Darkening around eyes from Glaucoma drops

[Namechange341]

Please help! I am getting increasingly dark circles around my eyes from the drops I have to take for glaucoma. I am rubbish at makeup and concealers, foundations etc and they tend to sit badly or pill on my skin (dry, papery and very fine).

I look increasingly like Nosferatu - what can I use that will help? I have the InkeyList caffine eye cream, anything heavier causes puffiness, but I think I need something to lighten the area. It's not (just) aging - I look increasingly grim.

If they're sore I would ask your GP to push for a quicker followup. Or does your hospital have a nurse led eye clinic helpline you can call? You shouldn't persever in silence if they're uncomfortable. At follow-up I'd ask about SLT as if successful you might not need drops.

Moorfields are the best I’m guessing. Ask for help-forte drops they are preservative free lubricating eye drops.

halo-forte

sorry typo

Sorry just seen you're at Moorfields. Call the nurse-led helpline and tell them your glaucoma drops are causing discomfort and they can get your follow-up brought forward if needed. Please don't persevere with them if they are causing discomfort. That needs assessing.

I use Monopost and I don't get this. Lucky, because I only use it in one eye!

You could maybe ask to move to Tiopex instead, it's a steroid and worked well for me for years.

@Namechange341- yeah, I just use CharlTilb on top of usual skincare - it's very light - I started using it as Sali Hughes recommended it as an under eye/concealer that men use (...) as it's a no-make-up type of make-up.

I tell myself that while I dislike the dark shadows, being able to see is an incredible gift - I had double cataract surgery and a stent for glaucoma in my left eye last year and it's absolutely life-changing. I do hope your issues resolve and you find something helpful. I'm grateful for the other recommendations in this thread!

Thanks all for all the insights and suggestions, it's helpful to talk about it.

It's interesting that everyone thinks that the drops shouldn't cause soreness or other issues. I thought it was just an inevitable side effect and discussed as such on glaucoma forums. I think I briefly was given Monopost by the chemist (though they seem not to be the same product) but that seemed actually worse, which I admit he was surprised at. I am so confused now. But I do also have blepheritis apparently, which the drops can make worse.

Appointment letters are meant to be going out this week (at your encouragement I did call again) so I guess it will be another 6 weeks till I see someone. There is an online emergency line for Moorfields, which is great, but I am not sure this counts as an emergency. Not sure about nurse-led phone line, but I will look again.

@Snapespeare totally agree about having and protecting your precious sight (believe me after a year or two of ops and procedures after a scare, I am very thankful), but I find it oddly difficult to believe that the drops are really doing anything and they have caught it so early I am having to use the bloody things and have the discomfort for 20 years longer than everybody else!

@WineBeforeWhine so I have Hycosan Extra drops, which are preservative free (as advised) but the Latanaprost is not preservative free - make it make sense!

@Shutuptrevor yes, I was advised to put them in a night before going to sleep, which I do. I was using weleda skin food as a barrier, but I think it's too thick and makes my eyes puffy. Also I am not sure whether it's staining that causes darkening or as suggested up-thread by @Allisnotlost1 that it is to do with fat lost.

I never thought I would be so vain, but this rapid-onset aging effect is just depressing. I have never wanted an operation so much!!

I’ve been told the Monopost drops and glaucoma itself, may cause redness and dryness, hence the lubricant drops.

Soreness and red eyes are listed as common side effects of Monopost and also stated as the reason they are used at night.

I am the same age as you and diagnosed with glaucoma last year. Not on the same drops, I was on Latanoprost which didn't work and now on Timolol. It's a bit of a shock to the system and I can sympathise regarding aging and how you look. I am obviously glad that the glaucoma was noticed at a routine eye appointment but am filled with dread at the prospect of eye drops (along with appointments, side effects etc) for the rest of my life! The eye consultant I see keeps making comments about how I am young and need to get this sorted out as I could potentially live a long time with this condition. I definitely feel as if I am one of the younger patients when go for my appointments! Watching with interest for anything that helps to look a bit better!

@carkerpartridge - it's exactly that, having another thing to manage - forever! It may be that I am just struggling with aging generally and it's been a tough couple of years health wise, but sheesh.

Is the Timolol better? Someone mentioned up-thread I think?

The magic make up tips to totally solve this are not coming in the volume I hoped for, and those that are are £££! I sounds so shallow.

I have just bought this Eucerin Anti-Pigment Dark Circle Illuminating Eye Care for the same problem.

Mine isn't that bad and my lashes are lovely. Just researched and this came out as the best recommendation for the problem

Timolol in Tiopex was side effect free for me. I was swapped to Monopost because it appeared to become less effective but my eye pressure is exactly the same on Monopost, so it's just my eye getting worse.

I get a very scratchy eye in the middle of the night from Monopost, I sometimes can't open it.

Tiopex is taken in the morning, I had no issues with it at all.

I have monopost, trusopt, brimonodine and acular drops to keep my pressure down. I've had six eye surgeries. Cataracts removed. But I'm grateful for my sight. I use Elizabeth Arden flawless finish on my face including eyes. And a pale MAC eyeshadow on my eyelids.

Oh that looks interesting, thanks

@Imdunfer that is good to know. I will ask when I eventually get an appointment

@justasking111 I am only up to 4, but more to come. I am grateful, but also peeved it's so much hassle.

Pale eyeshadow (a cream one?) is a good call too.

No powder applied with sponge applicator.

I haven't had any problems so far with Timolol, it seemed to bring down my pressure quickly unlike Latanoprost which didn't have much effect at all. I have also just had laser treatment on one eye to try to get things under control. Latanoprost need to be kept in the fridge which was an extra thing to think about. It means that if you are away from home you need to have a plan about how to store it. I used a cold pouch that I got from the Glaucoma UK charity.

Hope you manage to get an appointment soon OP to see if there are better treatment options for you. In the meantime, have a look at colour correctors rather than just concealers. I really like the Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Stick. It does a great job of camouflaging my dark circles and it doesn’t settle into my fine lines either. It’s quite creamy and easy to blend

Monopost isn't kept in the fridge. It's one pipette a day of preservative free latanoprost.

I can't take the preservatives, they give me macular oedema.

I keep Monopost in the fridge so it’s cooler on the eye when I apply it.

If temp goes over a certain high then it needs refrigeration.

Refrigeration point is 25c, it would never go over that anywhere that I keep it.

On Christmas Day my mother in law asked me (loudly, in front of all her guests) if I had a black eye! I didn’t, but I am using these drops and experiencing all of the side effects. I have been having success with Maybelline instant anti age Eraser concealer. It’s like Touche Eclat with a sponge tip.

I use this Better™ All-Over Concealer + Eraser | Clinique www.clinique.co.uk/product/1596/76702/makeup/concealers/even-bettertm-all-over-concealer-eraser?_gl=11fbg6t2_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQiAy6vMBhDCARIsAK8rOgnCE8PC_Ez0wHrpi_5_WRgda86c33Gs7f_2ZkL1ZZf1fIXGgG31dr0aAi2KEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&shade=CN_52_Neutral Clinique concealer under eye and on my eyelids before applying eyeshadow to shift the redness and darkness. Pat it in, don't rub, or it comes off the area you want it on.