Severe dry eyes

Hi guys. One thing that is still lingering is my eye problem. Last night my left eye was so bad it actually made me cry which I didn’t mind coz it helped haha.  It hurts and stings and looks smaller that the other. I’ve started reading about it but wondered if any one has any advice who suffers from this? I remember I posted ages ago about it but I know katz suggested eye drops which I use but maybe I’m not using them enough?

 

Thanks team x

Is it just the one eye? Has it been present all the time or does it come and go?

Hi Shayna,

 

As part of Graves', I have Thyroid Eye Disease also - a lot of the symptoms are the same as dry eye, I use Refresh Eye Drops as needed through the day and at night PolyVisc eye ointment (it is greasy and best before bed) plus the usual ice packs as needed.

 

Preservative Free eyedrops are recommended for "as needed" as preservatives can dry the eye out more and result in infection.

https://www.healthline.com/health/preservative-free-eye-drops

 

refresh eye drops

https://www.superpharmacy.com.au/products/refresh-plus-eye-drop-04ml-30-vials?msclkid=ebc2adb9b0ce13417c3bcf1d971408d6&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=DC.ORetailSmartShopping01_All%20First%20Categories_AUD&utm_term=4578160307618722&utm_content=Ad%20Group

 

polyvisc eye ointment

https://www.superpharmacy.com.au/search?prod_products%5Bquery%5D=polyvisc

 

 

Is it just the one eye? Has it been present all the time or does it come and go?

 

Hey Crono. It’s just mainly one eye, I think the damage was mostly due to amitriptiline I believe may have caused some damage. Ever since I’ve had trouble with my eyes but mainly the left and it’s fairly constant, but some days are worse that others.

Hi Shayna,

 

As part of Graves', I have Thyroid Eye Disease also - a lot of the symptoms are the same as dry eye, I use Refresh Eye Drops as needed through the day and at night PolyVisc eye ointment (it is greasy and best before bed) plus the usual ice packs as needed.

 

Preservative Free eyedrops are recommended for "as needed" as preservatives can dry the eye out more and result in infection.

https://www.healthline.com/health/preservative-free-eye-drops

 

refresh eye drops

https://www.superpharmacy.com.au/products/refresh-plus-eye-drop-04ml-30-vials?msclkid=ebc2adb9b0ce13417c3bcf1d971408d6&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=DC.ORetailSmartShopping01_All%20First%20Categories_AUD&utm_term=4578160307618722&utm_content=Ad%20Group

 

polyvisc eye ointment

https://www.superpharmacy.com.au/search?prod_products%5Bquery%5D=polyvisc

 

Thanks for ur advice honey x means a lot. I’m so sorry u experience this too. Awful.

 

That’s great advice tho Thanku. I’ll get those. I’ve been using the drops more regularly today and so far they’ve been a bit better. I read that using a humidifier when ur asleep helps too have u tried that?

 

I'm glad more drops seem to be helping 

 

I haven't tried a humidifier but I use a sleep mask at night for the same reason (& because one eye is retracted a little and doesn't close properly). Oh the joys 

Shay,

 

So good to hear from you. Just wish it was better news. But I'm sure that will clear up for you when you're completely healed. I don't have experience with it but I've read NAC can help. Sending you big hugs and warm love.

 

LiveLife

 

I'm glad more drops seem to be helping 

 

I haven't tried a humidifier but I use a sleep mask at night for the same reason (& because one eye is retracted a little and doesn't close properly). Oh the joys 

 

Wow I wonder if that’s my problem. It won’t close properly. Hmmm.

 

Ahhhhh geez don’t u miss when we had zero complaints. Those were the days haha

Shay,

 

So good to hear from you. Just wish it was better news. But I'm sure that will clear up for you when you're completely healed. I don't have experience with it but I've read NAC can help. Sending you big hugs and warm love.

 

LiveLife

 

Thanks honey x good advice I appreciate it. On my days off this week I’m going to do some research and maybe go visit an optometrist. I realise I probably need to go see an optomologist but that’s another mission I don’t feel like gearing up for just yet. I’ll look into nac x Thanku live honey x hugs

How are your allergies? Mine always get bad every May and June and I end up rubbing them a lot. I think that may be making my vision issues worse.

