Dry Eyes - Sjorens

Hi Everyone,

Hope this posts finds everyone doing well. Just curious how many of you experience dry eyes? I have always had dry eyes, but let me tell you here of late they have been really bad, I have had the ducts caterized in the past to try and help, but that has not even been helping. Don't know if it is the cooler weather or what, but mine are just simply killing me.

I went to the opthomologist yesterday (again) and he started me on Restasis. I've seen the ads on tv, but know nothing more about it. Do any of you use it? I sure hope it brings some much needed relief. I can handle pain, but I'm telling you nothing is worse than eye pain. When my husband went to get the script filled for me the pharmacist also suggested I take Omega 3, says it helps considerably with dry eyes. So, I started that this morning too.

Anyway, hope everyone has a great weekend.

Melissa

Hi Melissa,

I always have dry eyes, I use an eye drop for it but as you said it does get very painful, sometimes I just lie with my eyes closed and a cold facecloth on them that helps to soothe them.

Hope you get some relief with the Restasis and Omega 3.

Take Care
Love and Hugs
xxxMaz

Hey Melissa,
I too suffer from dry eyes... the sjorens...as well. I have been on Restasis also. It takes a while but it does work for me, I have also developed a cataract because of the predisone. It seems when your eyes bother you feel bad all over. A nice cold compress seems to help too. I have also had the catrized tear ducts and that did nothing for me.. I will have to try the omega 3...
Does yours also have "sleep" in them as well? I found that if i wash my eyes with cold water when i first get up.. and not hot. it seems to help alot. No one seems to understand when your eyes hurt, its just as bad as the joint pain. I can tolerate the joint pain, but when the eyes hurt....they swell and then your nose goes to running.. Its always something. I also use Tears Naturale free, that comes in vials. I always keep them with me. They seem to do better than those thick eye drops, which seem to make it worse than better. Hope my info has made sense.
take care
and hope your better!
Melody

Hello Melissa

I agree with the rest of the ladies, when our eyes hurt its not good
I also have sjorens and of all the drops that i have tried, the one that gives me the most comfort is,Systane. But as we always say what works for one might not work for someone else.


Melody, i also do the cold wash on the eyes when i get up

yardman

Take care
Ray

Melissa, hope you find something that helps

Hi Everyone,

Thank you all for the input and glad to hear I am not alone on this one too. I will have to try the cold compress. I too wake up with the sleep, or what I call eyes matted shut. I normally try a warm cloth, but will try the cold. Makes more sense, I'm sure the warm only inflams the eyes more, right?

As Melody said the cauterized as done nothing, except extreme pain to have the procedure performed. I use the Systane as well, it helps when the eyes are not too bad.

Well, here's hoping the Restasis helps.

Thanks again everyone.
Melissa

Hi All:

Well, I have suffered with dry eyes the last few years. I always thought it was allergies. Then when I was dx with this illness, it became terrible. I was having other eye problems, as well. But Melody and everyone is so right - when your eyes hurt - you just feel awful. My eye doc gave me samples of all kinds of drops and I like the Systane that Ray recommended and Refresh Tears.

Now, it is so strange, my eyes go from being very dry to tearing at times. They feel very watery and I get that sleepy stuff in them, too. I was just at the eye doc - he didn't think it was anything to worry about - but it's weird.

I hope everyone finds some relief for your eyes

Hello again.
You are right Melissa, the heat causes more problems with the eyes. The cold compress soothes.. I have even bought the mask thingy that you can freeze and put on your eyes. Does your insurance pay for the Restasis ? My copay is 60. and i get 2 boxes.. I can usually get 2 to 3 days out of one vial. So if you have any left when you open it, don't thru it away, use it for you next dosage....
Melody

Hi Melody,

Yes, insurance pays, but as you said the co-pay is $60 for the 2 boxes, ouch! I have been doing the same thing, using the one vial for as long as possible. I know they recommend the one time use, but to me that is just crazy, I'm sure that's just so the company can get more money, right?

Melissa

Hey Melissa,
You are right!! My eye doc told me i could use each vial till it was used up!!. They have put less in each vial , from when I first started using it, that is why you get to boxes now...

Melody