Anyone else have this?

[shells]

Hi everyone,

I know how much our comfort fluctuates with dry eye, but does anyone have spells when their eyes are just COMPLETELY dry and then all of a sudden snap back into producing tears again. I had a bought with inflammation starting back in December and steriods didn't seem to kick in a quickly as they usually do. My right eye is feeling a bit better, but my left eye (usually my bad eye) is still bone dry (schirmers = 0mm at my appt. last week). It is strange, because the pain and inflammation in that eye has subsided a bit (still on steriods 2x a day), but my eye remains completely dry. I can tell because my vision is not clear, and when I put thicker drop in they never "mix" in with my tears like they normally would, instead they take forever to clear. My eyelid is just dragging across my eye every time I blink. Does anyone else have these week long spells when their lacrimal glands just go completely dormant, but then you eventually got back to having some tears? I'm not sure I've experienced a drought quite like this even in 2 and a half years of struggling with dry eye. Not that I've ever had tons of tears, but even a little bit goes a long way. I guess I'm just really bummed about this and confused as to what changed and why. I know it's really dry around here right now, but even with my humidifier full blast in my house, it does not seem to make a difference. If anyone has an encouraging stories, please let me know, as I really seem to be struggling with this setback. Thanks guys.

-Shells

[dianat]

Shells,

I'm sorry to know you are still experience this bad bout. I was thinking of sending you a message to ask how things were. I do not have the answers you seek, but hope someone does. There's so much mystery with dry eye.

Best of luck.

Diana

[Rojzen]

yes

Shells . . .I have indeed gone through stretches of severe dryness in one eye, barring even the normal opening and closing of the lid. . only to regain moisture spontaneously later. . .The severe dry stretches have not exceeded a few days, but they seem long enough to suggest, for me, that moisture levels are very dynamic. . .

I think if you factor in that it is not only lacrimal gland function that affects the dry sensation, but also the condition of your eye surface, on several levels, you may be able to become convinced that moisture is likely to return. . .Eye surface condition fluctuates WILDLY from day to day and week to week. . .Goblet cells, mucin cells, basement membrane, you name it: All these ebb and flow for a thousand reasons, possibly even moreso than does the function of a lacrimal gland. . .A propos, do you notice anything about your eye surface that seems to be going along with the dry spell (apart from the vision blurring)? Is there more burning? more grittiness? more redness? etc. . .If there is some correlation of dryness with other symptoms, maybe a solution will seem closer at hand. . .

[nanship]

shells,

it is easy to get dehydrated and I have read that that can affect dry eye . I am sorry you are having a rough time and hope it gets better soon nanship

[YGB]

Shells - my recommendation is to give Nature's Tears a good try. I don't view this as a long-term solution (i.e. more than 3 months on and off). However, I view this as a potentially very good short-term solution that can help get your dry, dry, dry eye spell kick-started towards improvement.

I speak from experience on this even though I know all of us are different. However, you and I have a few dry eye things in common. First, our dry eye is at least in large part LASIK induced and second, I have run into the eye faucets turning on and seemingly permanently off for several days for no apparent reason.

What I did was when my dry eye got so dry that it felt that there were no tears in my eyes is I used Nature's Tears very often. When I say often, I mean that I went through a can about every two days (that's a good amount of sprays to the eyes). The thing that is unique about Nature's Tears is that it goes into your eyes as a mist, not in a drop form. Therefore, it does not potentially confuse your already compromised tear production process since the mist drops are so small. What I THINK it may do (although I can only speak from what I think may have helped me) is that the mist wetness in the eyes may get the poor tear production kick-started to work better.

Just to reiterate, I don't view Nature's Tears as a long-term solution. What I mean is that it doesn't last in your eyes very long and that's why frequent spraying is needed. However, when you are at a really low point in tear production as you are now, spray the mist into your eyes frequently.

A three pack of Nature's Mist costs about $20 on the Nature's Mist website and even with frequent spraying, it will get you through a week. By then, you may be better off either because of time or because of the mist or both. At that point, you can ease up or stop the Nature's Mist spray. You can use this mist as often as you need to because a) it is made out of pH balanced sterile water and b) it sprays in your eye in a mist form so it's not like your putting drops in your eyes every 2-5 minutes or so.