Hello, Shayna 78.

 

My optometrist recommended the following for dry eyes:

 

(1) ProOmega 650 EPA/450 DHA fish oil capsules from Nordic Naturals. Take two capsules with breakfast and two capsules with dinner for two months.  After two months, take two capsules per day with food.

 

(2) Bruder Moist-Heat-Eye Compress (see link below for more info). Daily, 10-15 minutes per treatment.

 

(3) Optase Intense Preservative Free Hydrating Eye Drops. Use 2-3 times daily.

 

(4) For individuals who put in a lot of screen time, follow the 20-20-20 rule.  For every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

 

Link:

Bruder Moist Heat Eye Compress

https://bruder.com/eye-care/dry-eye/bruder-mask/

Scroll down the page to view a video about dry eye disease and the technology behind the mask.

Shay,

 

I do think seeing a doctor is a great idea. Knowledge is power and there could be something the doctor could suggest to help. It could be something simple and very fixable. Although in this crazy process sometimes all you need is more time. I'm sure this is going to be completely cleared once you're healed. Hugs!

 

LiveLife

 

Wow I wonder if that’s my problem. It won’t close properly. Hmmm.

 

Ahhhhh geez don’t u miss when we had zero complaints. Those were the days haha

 

Sure do miss those days, hopefully we will get back to that, one day 

 

 

maybe go visit an optometrist.

 

That's probably a good idea, pretty sure they are all bulk billed and probably better than guessing 

 

Yeah, I’ll do that on my days off. I bought some preservative free eye drops and a little eye patch for my bad eye. It’s not very comfy but I wear it just off my eye and it keeps it closed enuf. I’ll see how this all goes. I guess I need a script for the ointment so I’ll get onto that too.

 

Thanks for those tips libertas! I’ll have a read from those links tonight.

 

Cramo I don’t have allergies so it probably isn’t that. Plus it doesn’t come and go it’s fairly constant. But good idea 👍🏼

 

Thanks buddies

Sounds like a plan 

 

No script needed for the ointment, it’s just sterile paraffin & wool fat (lanolin). Bit exxy $$ for the size of the tube but I use in both eyes and the tube last me a couple of weeks.

 

I hope you get some relief 🤗

Ok thanks Casper. I’ll give it a go. Appreciate ur help x

You are welcome 

For my dry eye friends here, please be sure to stay on top of the problem. Use the eye drops and gel and anything else that keeps the eyes moist.

 

If you have severe dry eyes, the lids can begin to stick to the eyeball lens and then make little scratches in the eyeball lens. This is what happened to me during taper.

 

The solution to this per my eye doc was stints in the corners of my eyes. That sounded scary but really was not. Unfortunately that did not work for me. Actually the stints fell out unnoticed at some point. They were supposed to channel the tears better.

 

When that did not work, I had "surgery." The eye doc took a knife and scraped the top cells off my eyeball. The idea here was that the scratches kept getting roughed up due to the dry eye sticking to my lids and doing a scrape would hopefully result in the whole area healing back over and with a better and more solid lens over my eyeball.

 

Apparently most people have this type of surgery and no problems. For me, the pain was right up there with childbirth, and I've never said that about any other injury or surgery. It may have been related to my bodies reaction to Xanax and the tapering, because Gabapentin (which I had never taken before) was the only thing that took the edge off. I suppose the pain was nerve pain. I used it for only seven days and then did a slow taper with the other seven days of the med and did not refill due to fear of addiction to it.

 

The surgery did help my eye. It is still dry and a bit smaller than the one that is not so involved, but it is not so dry that it wakes me up at night and needs constant attention.

 

I hope no one here reaches the point that I did and that this post may help to keep others on their toes with preventative measures. I still need to use eye drops a lot but I do so gladly in hopes that I never get scratched cornea and have to think about getting my eyeball scarped again.

Mine give me a bad headache