a controversial procedure but in my case thankfully it worked. It is an invasive procedure so I would exhaust all other options first. Fish oil and flax oil as far as supplementals go for me, among other things. I also noticed a huge increase in lipid flow after a few weeks of nightly Cliridex on the lids. Finally I'm on a low lose of minocycline. I don't know how much that is helping but I keep getting progressively better and don't really want to rock the boat. Good Luck!

[Minni]

I also have a hot tub. I go in it every day anyways because I have fibromyalgia and am always freezing cold. It's nice to sit in it and let my moisturize in the steam. It's kind of a pain to take my scleral and other regular contact out to do it though (you are not SUPPOSED to take a bath or shower with any kind of lens in because you can get bacteria or deposits or I suppose chemicals on the lens from the water). If you find you get relief from baths, then I definitely recommend a hot tub. It's a HUGE difference to be able to go into a perfectly heated hot tub any time without having to run water to fill a tub. And if you have an indoor one, then bonus your house gets a little extra humidity. The downside is you have to be careful not to foster mold growth with too much humidity.

I keep a space heater in our bedroom and figured out a couple days ago that if I put a bowl of water in front of it, I get a nice wave of moisture blowing over me all night. More targeted than than the big humidifier I have in the living room.

I use G-Midifier instead of a bowl of water. Its great for small rooms if placed right near air.
...I also have FM, though I find that if I take hot baths right before bedtime, its similar to being on computer before bedtime. Meaning - I wake up with a headache and feel ravaged.
Solution: Before bedtime:
I add 10-14 drops mint-oil to the warm bath
That moistens me, circulates me, yet cranial area doesn't get so overheated as to trigger migraines and achiness next day.

Re: the comment about caffeine - if I don't take that in moderation (with creamer & sweetener added) then sometimes I'm at risk of headaches, unless I nip-in-the-bud a drink of MILD coffee.
Furthermore:
Coffee is great when my eyes are bloodshot, but not good for my heart & esophagitis.

Re: swim-goggles, I just bought clear aqua-sphere swim-goggles, which sometimes do get fogged up. Thus not truly anti-fog.

Re: Clirodax (or whatever) i wish I knew if its safe for ultra-sensitive eyelids & eyes, and where its available & if expensive. Any enlightening PMs appreciated.