Young People with Dry Eye-support

[kimby2007]

Hello everyone:

I was wondering if the young ones on this board want to form sort of an email chain or such for support. I hope this is ok to ask?? Having dry eyes is extremely difficult and being young seems to hurt even more. I was feeling that an additional support system for us would help with our daily dry eye struggles. Maybe I am alone on this one but feel that talking helps me cope and push on. Let me know if you are. Best wishes, Kim

[locky]

young ones

Although a good idea which i share a understading being young myself ..i feel there should be no seperation we are all suffers in a physical way and all suffer from the mental affects of these truly horrible conditions...
That is my opion on this but others may feel different ....
I comend you on your idea will leave it to rebecca to open another section for young people

locky

[kimby2007]

Sorry

Sorry to offend anyone by placing an age restriction. Perhaps it wasn't the best conceived idea.

[shoebox]

It wasn't a bad idea -- but it is true that we can all benefit from input from anyone/everyone. Sometimes, the "younger" folks have different goals and/or are at different points in life than the "older" folks (not saying that changes the dry eye issue much) and there are differing points of view, and different interests.
I think possibly another distinction, were one to be made, would be "Newbies" and "Veterans" regarding diagnosis and/or symptoms. It is a certainty that "Newbies" can learn a great deal from the "Veterans" (and maybe vice-versa too).
Anyway - not a bad idea, IMHO, but it is true that we're all here for a common purpose.
Take care, Kim. I hope you're finding some relief!

[eva b]

I'm sure no-one would get offended by your suggestion, Kim.

I agree with locky that we all share similar problems, both physically and emotionally, but there are some issues which are particularly age related.

For example, I'm very much in the senior category in this board, so have to accept that some of the things that go wrong with my body in general are due to age-related causes. It's a fact folks...bodies wear out! At the same time, maturity brings different advantages, if you can call it that. For example, I'm not in the least embarrassed about wearing goggles outside or whatever eyewear makes my life comfortable. I care not a jot if people think I look peculiar

In fact, it has always been my plan to be extremely eccentric when I get to be an old lady

when I was a lot younger, I think I would have found it excruciating to have to wear goggles or peculiar looking glasses, or have red eyes - or just in general look different to everyone else.

Fortunately, at my time of life, glamming myself to go out clubbing is no longer an issue

[Rebecca Petris]

I'm open to anything that can be a support to folks here. There are any number of natural "groupings" of people who have something in common where it might be helpful for them to be able to find each other more easily.... from age-based to disease-based (e.g. RCEs, rosacea, etc) to geographical.

I don't know if you're referring to something DEZ-based or offline but one way you could try to connect with others in your age range or based on some other factor is by setting up a scheduled chat in our Dry Eye Chat room. Anyone can schedule a chat for a particular day/time on a particular topic. Post it in the open forum. If you want some privacy, you can lock the chatroom.

Another possibility is private forums. We can set up limited-access forums that active members can subscribe to. If somebody wants to do this at some point, let me know. It'll take a little more work but it's doable.

[Marina26]

How would you define young? I'm both young 29 and a newbie. While I feel alone experiencing this a such a young age, I think newbies can definitely benefit from veteran advice. The only separation I can suggest is Contact/lasik induced? Something to make it easier to find others who may have a similar situation.

[rhad]

I think it's a great idea, I am 20, I know it's pretty hard having dry eye, when no one around you seems to have it. They don't even know what "dry eye" is. I am sure that soon I am going to find a cure for mine. or find the cause of it.