so much better [Archive]

Bev

15-Dec-2007, 22:37

Have been seeking relief for over 4.5 years now from severe dry eye and 10 years before that with moderate dry eye with minutes of decrease from lubricant drops, good night relief with goggles, no help from Restasis, decent relief from intermittent steroid drops etc. Last week I came across more discussion about oils used in eyes and read about castor oil versus others -one article of interest was http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17962450&ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Anyway having had a particularly bad 2 days with the very dry static electricity air at work and bright lights I thought about trying some olive oil in desperation. Recalling how lotions particularly sunscreens etc. tend to creep into the eyes unbidden I put just a wisp of extra virgin first cold press olive oil on my little finger and spread it about an 1/8th of an inch on the skin below my lower lids and an 1/8th of an inch away from the outer corners of my eyes, again on the skin.
I knew it had crept into my eyes because of the incredible relief I felt about an hour later. Way too simple to be true. It seems to last about 12 hours after each application. About 5 days after using this remedy I wore a contact lens in my worst eye without difficulty at all for 9 hours! (Had not worn a lens for over 4 hours in 6 months and then only after a methylprednisolone steroid drop.) Did not have to re-wet it or "unstick" it during the day at all and vision did not blur up constantly as it would usually do. In fact it was necessary to adjust to seeing so clearly in close surroundings. Once home, the contact lens was incredibly easy to remove, just slid out without soaking my eye first.
Sorry to sound like I'm gushing but it just seems ridiculously simple. Hope it lasts. Would assume it is the oil's ability to keep the tear film even but apparently olive oil has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties too.

If you try this, please post what your experience is after a few days trial. Again, please note that you only need a wisp of it i.e. lightly blot your finger first before applying to your skin.

Terri

16-Dec-2007, 09:40

Bev: Thanks for posting this! I started thinking about the possible negative impact of commercial eye creams on DES a week ago, when I ran out of my regular facial cleanser, grabbed a tube of another brand I had in my closet, and accidentally got some in my eyes. My regular cleanser doesn't sting when it gets in my eyes, but this one set my dry eye on fire! I rinsed it out for several minutes with Unisol, but it was still bright red for an hour or two.

That incident started me thinking that some products I use around my eyes could be contributing to DES, even if they don't sting. I am being more careful about applying facial moisturizers and sunscreens away from my eyes to avoid possible migration. But I also need to use some kind of moisturizer on my eyelids, and I am suspicious that eye creams that may be fine for people without DES may not be good for those of us with the condition.

Since I haven't found an eye cream that's been certified as not contributing to DES, your suggestion about olive oil is very timely. The fact that it might benefit dry eye, as well as dry skin, has me really excited! Not to mention that if it doesn't work, I can still use to make dinner... ;)

liz56

16-Dec-2007, 10:26

I tried it immediately after reading your post, Bev, even before I replied to this thread. You may be onto something here. Thanks for experimenting and letting us know about it.

yoganut

16-Dec-2007, 12:28

I'm getting pretty desperate to get some relief.. I may try this.. hows it going for the posters who have tried this?

liz56

16-Dec-2007, 14:27

I'm getting pretty desperate to get some relief.. I may try this.. hows it going for the posters who have tried this?

I tried it this morning, and it is now 3:23 p.m., and my eyes feel better than they have for the past two days. (I also am on my second night of using Tranquileyes, so that may be helping, too.) I know that the olive oil got into my eyes, because they were blurry for a couple of hours after I put it under my eyes. The blurriness did not bother me, however, because it was a different kind of blurry than what I get after a corneal erosion. It's more like there's a smudge on my glasses than an inability to focus. I'm going to try and keep doing this but at night, because that is when life gets hard for me. I've been taking a teaspoon of olive oil orally right before bed when my eyes would feel horrible, and I believe that that helped, too.

So far, no adverse effects.

Eyeburn

16-Dec-2007, 14:46

liz56

16-Dec-2007, 14:53

I'm tempted to go get some olive oil right now. I want to make sure I'm doing it right though.

What if I put it in a dropper and dropped it on my eyes? Would that be too much? Is there anything dangerous at all in extra virgin olive oil? I just want to clarify before I put anything not intended for eyes into my eyes.

