lots of questions(dwelle,nutratear,tranquileyes, lid scrubs)

[strider1]

I've tried quite a few drops and right now I am using the allergan optive which I am liking but I feel the ones listed above are probably better. I liked theratears and refresh tears regular drops. I tried the gels of both and I am not sure how I feel about them...they feel as they are almost drying my eyes out in a wierd way lol. Systane drops were alright. I also tried soothe which I hated...irratated my eyes, didnt improve my eyes at all and just felt bad and, not good for me lol.

So I want to try some new tears and I was looking at those top tier artificial tears offered here at the site which are Dwelle, Nutratear, Dakrina. What are the differences between these and which one(s) should I get?

I am definitely going to buy some of the Tranquileyes as they seem like they will make quite a difference and also because I think I might have lagophthalmos. Have a question though. What is the cleanser used for? I noticed it came in the 2 more expensive packages but not in the first one.

Also on the lid scrubs. I don't really understand how they work. I mean how is it any different that just washing your face with warm water around the eyes? Isn't it all the same, or do the scrubs have stuff the penetrate deep within or something? Also, with the lid scrubs, do you just wash just your eyelid, or like your whole eye area?(like try and get the bottom part, as I think thats where your oil glands are actually located?)

Currently right now I am just using a warm washcloth but I am thinking about using a rice baggy. Are there instructions to make these?(I can't remember but I think I remember seeing a thread on how to make these)

Thank you alot, sorry for the many questions lol.

[liz56]

Hi, Strider1. I'm sure that there are lots of people who have more experience than I do on these matters, and Rebecca is a super resource. She posted helpful, personal, and anecdotal information, tips, and stories along with all of the product descriptions at the dry eye shop. I admit that I still re-read them when I am thinking about what my eyes need, because it is a lot of information to take in at once.

So, my advice is to think about what you need, what the cause of your dry eye is, and then to pore over posts on those products in the discussion board and in the descriptions in the shop.

My particular dry eye problem mostly comes from an irregular ocular surface, due to anterior basement membrane dystrophy. So, I prefer Dwelle over all of the other drops. During the day, I will use NutraTear, but Dwelle gives me longer-lasting relief. For my bland drops that I use, I like Tears Naturale II a lot. I'm also on Restasis by prescription.

So, consider what your specific problem(s) is (are) to choose the right drop. That is the biggest lesson that I learned from Dr. Holly. These drops address different causes of dry eye:

http://www.dry-eye-institute.org/vit...ml#Article%201

Dakrina has vitamin A in it. (It is basically Dwelle with vitamin A, if I understand correctly.) I have not tried it, but I bought samples for a friend who has sjogren's syndrome. She loves it. My mom, who does not have sjogren's, also loves it. Dwelle helps a thin and damaged epithelium (the outermost layer of the cornea) that fails to adhere properly to the next layer of the cornea. NutraTear has vitamin B12 in it, and most people, I understand, like to use it through the day. I use it a couple times a day, especially when I am working out, because running puts too much air across the eye at times.

Recently, I have felt that my cornea has healed sufficiently to use Tranquileyes goggles, and so I have been using them for about a week. The cleanser is for cleaning the removable pads (the ones that one moistens to insert before sleep). The first thing that I do in the mornings is to put in my drops, and the second is to clean those pads, so that they have all day long to dry out. Because they touch the eye, mildew and bacteria must not be present. I am so happy with the goggles. The whites of my eyes are clearer than they have been since my problems began, and my eyes feel better through the day. I am noticing a real improvement with the goggles, and I can't say enough good things about them.

I don't use the scrubs, and I stopped using the rice baggy unless I feel like I really need it. So, maybe another member can pick up here?

I hope that I helped a little. I'm relatively new to this, too, but I love talking about eye drops, because such a small thing has done so much to help me in the last six months.

Good luck finding what works for you!

--Liz

[Terri]

I'll follow Liz's reply with some additional info.

Here's a link to the page about warm compresses. At the bottom of the page, you'll see Cindy's rice baggy recipe.

I'll let someone else respond to your question about eyelid scrubs, since I don't routinely use them.

[strider1]

Ahh, thank you guys very much for your responses! As the problem with me, the doctors that I have been to have said that my oil glands were not working properly, I think maybe infected i forgot exactly. But yeah apparently they are not producing enough oil for my tears. I am currently doxycycline and I have been on that for at least 6 months now, but although I feel it helped in the beginning alot, I feel like its at a standstill now and is not making anymore improvements. I have been taking fish oil as well too and I think that is helping as well.

I just feel like the googles, rice baggies, better tears would definitely help improve my condition and I hope it does

And for the drops, I think I will just buy all 3 just because it won't hurt and then I can experiment with all of them. But which one should I start on based on my condition?

[brd888]

Currently right now I am just using a warm washcloth but I am thinking about using a rice baggy. Are there instructions to make these?(I can't remember but I think I remember seeing a thread on how to make these)

My method is to use an old sock, put a fistful of rice in it then tie a knot. Voila.
Your questions on drops are interesting. In my experience I've tried many drops and found they all have a limited effect. You can use drops to supplement the tears in a short term capacity but they dont address the cause of your dry eye. Like pain killers they all do the same job with various ingredients. I would not expect to find a magic drop which will cure your problem.

Regards.

[strider1]

I think I am just going to buy a rice baggy instead...it seems easier. Thanks for the feedback, anyone know the answers to the other questions?

Thanks.

[Rebecca Petris]

So I want to try some new tears and I was looking at those top tier artificial tears offered here at the site which are Dwelle, Nutratear, Dakrina. What are the differences between these and which one(s) should I get?

Think of Dwelle & Dakrina as the heavy artillery. Since you seem to prefer lighter weight drops I'd start with NutraTear. If it doesn't seem like enough, I'd move up to Dwelle/Dakrina.

Also on the lid scrubs. I don't really understand how they work. I mean how is it any different that just washing your face with warm water around the eyes? Isn't it all the same, or do the scrubs have stuff the penetrate deep within or something? Also, with the lid scrubs, do you just wash just your eyelid, or like your whole eye area?(like try and get the bottom part, as I think thats where your oil glands are actually located?)

I think you're asking both about method and what the products "do".

As regards what the products do, it depends on the product. There are two (Sterilid - made by the Theratears company - and Ocusoft's "Plus" formula) that have antibacterial properties. Those are formulated for people with active or acute blepharitis I think. Most others are just meant to do a good job cleansing debris, as opposed to killing bugs, in which case the differences amongst the various products (including Ocusoft's foam and pads or other brands like Novartis & so forth) are just about how well they work for you and how good they feel, or how they do or don't irritate your skin and/or eyes.

As regards method of cleansing... I think the key point is to get the lash area and lid margins clean and clear of debris. You do not clean UNDER the lids. But you can clean above and below the lash line without irritating your eyes if you're careful. The meibomian gland openings are located at the lid margins (upper and lower). When I used to do this with a Q-tip and saline, I wiped above & below the lashes very carefully. Now I just use my fingertips and Ocusoft foam in the shower. There's lots of different ways. You can check out Dr. Latkany's book - the chapter on home eye spa - for a good explanation & drawings.