Headaches

[EllMitcho]

Hi All

When I have a bad eye day I normally end up with a headache towards the end of the day (around 5pm ish). It is at this point I just want to go to bed to end that day because my eyes are sore and my head hurts (unfortunately I have younglings so this isn't an option! )

Are the headaches common with others experience of dry eye symptoms?

EllMitcho

[bostonlover]

Hi, EllMitcho!

I can say that I definitely experience that. I think for me having fluctuations with the tear film causes differences in how well I see, thus causing eye strain. Also, I have 2 plugs in one eye and only 1 in the other (one of them fell out) and the difference in how many tears are in each eye really causes headaches sometimes. Probably the best solution for us is to give our eyes a rest by closing them for a minute or two throughout the day. If you could get just a 20 minute little nap when you get home in the evenings it would probably really help you.


Tera

[Guest]

bostonlover

There may be some merit in keeping the eyes closed to give them a rest.

At the height of my laser induced dryness, the DR suggested that I should try the 20/20 rule (I just thought he was fresh out of ideas).

Anyway he explained it as: cose your eyes for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. That means that you close them for 1 minute every hour.

He thought this would help particularly when using the computer.

I wasn't good at remembering to do it. He suggested an alarm clock to remind me, I just took it as yet another of their useless attempts to appease me but maybe there is some merit in it.

Ian

[Brighteyes]

RE: Headaches

EllMitcho,

I have also experienced recurring headaches since developing dry eye.

My GP thought it was a side effect from doxycycline (100mg 2x/day), which I was on at the time I was experiencing the headaches.

Also, there is also some evidence suggests a link between rosacea and migraine headaches. Rosacea is a known contributor to dry eye.

Finally, common sense has led me to believe there may be a connection between dry eye and general body dryness/dehydration (e.g., inability to produce/retain water), although I haven't found anything linking the two. I only mention this because dehydration is a known cause of headaches.