Update on my dry, irritated eyes (8 months)
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi fellow sufferers
I'm afraid I do not bring glad tidings. I started to notice things going wrong last April - was blinking a lot, lids more oily but I had no irritation. Was just more of an annoyance that my eye makeup wouldn't stay on. Towards the end of the summer, I became aware that my eyes were quite dry. Went to optician who confirmed this. I was given a diagnosis of Blepharitis. Went for a second opinion who said that I have an allergy. My symptoms are this... dry, uncomfortable eyes, noticeable blood vessels, slightly inflamed lower lid margins (also red line under both eyes). Flaking of lashes, dry sky at corners of eyes and itchy lids. Went to a specialist who said I have Dry Eye Syndrome (genius... not) and said that it's quite common for women in their thirties to develop dry eyes. I believe this must come from an underlying condition. I've read up about MGD which seems to tick the boxes. But the more I read the more frightened I am and am panicking that I will have this forever. I've also read up about food allergies that could be causing it... sugar, yeast, wheat etc. I've started juicing and also tryig to eat gluten free but it's too early to notice anything I suppose. Feel particularly bad this week, I don't know if that's because I had a bit of a chocolate binge over Easter. Anyway, feel entirely down this morning, looked at my dull, red eyes this morning and wanted to cry. I've been trying everything, warm compresses, lid massager, honey on lids, Blephasol, nothing is working. Please can anyone help? Getting married in a few months and really want to have nice clear eyes on the day... 
x
0 likes, 9 replies
faye______00403 davina6
Posted
to help with blepharitis. I'm new at using it and have had some success but
hoping for a lot more. Many people have cured the bleph using this regimen
I've had bleph for abot 25 years and know how miserable it can be. I've
tried many things the eye doc has told me to do but it sort of comes and
goes. The theory is that it's caused my staph germ and the meds in
Wet Ones kills it.....Put Benzathonium chloride into your browser and
about 2nd or 3rd page find months and years of info and suggestions
on how to use the wet one.
davina6 faye______00403
Posted
david24522 davina6
Posted
The liquid high strength cod liver oil ( in a tumbler of milk ) appears to be helping my eyes . I haven't resorted to the wet Ones yet , but have some handy in case . I have no discharge what so ever from the eyes any more just dryness which it's levels vary during the day .
The fields all around my village are mainly planted to Oil Seed Rape again this year . Bad news for me as the smell makes my eyes worse and when the crop comes into flower i know that things will get alot worse for me .
Did you see the blog from the eye surgeon that mentioned that there was alot of research into the dreaded Bleph being carried out at one of the midlands hospitals ?
davina6 david24522
Posted
Good to hear from you. I use Artelec at nighttime, can't say it's really making a difference. Apparently I have some sort of condition where my eyes don't close properly - inhibiting the oils from my glands to be distributed around my eyes. I've ordered an eyemask to shut my eyes at night. I'm also taking Lagad Lacrima (recommended by specialist). Not seeing a difference. After exhaustive research, I think I might have an intolerance to histamines. Going to try a low histamine diet for a month to see if it helps. Time running out as want to be bright eyed for my wedding!
david24522 davina6
Posted
get a few trouble free days with the eyes . Citrus fruits are out as are sharp tasty apples .
Strangely , sneezing actually helps ! It must jolt the glands or something and free the blockage for a while . Who knows ?
So do you no longer get the gunky eyelashes etc ? Mine is pure dryness as the problem these days .
i had thought that the cod liver oil was helping , but I think that it was just a fluke . will carry on taking 10ml every other day till the end of the month and then leave it for a month .
Sad to say but this great dry weather isn't helping the eyes !
So , the wedding is a month away then ? have you tried the Visco Tears Gel drops ? They might get you though the daytime hours on your wedding day . A bridesmaid will have to have the job of being "your personal eye dropper and carrier of essential eye maintainance products " on the day !
About to try the optrex eye bath for a change .
Hope you have a great day !
davina6 david24522
Posted
Wedding is 4 months away thankfully so might have an eureka moment before then (I hope). Eyes don't look too bad, they're just not bright and clear. Lids are red and itchy. I hear red wine is really bad as well (had some last night). Well I'll try the low histamine diet and see how I go.
Dx
david24522 davina6
Posted
a splash of lemon in your drink won't do any harm .
I seriously need to ditch the umpteen mugs of coffee and tea consumed per day in my household .
From today it's to be only 2 mugs of coffee and a move back to green tea with a splash of maple syrup in lieu of my 8 mugs plus a day of good old Pg tips !
