Does this happen to anyone?

[odydnas]

About 2-3 times a week, out of nowhere, my eyes would start to sting a little on the inner corner or the top of my eye. Then, it would get worse until I cannot open my eyes and tears are streaming down my face and I'm practically crying. Then I have to wash out my eye for the stinging to go away (or wait it out if I don't have access to a sink). This all lasts about 5 minutes. I liken it to the feeling of suddenly getting sunscreen in your eye and you just HAVE to wash it out. During the summer, I thought it was sunscreen mixing in w/ oils and make up around my eyes or something like that. But it still happens in the winter, with no sunscreen, lotion, contacts, or makeup on.

Does this happen to anyone?? Why do you think this is happening?

One doc said it was allergies, but its so sudden and goes away suddenly when my location and activity doesn't change, that I do not think it's allergies.

[liz56]

If you find out what it is, let me know.

This sounds so familiar, though it has happened to me only once. About three weeks before I had my first corneal erosion, I was getting a massage. (It was only my second one, and it had been years since I had the first.) As I was there, my sinuses felt clogged, but I did not think anything of it. Then, when I was on my way out, my eyes started tearing and tearing and burning so badly that I could hardly keep them open. The drive home was painful, and I was alternating opening and closing my eyes because of the severe tearing and burning; I thought that I would have to pull over and probably should not have continued driving. I told my second ophthalmologist about it, and he said it was probably an allergic reaction to something, too, but it felt so weird that I have since been concerned that it is an indication of some systemic problem, but what that problem is eludes me entirely. It has not happened again, so maybe there was just something there and it was an allergic reaction to it.

[dryeyes2]

I think it is allergies

Yes, I have had this once or twice before. It was as my eyes were getting drier, but not at the point they are now. It happened in the summer I believe when I was driving and I had to pull off the road. I attribute it to allergies.

Best wishes,
dryeyes2

[calli66]

I had this really bad in the fall---right after I got upper plugs put in (in addition to the lowers). I was still using Restasis at the time, which may have caused it. But the main thing I was doing was staining and finishing some new doors and windows in my house---using oil-based stains and urethane. I had the doors open and fans blowing the fumes outside, and wore a respirator.

I have done this sort of work before with no problem, so at first I didn't make the connection that I was allergic to the fumes. Some years ago when I was doing refinishing for a remodeling job the fumes didn't bother me; I didn't have dry eyes that bad then.

My eyes would tear up profusely, and burn LIKE FIRE, and it just kept going for hours. Nothing I could do---rinsing with saline, compresses---nothing helped. Had to use frozen packs for pain.

So for me, I think it's a definite allergic reaction, and the quicker you can wash out the irritant or get away from the contact substance, the sooner it goes away. I think I was having a "double reaction"---I know now that I am allergic to Restasis (I've quit it entirely), and having the volatile fume exposure added to that. In addition, all my ducts were plugged, so my eyes couldn't get rid of the irritants. (I got uppers removed because of this).

There are just SO many pollutants/irritants of unknown origin in our environment. In any building there is residue from cleaning products, waxes, pesticides, perfumes, etc. Outdoors, there are fine particulates from exhaust, chemicals from factory smokestacks, etc. Sensitive, dry eyes react to all these things more dramatically.

Calli

[Maenad1]

That's happened to me a few times...

One time it happened while I was at a busy mall, doing Christmas shopping. I was looking this way and that, and my eyes started to feel very sore, my vision got blurry and I soon had tears streaming down my cheeks, even though my eyes still felt dry, and were extremely bloodshot, with swollen corneas. It reminded me of a time I had tried to cut an onion and wound up crying into the sink with uncontrollably watering, burning eyes.

My eyes are better now than they were in December, so I wonder if some time and healing have helped; I haven't had an eye-watering episode like that since.

I wonder if what you're experiencing is a simple reaction to eyestrain or environment, and not related to an allergy.

[Jade9923]

This used to happen to me all the time in the beginning. The burning came from the debris on my eyelashes. Once I started to do lid scrubs with baby shampoo...make sure you actually have a lather going...it totally went away. I have to do the baby shampoo scrubs about 3-4 times a day to prevent the burning. My doctor explained it like this...because the oily layer and the water layer of my tears were not working 100 percent, the musin layer (sticky stuff) overcompensates and produces an overabundance which collects on my eyelashes. Give it a try. I always say, your eyelashes have to be as clean as the hair on your head. The burning symptom is a classic sign.

[NYer]

Jade, that was very helpful. Have you ever tried Occusoft? Do you find that the shampoo works better?

[odydnas]

Thanks everyone! Jade, that was helpful. I'll try that and see if frequent scrubs help. Sometimes I get scared of driving in case an episode comes up and I cannot keep my eyes open to safely pull over. Also, I'm not the best driver to begin with. Haha.

[Jade9923]

Yes, I have tried Ocusoft lid cleaning pads. They are great and convenient but much to expensive as I have to do the scrubs about 3 - 4 times a day. I think there qare 30 in a box for 10 dollars. It would be over 30 dollars a month for me just for the pads. So I used baby shampoo and q tips. I pour baby shampoo into a 3 oz paper cup and then run hot water on high into the cup. It lathers nicely that way, then rinse.

I so remember the episodes in the car. I would almost not be able to see my eyes would be burning and tearing so much. It was hard to keep my eyes open they stung so bad. I really hope this helps you. When my eyelashes are full of debris, my tears don't flow very well until I clean them.

[Rebecca Petris]

Ocusoft pads add up fast. (Personally I don't care for them as whatever they're made of is a little rough on my lids, but they are popular.) But the ocusoft FOAM is quite cost-effective. A single travel-size bottle of it lasts me for months, using it every morning in the shower.

[NYer]

Yes, I found the gauze pads too abrasive, too. I just bought the foam. What do you find is the best way to use the foam? Do you just put it on your fingers and use your fingers to clean the lids/lashes or do you put it on a washcloth or cotton pad? I've tried all of the above and can't figure out if one way works better than another.

[Rebecca Petris]

What do you find is the best way to use the foam? Do you just put it on your fingers and use your fingers to clean the lids/lashes or do you put it on a washcloth or cotton pad?

Different things work for different people... But personally, here's what I do:

I keep the foam in the shower. I hold my face under the warm water flow for a bit and then I put some foam on my fingertips and gently massage it on the upper and lower lids. I'll also put a little bit of pressure on the lid margins if I feel like I need it. I use the original foam most of the time - I love how it makes my lids all slippery, it's more comfortable to me than any other product I've used on lids. Infrequently - maybe once every 2 weeks or so now - I use the Plus foam. It's not as nice feeling but as an antibacterial it just seems like a useful precaution and I just simply go with my intuition on when to use it or not.

[odydnas]

Can you actually see debris on your eyelashes? Can eyelashes feel and look debris-free, but still have debris?

I was told my 3 docs that eyelid cleaning is not necessary for me, but you know how knowledgeable some docs can be when it comes to dry eye esp. when they're busy shooing you out the door.

[Rebecca Petris]

Can you actually see debris on your eyelashes?

Me? No, except occasionally a little residue from drops. I do it as a preventive/maintenance, and to stimulate and express my MGs.

[NYer]

Originally Posted by odydnas
Can you actually see debris on your eyelashes?


I can't and I look very closely in a light-up magnifying glass, but Dr. Latkany said he saw stuff (like dandruff) in his giant super duper magnifier. So it's there even if you can't see it.