Very dry eyes

[GlitterGlue]

Any recommendations for drops etc? Last few weeks I have very dry eyes and the drops I have (hycosan) are t helping much, especially not at night.

I was given some drops which you specifically used at night. I have seen them in Boots since, but I'm afraid I can't remember the blinking name. They sorted it, though.
Have you seen an optician or your GP, just to check there's nothing else causing it? Actually, the GP gave me some firstly, but the night drops were more efficient and stopped the dry eyes completely.
Have you had Lazik surgery?

No lasik. I've booked an opticians appointment for the weekend. Something just for night sounds good. I'll ask the optician.

Good to hear yours got better.

I am a contact lens wearer and I have been really suffering with this recently. My optician recommended Lacrilube Preservative Free for nighttime and it has been brilliant, I bought it from Tesco pharmacy (had to ask for it not on display) was about £6.50. He also recommended Preservative free Hylo Tears for daytime but I didn't find those so good and they were more expensive, as well as being awkward to administer, they probably did help a bit but the Lacrilube was great. Hope that helps.

I developed severe dry eyes very suddenly in September. I'm struggling with it and the Ophthalmologist thinks it is likely to be connected with an autoimmune disorder in my case.

Re. drops, though, have tried loads over the past months. There's a stronger version of hycosan (hycosan extra) with a higher percentage of hyaluronic acid and I find that quite good. Vismed gel is similar and also good.

I'm using thealoz duo gel at night and while it leaves my eyes quite gunky it's the best gel I've tried. My eyes don't seem to like ointments but they are often recommended for night - Vita pos and Xailin night ointment are popular ones.

My optometrist recommended Systane and Systane Ultra - I don't like those either but apparently they're helpful for lots of people.

Others that are a bit more viscose / more moisturising than average drops are Celluvisc 1% (my eyes like this but it leaves me with crusting) and Optive plus.

It's bloody expensive having to keep buying all these different things when you've no guarantee you'll get on with them.

The Ophthalmologist said I may need to try punctal plugs to stop the few tears I'm producing from escaping, but I'm not ready for that yet.

I get along nicely with Hycosan Forte - are you using the regular or strong version? If you can stretch, but a humidifier for your bedroom as it's unusually dry this winter which exacerbates things. It will help a lot.

I have an autoimmune condition called Sjogrens Syndome and produce no tears which is a classic symptom. If the optician doesn't think it's blepharitis, make sure you see your GP for autoimmune blood tests.

They'll be a reason why you're getting dry eyes. Sorting out the underlying reason will help the most.
Different drops are helpful depending on whether you have a lipid or aqueous deficiency.

Would an optician be able to tell the cause?

It's just occurred to me that I started using a different foundation around the time it started. Could that have had an impact?

Try viscotears on an evening. It's good but thick so blurrs your vision. You can use it 4 times a day if you can stand the blurr

I'll see what the optician says and take it from there. I have checked and they can refer to the eye clinic if necessary.

Thanks for the advice and recommendations.

Electronic - that's utter rubbish. Looking at the cornea on a slit lamp (which all opticians now possess) in conjunction with a thorough history and symptoms will determine the cause(s) of the dry eye in 99% of people.

A referral to an opthalmologist is only required if someone needs tetracylines for posterior blepharitis or immunosuppressant therapy. Eye departments are at absolute capacity at the moment, without people being there who don't need to be.

PS I'm an optometrist.

I found that taking an omega 7 supplement in the form of sea buckthorn berry oil helped my dry eyes A LOT, It might be worth looking into, also flaxeed oil is said to be helpful (eating a large spoonful each day) but I didn't find that it was as helpful as the omega 7
My optometrist wasn't aware that nutrition supports the body, so when I went back for my cornea slit lamp check with the orange dye, all was looking a lot better. He took the details to pass on to others, in case it's helpful. Not saying this is the case for everyone, obviously if there is an underlying condition then it might be different, but nutrition does support the body in so many ways, we often overlook it.

I too suffer from dry eyes. I am using Hypromelose at the moment, this is very good. I also like to use Optrex if they are especially dry, I find this very soothing.

Finally I have noticed drinking wine can make them a lot worse, just a thought.

I think eye drops are great to relieve dry eye irritation, but I suggest being careful about the preservatives in them, depending on how often and how long you use them for. If you rely on them and use them for months or even years you could cause damage to the surface cells on the eye. I'd say read up on it, I found a lot of information on, www.dryeyeclinics.co.uk/dry-eye-treatment/lubricants/ .
P.S I also find that warm compresses really ease irritation without the concern of preservatives. They also do a really good treatment that works like a warm compress but really massages the eye to get the natural oils working in your eye.

Hope that helps!

DH uses Vogel eye drops for dry eyes. Holland and Barrett, Vogel, Amazon (elsewhere, too, no doubt).www.avogel.co.uk/herbal-remedies/eye-drops/

Have recommended to colleagues who also find that they provide very good relief.

Thank you for the tip re compresses, Krina. Will pass onto DH.

Do you work for the eye clinic, Krina? Interesting first post.

Oh look, you do. www.dryeyeclinics.co.uk/ten-tasty-ways-fight-dry-eyes/?adcode=dm_email%2F&adcode=dm_email

My optician had no idea what caused my dry eyes.. just that I had them and recommended lacrilube, fish oil and lots of water.. he also thought I had corneal ulcer and sent me direct to a/e where I was told no such thing.. but I was referred to corneal clinic to work out the problem

I have dry eyes due an auto immune condition, my optician told me to take flakseed oil. I use capsules and it does help, but I need drops once hayfever season starts.