Strange how living with someone changes your approach on diet and health ! I need to get back to super healthy me and the good weather should help me ditch all the hot drinks .
i'll seek out the Artelac night time gel today and compare it to the lacrilube .Will be nice to have another " string to my bow " in this fight against dryness and light sensativity .
Alot can happen in 4 months so stay positive !
jessi11 davina6
Posted
Mine started two years ago and it took me alot of time and expensive specialists appointments to determine what I have. I have had to start wearing glasses due to the dryness of my eyes making my vision blurred and just dry and painful. I put it down to a combination of things that happened to me. Firstly, stress...my father passed away and I started a new busy job all within a couple of months of one another. I also went from being a stay at home mum not wearing much makeup, to suddenly wearing full eye makeup for my job. I probably wasnt removing makeup as well as I should have been. Further to this, I also went on a heavy duty course of antibiotics for a bad bout of tonsilitis, which I think with everything else that was going on, my good bacteria was totally depleted. I developed anxiety so bad, thinking everyone can see my eyes. I have never had a care in the world until blepharitis. So after many appointments with specialists who I feel did not listen but were quick to prescribe medication that wasnt that great...heres what i have come up with myself:
Blepharitis is a chronic condition like acne. Its hard to eradicate. But you can get it under control, just as those with acne can do the same. I tried doxy...made my eyes worse. I tried mino...fabulous clear amazing eyes for about two weeks. Then the medication started losing its effectiveness and I went back to my desperate and depressed state. The best things I have found to work....not baby shampoo, that stuff irriates me! Salt water washes, morning and night. But what works even better, Thursday plantation tea tree toner washes three times a day. It says dont apply near eyes, but out of desperation I tried it with success. And its working so far. I can feel that this bacteria is so strong, by mid day I start to get tingly again so I give my eyes another wash. And when I say wash, not the actual eye ball itself, but the eyelids, under eyes and of course eyelid margins. Not compresses, not wet ones wipes etc. Further to this I have been applying a light coating of chlorsig ointment with a cotton bud along my margins. I am also currently on minocycline, which alone was not doing much but teamed with this new cleaning routine I am feeling so much better. Also I use polygel preservative free eye drops for moisture. I honestly think they are right, it comes down to hygiene, we must have super sensitive skin that needs extra help to clean itself? I feel so why me some days, as I know you would too. Also I possibly think that gut bacteria plays a role in general overall health, so a good probiotic would help. I have also just come off the contraceptive pill hoping to see some improvement. Its a long shot, but you know..
Anyway I just wanted to share this info in the hope that it may be of some help to you. I felt sad for your reading about your impending wedding day and I know how desperate and anxious you would feel. As a last resort, can you just for that day use redness clearing eye drops? I know your eyes will feel worse for it the next day, but if it gives you clear eyes and gets you through your special day, its worth it right? hang in there xxx
davina6 jessi11
Posted
Thanks so much for your response, so very kind and thoughtful.
Yes, sitting here at my computer with the same problems. Overall, my eyes feel really tired. They're not red as such, just enlarged blood vessels but over all the whites of my eyes look white-ish but my eyes are dull. I know years ago, if the thought ever entered my head that this would have happened my eyes, it would have been my worst nightmare. I was a contact lense wearer for about 14 years before this happened to me so I suspect that was a major player. I have also been through very stressful times. Also, I've always had digestive problems from my teenage years, gas, bloating and constant thrush infections. It does all seem to point to my gut. My diet is quite good but I still drink wine and eat what I want including fast food. But I do juice and try to eat lots of salmon, veggies etc. It's hard to get sympathy as my eyes don't look noticeably bad but they feel awful. It's made worse by the fact that my eyes used to be my best feature. I used to have clear, sparkling eyes and now they're dull and lifeless. It's so depressing. I realise I sound incredibly vain but I'm a woman, with the same insecurities as any other.
Would you sugggest stopping the heat compresses then? My meibomian glands are blocked and any oil that is secreted is so vicous that it won't go into my eyes but rather onto my lashes, making my glasses really dirty throughout the day.
I've spoken to a really great guy in a health shop and he suggested I start Lepicol to heal my gut and rub almond oil on my eyes. I didn't think this was a great idea as if oil is the problem then putting more oil on wouldn't work but he said my lids look quite red and tired, so I'll give it a shot. I also wipe my eyes with cotton wool dipped in salt water.
I've another appointment at the eye clinic in August, fingers crossed they can give me something that, even short term, makes my eyes clear and comfortable.
I also strongly suspect I have Seborrheic dermatitis, I have a really dry scalp, plus itchy eyebrows. All stems from the gut as well.
I will take your recommendation about the redness clearing drops. I hope to find something to put this in reverse. Can't stand the thought of having this forever.
Thanks again xx