How much of this is psychological?

[Smithy K]

I can relate to this.

I am having a couple of good weeks at the moment - although the weather here has turned quite cold - and the sun has disappeared, so no dry air.
For example I went to a keep fit class last night - I entered the gym and commented to my friend about the air feeling very dry on my eyes (air con was on) - but 30 secs after starting the class this was totally forgotten about.And then I reminded myself whilst walking to the car that I felt fine !!!!!! (normal!)...

Also whilst on holidays (Spain), each time I went swimming in the (Cold!) sea, the eyes felt normal - then when I was sitting back on the beach they felt dry again (I guess I had started to think about the eyes again)....maybe we need to be hypnotised !!!! Very Strange!

The longer I go on with this ailment, the less I have been thinking about it - I was over analysing it at the begining, now I am telling myself that I am most probably gonna have it till D Day, and I will have to manage my symptoms as best as possible. I know there are people who have far worse symptoms than myself. Yesterday I only had to use Viscotears twice - so I am one of the lucky ones.

Strange too, that each time Aunt Flow arrives, my eyes feel nearly normal - must be a hormonal problem for me I guess...I wish some one would tell me tho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Docs just look at me gone out.

Bye for now

[lboogie]

I just worry about a lifetime of this........what kind of havoc will it wreak on a life that was going so well before I decided to have lasik. I just want my old self back so badly. I just don't know what to do in the meantime.

[brd888]

However - driving home this afternoon, the burning and pain kicked in `big time'. I prayed that I would get back in one piece - which I did - but I haven't had a very productive afternoon at all.
I am not new to this condition -

Well you are not alone - that is exactly how I felt coming home today.. No burning pain just itchy scratchy discomfort - like my eyelids are gritty..

However, Irish, isnt your productivity affected my like any other pain? If you had a headache you'd be affected just the same. I think with dry eye the problem is you can't take a pain killer and it keeps coming back for more...

..

I agree that stress seems to make things worse with the eyes.

I don't wish this ailment on anyone, this is a horrible condition, and not knowing how to fix it, that is stressful in itself. it really tries your faith that things will get better, and you suffer for such a long time. being 20 year old male, and having Mgd/blepharitis for almost 4 years, i can tell you this sure is a trial....

rhad

[irish eyes]

This has to be a personal thing - ! The days that my eyes are not giving me grief, I am so productive and feel to be on `a high'. I can manage to read a bit more, I am not exhausted etc etc. Life is great.

However - driving home this afternoon, the burning and pain kicked in `big time'. I prayed that I would get back in one piece - which I did - but I haven't had a very productive afternoon at all.

I am not new to this condition - it has become very much part of a routine but it does make me so weary - despite all the strategies I try, it can still be a painful and fatiguing ailment.

[Marina26]

Mind Body connection

Maybe some of you might like to listen to these ideas. I find it interesting and plausible.

http://www.getapodcast.com/podcast6147.aspx?hi=body

[LasikLady]

Iboogie,

I really feel for you in your post. I know what you are going through. I feel I am pretty much at the point now where this is all getting routine. I went to a woman's retreat this weekend and I was in a big arena in the "nose bleed" section where the air conditioning was blowing the hair on my arms even! (No I'm not an excessively hairy woman! But that was how hard the vents were blasting) I popped on my panoptyx, the clear ones. Then it didn't bug my eyes at all. Later, at the restaurant my eyes were a bit drippy, I grabbed my tissue. Driving home last night I realized that I am doing so much better being used to all my coping techniques. They are now routine. I have been off work for the week and since my stress level has been down, my eyes aren't that big of a deal to me. Stress amplifies my symptoms for sure.
Mostly I am just plain old getting on with my life. I still have days that my eyes aren't so great and days they aren't bugging me much at all. I am especially happy that I am letting go of the constant worrying and regret. What is will be and I will cope. But it will be 2 years next month since my surgery. I think it takes time to get to a place of peace. As I posted before, I am a bit of an obsessive person so it probably has taken me longer than most to get here. As far as the future goes, I have taken the attitude that I will worry "when" something happens, not "if" something will happen. That has also freed me a lot. And chances are things will never be as bad as I could trump them up to be!!
Hang in there!

