Dry Eyes - wierd vision

[calead]

This might sound odd but has anyone in peri menopause noticed their eyes being dry, blinking a lot and slightly weird distorted vision? This started earlier this summer - been on hrt for 2 years although low dose as doctor isn’t very up on hrt. Vision went a bit wierd like I’m slightly disconnected from the situation I’m in. Made me very anxious, huge panic attacks etc. long boring story but put on citalapram which gave me horrendous side effects.

Came off that. Had an appt with newson health and got all new hrt. Only on day 2 so can’t comment on that but did some reading as the vision thing was really scaring me abf read up on dry eye. Who knew? Bought some eye drops today and I swear I felt better at the office. I’m a secretary so type all day and my vision/disconnection was really very scary. Got dr appt next week to discuss it and take letter from newson health.

Would be so interested to hear if anyone else has suffered like this on top of all the usual symptoms!!

I was suffering from this today ! I’m 50 and not on any hrt .

I get this and have just started using eye drops. Then other times my eyes won’t stop watering. Started HRT a couple of months ago. Optician said nothing wrong with my eyes. I think they look droopier than they used to though

I wonder how much is brain fog combined with dry eyes. The distorted vision is terrifying although it just makes me feel slightly removed from the situation and I don't like talking to people close up!

Get an eye test. They'll be able to see if you've got dry eyes due to Dermodex mite infestation in the follicles or another cause of Blepharitis.

No point blaming perimenopause when there could be a treatable cause that affects millions of people of both sexes every year.

It can be age related. Taking an Omega 7 supplement and also collagen can help massively IME.

I had this in June , went to opticians and was told it was dry eyes , bought a eye heat pad and some drops and it went away

I had this in the summer and it was definitely worse in the heat. Optician did a full test and said it was dry eyes. The red Hycosan Extra drops help, plus the eye heat pad.

The Louise Newson podcast had an optician on talking about dry eyes a few weeks ago.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-dr-louise-newson-podcast/id1459614845?i=1000622223652

It was 25 July.

As pp get a sight test . Gp will tell you to do this.

I had this really badly earlier this year and the opticians asked if I had Covid recently as they're seeing these symptoms more and more as a direct result. I've had Covid many times before so rolled my eyes () not believing it to be the cause - but it did go away a few weeks after!

Oh my goodness yes! I'm 42 and on no medication, 3 opticians trips and no explanation. It's light sensitive too.

I've been to the opticians already!

Had bought the red eye drops and just waiting for them to be delivered. Using the normal boots eye drops for now.

What is the heat eye pad?

I have this one.

The Eye Doctor Essential – Hot & Cold Eye Compress Heat Bag Featuring Sterileyes for Dry Eye, Blepharitis and MGD - Safe to Heat in a Microwave amzn.eu/d/8IHEh3X

The relief is instant but it doesn't stay warm for very long. About 10 mins max.

Yes. My eyesight has been fluctuating. I've always been short sighted but my eyesight suddenly got noticeably worse. Got new glasses. Within 6 months, my eyesight had improved a bit and the glasses were too strong. It's really annoying!

WhereAreWeNow - can I ask if you were on HRT or not when your eyesight has been fluctuating? I’m on HRT and I’ve had a nightmare with my eyesight changing 3 times since May, and am beginning to think it’s the HRT?

Mine came on post covid and has persisted - a bit strange as feels like I've got shampoo in my eyes and eye drops make them burn too

Yes @Pandemonium1427 the wild fluctuations started when I went on HRT. I'm guessing there's a link but the optician didn't offer any possible explanations.

Thanks for that @WhereAreWeNow, that’s very interesting. I’m wondering whether to stop my HRT and see if it improves, as it’s not only expensive to keep getting new glasses but when my eyesight changes it causes headaches and eye strain. Blooming menopause!

It's a pain, isn't it @Pandemonium1427 ?
I reverted to using some old, weaker specs for a while. My contact lenses seem fine even though they're a whole diopter weaker than current prescription 🤷
I'm back to wearing the newest specs.
Maybe give it some time to settle before coming off HRT. It's possible it's an age/peri thing rather than an HRT thing.

Thanks @WhereAreWeNow , yeah it’s a real pain. I’ll probably hang fire with stopping the HRT to see if it settles.

@Pandemonium1427 and @WhereAreWeNow am having same issues!

am a v long term contacts wearer. I changed to multi focal contacts earlier in year before starting HRT and vision was 100%

2 weeks into HRT in April and the prescription seemed ‘off’ I’ve been back to opticians 3 times, nothing wrong with my eyes tho, and now on my third change of lenses / brand

i am noticing my sight changes through the month, and am now trying to track if it’s linked to the oestrogen or progesterone part of my continuous HRT

im currently back on glasses (which I only wear for emergencies usually) as vision in the contact lenses is too all over the place

Optician said it’s not something she’s heard of, but sight does change with hormone changes, making me wonder if HRT is kicking it’s arse

My eyes have been abit odd over the summer. Have ended up being more comfortable taking my glasses off for reading even though the prescription is fine. Not on hrt

Google Sjögren’s syndrome. Very common in older women and usually comes on during menopause. Oestrogen deficiency (menopause) makes the symptoms worse.

@LittleMy77 - sorry this is happening to you too, but it makes me feel I’m not going crazy as it’s happened to you and @WhereAreWeNow! I’ve been shortsighted since my teens and never had an issue with fluctuating prescriptions until now. I’ve worn varificals for around 8 years with no problem at all, and a few months after starting HRT am suddenly having problems. My prescription improved at my 2 yearly check in May so got new weaker glasses, then I got headaches and eye strain and couldn’t see as well, so got re-checked in August and was told the prescription had got worse again, so needed new stronger lenses. However, these gave me headaches straight away and felt as if they were too strong and I struggled to see the computer at work so gave it 2 weeks and went back again, only to be told my eyes had improved again 🤷🏻‍♀️! I’ve currently just picked up my 3rd new pair and fingers crossed they seem ok. It’s such a pain as it takes 10 days for them to make the lenses so have to struggle with headaches and strange vision each time. I’m pretty sure the HRT is to blame (I’m on Conti patches) so just hope it’s a blip and it settles down. Hope yours settles too.

Absolutely. Affects both me and my sister (both menopausal). Get the optician to recommend eyedrops - I am using Hycosan Extra, my sister was recommended Hydromel but that isn't available in most shops. Both seem as effective as each other to me. We were both told the nrmal eye drops wouldn't be up to it for us. The optician tested my tears - it turns out the reason my eyes had been watering is that the tears are dispersing too quickly, so my eyes keen producing more. I find my vision goes blurry esp in the evenings if I don't use the drops; my sister finds it worse in the morning. The doctor also mentinoed Sjogren's so I'm waiting for the blood test for that.