Young Dry Eye Sufferers in Boston

[ace]

Just curious if there is anybody out there in the same situation as I am. It sucks having dry eye when you are young because it limits how much you can go out. I am 25 and live in Boston. I would be interested in chatting with people who are in a similar situation.

[Eli]

Hi Ace,
My name is Eli. I am 28 and live north of the city on the North Shore. I'm always interested in chatting with local folks about DES. Drop me a line sometime.

[Rojzen]

going out more

Hi, Ace - - I am an oldster (53), and not in New England, but I am distressed to think of you feeling limited in how often you can go out, during this wonderful time of your young life. . .If you've seen my other postings, you'll note that I am a crusader for mechanical solutions. . .specifically the moisture chamber spectacle. . .When I got sick with DES, 9+ years ago, I couldn't go out, drive, or really do anything for a long time. . .'till a wonderful doc at Women and Brigham at Harvard saw me and insisted that I get fitted for custom moisture chamber glasses. . .I had a pair made at Bascom Palmer hospital in Miami, and later got others from an optician in NY. . .I've posted photos of these in the Panoptx dept of our forum. . .They're discreet. .Even pretty. . .And the moment I put 'em on, my life changed forever. . .There is now almost NOTHING I can't do. . .I'm going to try bicycling soon. . Going out, even in a blizzard, is now fine, with the m.c. glasses on. . .If you have not considered these, please, please do, and get out there. . .Always stay out there, OK? The more active you remain, the faster you'll find the set of solutions that help you forget you have this affliction. . .Not to mention that many of us may actually be cured of it some day. . .and we must hang on and remain alert for that development. . .

[Eli]

I feel similarly to Ace in regards to leaving the house sometimes. I am very excited to hear that moisture chambers have helped you so much. With rosacea blepharitis, I feel that they could benefit me as well. I think the challenge will be finding someone to make them for me. I will ask my eye doctor for some reccomendations. Appreciate the inspiration! I find myself running out of it lately.
Eli

[cityhunter62]

Yeah, indeed, I'm 21 and my life changed drastically when I got this dry eyes thing. Just before this event, I loved life, I was fond of out partying until late in the morning with my friends, going to night clubs, going for rides by bicycles, etc... But now it seems that all these activities have to be given up, and I'm now avoiding them, preferring staying at home, having a nap or going to bed early... That really sucks, particularly when your friends do not understand you as they can't "see" your desease and you don't want to bother them explaining your problem.
Yop, dry eyes limit your activities and that's a shame when you'd like to enjoy your youngness as much as possible.
But more important than that, it is sometimes all your projects for the futurs which have to be cancelled, and that is very very sad.
I wanted to work in an international company, but now it seems that I cannot work in an office environement in front of a computer. And when you spent 5 years of your life studying business and management and you can't work in this field anymore, trust me, you really think that it is a f... unfair life.
Which job am I going to do now? pfff...
But well, hopefully perhaps this dry eye thing will release me just as it came, one day. Who knows?

[Eli]

I Can Relate

I know the feeling of having to give up future plans. Literally since I was born I have always wanted to fly airplanes. It was almost as though I sprang from the womb wearing a headset and a captain's hat. As a child, I walked around staring up at the sky trying to catch a glimpse of a jet as it streaked across the sky. I drew planes, I dreamed planes. I made my parents take me to airshows in the summer. I enlisted my skeptical friends in attempts to build them in my garage. For "Sky Week" in third grade, I built a hang glider in my attic, and once assembled at school, announced that I was going to jump off the roof and land in the playground. (The flight was cancelled by my homeroom teacher) In high school, the margins of my notebooks were cluttered with doodles of winged creations as my thoughts turned skyward while teachers droned on about home economics and history. I'm embarresed to admit that I even sometimes made engine sounds in the shower and bought a TOP GUN tee-shirt that intoned: "I Feel The Need...The Need for Speed!"
So, In my mid twenties when I had finally collected enough money for flight lessons, it was a no-brainer. I chose a flight school. I went for a medical exam. The doctor, with typical physician warmth, took one look at my form and asked: "How badly do you really want to fly?"
"Very," I said. "Why?"
"Well, because you can't" he said. "You take anti-depressants. Sorry. See the receptionist for billing on the way out."
And like that, a dream of twenty something years was snuffed out. Hmmm. So, then I spend two years in school for aviation maintenance. I figure at least this way I can still be around airplanes if not flying them outright. Apparently the FAA will grant you a license allowing you to take one apart and put it back together while taking anti-depressants, but fly one? Nice try, mister. So after two years working as a mechanic, ocular rosacea hits. My doc tells me that being around a lot of chemicals is only going to exacerbate my condition. So great, now I can't even work on planes. So, is life unfair? Hell yes it is. Those of you who have had your dreams de-railed by DES have my deepest sympathy.

[Judy]

All I can say is I FEEL SO BAD FOR ALL OF US. My dreams are not SMASHED necessarily, but my eyes are ABSOLUTELY BURNING LIKE A YOU KNOW WHATSKI right now and I'm at my 9 or more hours a day job in front of a computer doing customer support, etc..... Today I've used eye drops at least 10 times to no avail. Some days I do much better. We all need to revel in those days where things are better and keep praying for more and more solutions to this nasty disease. May God bless all of you for what you are feeling and going through...

[woodart]

Young Dry Eye

I had the problem in my teens(I am 60+)now. At least now there is more help for it. Back then I didn't even know what I had. Sure messes up ones social life, career and about anything else. Get out and see some good doctors first to see if anything will help. I know of 2 so far myself. One in Boston and the one I am seeing now in the North Shore area. Much as I like to trust doctors I have seen too many eye doctors that really have held me back. Not sure that is your case but seek all the help you can get it now while you are young in case you are lucky enough to be helped. And you will find many people who have no idea of what dry eye does to you. They just don't understand how bad it really is.

[TRiBaL]

OMG dude aim me please.... Im 21 now and i got dry eyes when i was 17, AND IT SUCKS BIG TIME...

aim me at xeroERROR

[Dryeye22]

I think everyone here in there 20's should get together and meet! It would be nice to acutally meet someone suffering with the same problem. We can all go out with our ice packs and drops

[TRiBaL]

HAHAH ya right dat would be so lame bro hahahaha. But in a way cool so...

[Eli]

Hey man, I'm game. I'm afraid I don't yet have an ice pack though, so you guys might have to hook me up.

[bassfan]

Im 25, been a software engineer (at computer all day) for close to three years now. I have both wrist tendonitis and DES now...if thats not a hint to find something else i dont know what is. I know how you guys feel worrying about the future. Heck, i have a masters in a degree Im not sure I can stay in.

I'm up for meeting as well...as long as its somewhere in the northeast. I cant do ice packs though, they destroy my eyes. I'll bring a heat pack instead...much better!

[Dryeye22]

Hey Bassfan,

I'm from the Albany area you are not too far away!! I also have college friends in syracuse and outside of syracuse (chittenango, westmoreland etc).

[cityhunter62]

Young people...

He he, I can see that there are quite a lot of young dry eye sufferers... I thought it was mainly old people that would be hit by this desease, but apparently not.
Well, I'll just say that it sure is very sad and very boring to get dry eyes so young, but well, that could be worse : there are lots and lots of problems and illness that are worse. At least, dry eye is not a threat for our life or even our vision, which is not necessarily the case with other deseases / illness...
By mum who works as nurse usually tells me that she sees people and children dying or struggling for life every week because of unfair illnesses. So she tells me that in comparison I've got almost nothing and I shouldn't complain.
That sucks, not to be understood even by your parents, but well, I guess she is right in a way...