I view it as a very low risk / potentially high reward trial for you. There is little downside to using Nature's Mist, aside from short-term cost, and it may help you get better. I'm pretty sure it helped me and if it didn't help me get to the end result, it definitely helped me feel better in the interim when I was frequently spraying my bone dry eyes and at least getting some periods of relief in the interim.

Now enough about dry eyes ... who do you like in the Super Bowl?

Matt

P.S. I have no financial interest in Nature's Tears. I'm just a LASIK dry eye victim in search of answers that even "qualified" MD's cannot seem to provide.

[Lucy]

YGB-do you think Nature's Tears are available in stores? I looked the other day in Walmart and also Meijers (mid-west chain) to no avail. I had a can/bottle of those (or something similar) years ago and might go onsite and have a look at ordering them. Thanks, Lucy

[YGB]

Hi Lucy - I have seen them in at least some of my local drug stores like CVS and Rite Aid. I also looked at Walmart and didn't find it sold there.

CVS is selling it for $13.99 for a 2 pack.

[Lucy]

Thanks, I'll check at CVS. We even have those here in the sticks!
Lucy

[NYer]

My experience with Nature's Tears is that 90% of it gets your face wet and the remainder slightly dampens your eyes. Judging by the ealier post that said "I went through a can every two days", it sounds to me like that was that person's results, too.
The instructions say to hold the can 15 inches from your face when you spray. It does not pinpoint spray into your eyes...it sprays all over your face.
I found it completely useless and I returned the second can to the store for a refund.
If you have Dry Face (as opposed to Dry Eyes), this might be what you need!

[stella]

Are "natures tears "the same as "tears again" which is identical to "claramist" that we get in UK?
I use claramist all the time and find it v good
It is described as a" liposamal spray that contains Vits A and E "
I had the same problem as you NYer about it being all over your face - at first
I got around that problem by spraying a couple of times on each closed eye, v near the eye - like a couple of inches off - in short bursts , then wiping it over the eye area with a clean finger - It is soothing and moisturizing to the lid and presumably migrates into the eye
Tony seems to work for the makers of claramist ,and i sent him a pm concerning my method of use and he said that was fine

[Rebecca Petris]

Are "natures tears "the same as "tears again" which is identical to "claramist" that we get in UK?

No. "Nature's tears" is simply water.

[shells]

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for all of your replies! I've been really down lately about my eyes, so thanks for helping cheer me up. Thanks for the ideas too. I'm feeling a bit better today, and am in much better spirits. I had a doctors appt. this morning with a new doc and it was really great. He spent an hour and fifteen minutes with me! I will post more on that when I have more time.

Nanship - yes, good tip. I've been drinking water lately like its my job, and I'm gonna try to continue, so I will atleast be able to rule out dehydration.

Rojzen - Based on a doctors appt. last week, I thought my eye surface was in good shape. However, the doc this morning found staining in the lower part of my right eye and staining all over my left eye. He said it was 1+ on a scale of 4, so not terrible but certainly enough that I could be feeling it. I will post more later on the doc, and send you a pm since he is only 10 minutes from you!

YGB - I have never tried the Nature's mist spray, but maybe I will. I know that not all things work for all of us, but I've never tried that yet, so it is definitely worth giving it a shot. Lucy - I have seen it in CVS.

Now enough about dry eyes ... who do you like in the Super Bowl?

I was really hoping for Green Bay (gotta love Brett Favre), but oh well . Now I have to say the Giants. I'm an Eagles fan and have not recovered from the superbowl loss three years ago, so I simply cannot support the Patriots.

Thanks again everyone,
Shells

[Lucy]

No. "Nature's tears" is simply water.

Uh, thanks. I ain't payin' for plain water. I bought a small plastic mister and will use saline to squirt myself in the eye if that's the thing.

Is it Tears Again that I want? I have saline and also distilled water here and will not pay for water to squirt myself with. I used the other one a long, long time ago and would like to try again. I just have to get it right.
Lucy

[Rebecca Petris]

Do you mean the Tears Again liposome spray thing? That's available on the Ocusoft website. Not sure if it's in stores. Tony says it's not the same as Clarymist (and not as good) and frankly I'd take his word for it.

[stella]

You can get clarymist internationally on mail order
www.discountvitaminsandherbs.com
It's usually the other way round - We from UK are sending to US - It is of course more expensive for you at the moment with the exchange rate