[lboogie]

This is hard for me. Worring about my ability to lead the life I imagine for myself. Will I ever be able to enjoy the outdoors again? Will I ever be able to be carefree and happy again? And for me-- will I ever be able to feel at ease with my lasik eyes and the future health of my eyes?

Becuase right now it feels like I've lost so much.........and I'm get so afraid of never getting it back.

[autumnn]

The pain is a really stressful part of this for me- for sure.

But, what is also stressful is figuring out how this happened and what to do to help. It is hard to constantly be wondering- what changed to make this awful condition arise? Is restasis hurting or helping? Do I need to get rid of my most loved friends (my dogs) because maybe they are causing an allergic response/this to be worse? Am I doing the scrubs right? Is this drop or that drop helping? Can I take anti depressants or sleeping pills or will that make things worse?

It is also so hard to constantly be wondering- will I ever be normal- get better? Will I have the things in life I want or will this always be an all encompassing problem?

[Marina26]

I also just posted a similar realization. I think stress plays a huge role in any physical discomfort. The sad part is that most of us are stressed b/c we are not feeling well; breaking the cycle is the hardest part.

[portrgirl]

I had just posted a response about trying to get my stress level down to another thread, and then I saw this thread. It seems to be a common assumption that stress can exacerbate or even cause dry eyes. At least amongst articles I've read. I believe this to be true, but how or why it is I'm not sure -- chemicals released when stressed, lack of deep breathing, less patience for annoyances?

[GinaJ]

In addition to this I have another chronic pain issue that is severe. Anyhow I went to a pain program that was 5 days a week. In addition to the pt for that there were groups about coping. The program was very big on not talking about the actual pain symptoms because it makes your brain focus on it more. I am always aware of my pain but when I can distract to a degree I do feel my mood and life is overall better. I can't take away the pain but I have had to learn to live with it so to speak.I have had to try to find different things I can do which is hard with bad legs and bad eyes.In addition I have many anxieties around my conditions. I think after suffering so long and a lot happened unknown for me I live in fear of more health issues that don't go away. My days in pain vary a lot though they are never good since I am unable to work etc this is from my other chronic issue. On the very bad days it is hard to take any mental focus off but on my "better" days I try to push to do as much as I can. Sorry I am a little off topic.

[LasikLady]

I took my daughter to the E.R. recently (she's fine) and they had a pain scale, you know, the one with the smiley faces all the way to the really crying face. On the 1-3 catagory (10 being severe pain) one of the descriptions under that area said "distractible." That is where I have always fallen with my eye pain except the first month or so after lasik. I think the more severe pain and it's probably harder to distract a person but for me I have spent the almost 2 years since surgery on the 1-3 scale. The problem was it was constant so it wore me down. But I could forget about it if I was into something else.
Now, I have some over tearing and the biggest problem for me with that is that you can't "forget" about your eyes when you need to blot at them often. I know for me the psychological aspect of this condition has been more painful than the physical. I am obsessive by nature and this has been an obstacle for me in coping. This is not to minimize the pain and suffering many people here go through. Just my own experience.

[lilahp]

wish I could get Synergeyes

Hi, there!

I went to a new and very nice eye doc last week, to specifically ask about Synergeyes. He said since they don't have samples, and my eyes are so dry, he couldn't recommend it (about $400 or so and not covered by my insurance).

If they'd work, I'd be fine with paying for them, but I have already spent so much on eyedrops, vitamins, herbals, prescriptions, etc.

So if you guys have any ideas on increasing tear film, I'd be glad to hear them! I take fish oil, do the scrubs, use dandruff shampoo, have an eye mask, use sunglasses, no ceiling fans, have doxycycline, avoid fluorescent lights, etc.

I've tried Restasis twice and every eyedrop on the market that I can find, and they either make me nervous, give me a headache, or do not work.

Psychologically speaking, though, I'm encouraged by you guys!

Thanks!

[rubyslippers]

Calli, I have very severe vision impairment. 20/1000+ in each eye plus a very severe case of astigmatism. I can see better with these new contacts than I ever could with RGP's and I don't get the halo effect either. I never could wear soft and get even safe vision to drive with them. The reason these are better for correction is that they don't move around as much.