Dry eyes?

[Admodean]

When I wake up in the morning my eyes are so dry and sore. Everything is blurry and I can’t see, for at least an hour until my eyes lubricate themselves again.

I’ve seen my optician and my prescription hasn’t changed, the problem is due to dryness. He told me to go to my GP to discuss medical causes.

My GP just shrugged and said “probably age related”. I’m 45. She did some general blood tests and there’s nothing wrong. I also have heavy periods, vaginal dryness, muscle pain and occasional twitching. But she won’t give me HRT because my periods are regular and I’m not having hot flushes.

Is this menopause related? I can’t be going around blind for an hour every morning, I don’t have time.

As @username3678 has said you may have developed an autoimmune condition called Sjogren's (show grins) Disease. A rheumatologist can authorise the correct blood tests to confirm. There's no cure but you can at least then get the right eye drops to help. And be tested for other issues that may be happening.
Read up on it. Joint aches and other dryness can be issues. It affects everyone differently though.

Another vote for Hycosan here, it’s very good and not a big deal to put in a couple of times a day. You don’t need a prescription.

Another one to flag Sjorgrens, it does need a specific blood test to determine. GP seems clueless as you appear to have the symptoms. It should be monitored. Regrettably it's not curable so it's a condition you have to live with.

The University of Auckland have recently conducted a study using castor oil and it proved promising. I slather it on my eyelids at night and it’s been really helpful. My eye twitches have also reduced but I don’t know if it’s related to the castor oil. It’s also loads cheaper than an eye cream!!

Was just coming on to say I've seen castor oil recommended for dry eyes, massaged on your eyelids. Prob wouldn't hurt to try.

I would also check the NICE guidelines for menopause, as I thought at 45 they are supposed to prescribe based on symptoms. Not just hot flushes. My periods have actually become more regular, but as it's a change to what I had before it 'counts'. Also don't particularly have hot flushes! Do try another doctor if you can.

The red Hycosan cured mine. It was horrible, like having sand in your eyes. One of the first peri symptoms I had - used for a week or so, and now only need occasionally, if weathers very hot or been on a flight for example.

Did your optician not give you a prescription for eye drops and night ointment?
My eyes are very dry too. My optician gave me a prescription then contacted my GP to ask them to put it on repeat prescription.
Dry eyes can be agony.

Your GP and your Optician both sound awful and I'm quite shocked at how useless they both sound. After an episode of blepharitis the specsavers optician gave me lots of really good advice re massage, heat treatment, what drops to use etc. I then developed a dry mouth as well so the GP arranged for tests to rule out auto immune and turns out I did have Sjogrens. Your GP is also useless re the HRT. There's a huge percentage of women that never have hot flushes that take HRT for other symptoms. The GP us not following NICE guidelines. I'd get another GP.

Forgot to mention - the Auckland study @XiCi using castor oil was predominantly to look at whether it could treat and improve Blepharitis, which it did. Might be worth having it in your arsenal. x

Do you put the castor oil on your eyelashes or just lids?

Castor oil is soo gloopy and messy though. I used to put it on my eyelashes at night to see if it would make them grow but gave up due to the faff and mess.

Hmmm good point, I'll stick to my eyelid wash. Optase is excellent,you can get it on Amazon.

@Admodean My mum & I both have an eye condition called Fuch's Dystrophy and this is exactly how our eyes are first thing in the morning. It is extremely rare and many opticians won’t have any experience with it. However they will be able to see if something is wrong and therefore if you need referring to your local eye hospital

Also, Fuchs Dystrophy does begin to show symptoms until roughly peri-menopausal age so that fits as well. GPs know not very much about these kind of eye conditions. Best to see an expert