Why did my eyes dramatically improve while in hospital?

[bostoneye]

During a recent 5-day stay in the hospital, my severe MGD dry eyes symptoms virtually disappeared. I've been out for several days, and the symptoms are mostly back though not as severe as usual. The relief was amazing -- but probably not a practical treatment for dry eye! -- and I'm trying to understand what this is telling me.
No doubt the controlled climate and pollution-free environment accounted for some of it. But most likely the biggest factor was that I slept a lot and even when awake I wasn't reading or watching TV, so my eyes were closed much more than usual, preventing evaporation. This could be a great reminder to blink more, but I'm not going the goggles route.
I'd love to know if anyone else has had this experience!!!!

thanks
Richard

[grant555]

were you on any medications that could have helped as well?

[bostoneye]

Good question - but I doubt it. I didn't get much in the way of medications. I was in the hospital because of a viral infection that scrambled my electrolytes and my sodium level was way low. I was on a fluid-restricted regimen that allowed my sodium to rise slowly. And as I recall, they gave me my normal medications, so it wasn't anything I stopped taking.

[indrep]

IVs of fluids helps hydrate the body and I would guess that played a role.

[LaDiva]

I've noticed the same thing, and figured it was about no computer, no TV, no food, no stress. My eyes were great after the last two surgeries, but once I started eating again and working on the computer, POOF! I also wondered about clean air in the hospital. Indrep has a good point.

[bostoneye]

Actually, I was not getting IV fluids, and in fact my fluid intake was restricted in order to allow my sodium levels to rise without being diluted.

[bostoneye]

My ophthalmologist agrees with you! to update: My eyes were fine while in the hospital for 5 days....then I was on vacation for a week on Cape Cod, relaxing, fresh air, etc, and they were mostly fine. I've been back home and back at work for three days (I'm a writer and on the computer most of the day) and eyes are still mostly OK, though a little worse.
I went to see Dr. Hamrah in Boston - he just switched from Mass Eye and Ear to the New England Eye Center at Tufts. He did all the tests and I told him my story. He thinks I was so much better in the hospital many because of not working on the computer, and also low stress (if you count feeling miserable as low stress) and possibly some environmental contamination.
He saw the usual evidence of evaporative dry eye- my TBUT is really short - but no signs of allergies. He said my glands - probed in January -- were mostly still open, and he didn't see a need for reprobing at this time. Oh, and while I was on vacation I started using a vial of Azasite that had been in my fridge for awhile, unopened. It didn't seem to help much before, but I thought I'd try it again and see it might help keep my eyes less inflamed now that they have been feeling good.
So, bottom line, I guess all I can do is try to take breaks from the computer and do the blinking exercises.
Thanks everyone for replying.

[LaDiva]

Happy that Tufts concurs with my diagnosis and hope you are feeling better! (Lucy always said "that will be 5 cents, please.") Do you feel that probing has helped your eyes?

[bostoneye]

La Diva -- Probing undoubtedly has helped my eyes overall. Yet I've had some rough patches where I thought my glands must be plugged up again, but the doc says they aren't. He says there's always a trigger when the eyes get worse, but I can't identify them. I'm very glad I got probed and --despite the pain and the cost -- would do it again.