The variability drives me mad!!

[EllMitcho]

Hi All


Good days, bad days, good weeks, bad weeks???? My symptoms are soo irratic and I can't figure out if anything contributes or if it is just random!

I was thinking of doing a very detailed daily dry eye diary to plot everything from computer use, diet, exercise, vitamins, drops, liquid intake, weather conditions to the colour of my socks

I am not convinced I will find anything that correlates but I guess it's worth a go. Of course I have had a couple of good days now so the impetus has gone!

Has anyone ever tried such a diary? Any comments / tips?

Cheers

El

[Terri]

I kept an eye diary while I was trying to figure out what worked and didn't. I thought it really helped. It was nothing fancy; I just started a Journal entry in Microsoft Outlook, listed the day, and described what I did or used that day. I still use it whenever I do something new or I reach a new level of progress.

[rubyslippers]

I did and figured out that PMS is a prominent factor for me.

[faithlies]

Ellmitcho -- I see you are in the UK, me too.

I found a major link was having the central heating on, particularly over night.

I always make sure it's switched off when I go to bed and I keep a window open in my bedroom.

I also found my onset of dry eye was linked with use of eye drops with preservative prescribed for conjunctivitis.

It took two months from discontinuing them for my eyes to become almost symptom free.

I only use preservative free drops (Refresh and Celluvisc) now, and usually it's only last thing at night when I feel my eyes need a bit of wetness when I take my contact lenses out, they are often a bit itchy then, but other than that no other symptoms (thank goodness!!!!)

Do keep a diary, you might find something quite obvious. Another possible link for me is anti-histamines.

[rubyslippers]

Falthlies, mine was also caused by 3 rounds of antibiotic drops for pink eye. I used them 3 times for a week each time over a 7 week period per doctor instructions. No one told me this was the risk. It has now been over 4 months and I am still struggling a lot most days.

[GeorgeT]

Hi EllMicho,

I see exactly no pattern in my dry eye too. I had 10 good days at most and then all came back in a few days.
I've kept records about 2 years ago for the frequency of using drops. When my dry eye started I used drops every 4hrs for 2 months, then every 3 hrs for another 2 months, then every 2 hrs for 2 months up to a point where I had to use drops every 30 min.
Then I started using doxy, compresses, 4 plugs etc....getting better.
Now I have more bad days than good days.

All best!!

George