I did not put it directly into my eyes. I just did what Bev said and put a drop on my little finger and slid it onto the skin under my eyes. It was morning, so I put it right on my "bags," as they were quite easy to find.

Eyeburn

16-Dec-2007, 15:00

I did not put it directly into my eyes. I just did what Bev said and put a drop on my little finger and slid it onto the skin under my eyes. It was morning, so I put it right on my "bags," as they were quite easy to find.

I too have these purple lines under my eyes because of dry eyes(on the days when it feels better my bags are gone).

I did the same thing sort of. I just a minute ago closed my eyes and just ran the olive oil on my pinky finger along my upper and lower lids and corner of the outter eye.

Instantly I noticed some relief, which got me excited. At this moment, i'm 3 minutes in and my eyes still are better than they were before(burning and dry feeling, although now they feel oily but much less sore). Let's hope this feeling gets better.

I'll keep you guys posted, and for all of you others that are trying this, please do the same.

Eyeburn

16-Dec-2007, 15:07

Also, my cooking virgin oil does not say cold pressed. Is that necessary to list that? It just says Extra virgin.

Bev

16-Dec-2007, 15:39

Also, my cooking virgin oil does not say cold pressed. Is that necessary to list that? It just says Extra virgin.

It seems, as best as a I can find, that Extra Virgin is by definition a result of the first cold press so apparently it is redundant to say how it is pressed. Extra Virgin has less than 1% acidity whereas with further pressing or refining, acidity can reach 4% or more. According to http://www.oliveoilsource.com/olivechemistry.htm#pH: the actual pH can not be measured since it is not water-soluble.
Other types of olive oil may have had chemical extraction applied also. This site had a concise definition of different types of olive oil in the green shaded box halfway down the page http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/olive-oil.htm

yoganut

16-Dec-2007, 15:54

I wish I could say I'm having as much luck with the olive oil as you guys,
but I put some around my eyes at 1pm, 3pm and just now.. the left eye feels reasonably ok, but my right eye is the worse one, my eyelid still feels like it sticks to my eyeball when I blink (this doesn't happen every day though) but today it is, I know that some oil got in there because my eyes are blurry, but its really not that bad, I can still see fine. Fingers crossed it'll kick in soon.

Eyeburn

16-Dec-2007, 16:07

It seems, as best as a I can find, that Extra Virgin is by definition a result of the first cold press so apparently it is redundant to say how it is pressed. Extra Virgin has less than 1% acidity whereas with further pressing or refining, acidity can reach 4% or more. According to http://www.oliveoilsource.com/olivechemistry.htm#pH: the actual pH can not be measured since it is not water-soluble.
Other types of olive oil may have had chemical extraction applied also. This site had a concise definition of different types of olive oil in the green shaded box halfway down the page http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/olive-oil.htm

Thanks, then I imagine I have the right stuff.

Unfortunately, two hours later and my eyes are extremely sensitive again. They feel more watery as well and I'm blinking a million times a minute and squinting again cause of the burning.

I'll give it a couple days. My eyes never got blurry though, but I did put it all over my eyelids, so I imagine I used enough.

Would it be dangerous to use it as eye drops instead?

claire

18-Dec-2007, 12:55

Hi all,
I just started putting a little vasaline (petroleum jelly) in the corners and around lower lids/lashline and got terrific relief! Probably just as good as olive oil and easier/cheaper. I keep my eye jelly separate and always wash hands, don't want to contaminate. :rolleyes:

yoganut

18-Dec-2007, 21:42

Is anyone still trying this?

I'm on my 3rd day. I swipe a small amount aound my eyes, for me it seems to be a great eye area moisturizer. My eyes have felt a little better the past 2 days, not sure if its due to applying olive oil around them or just not using eye drops. I'm still doggedly inserting the Restasis, just careful to immediately rinse any residue away from my under eye area because of intense itching after using restasis.

Rory

19-Dec-2007, 05:26

Has anyone asked medical opinion with regards to applying Extra Virgin olive oil to the eyelids?

Stanza

19-Dec-2007, 09:02

this sounds great, will give it a go! Bev - how long do you wait between putting on the oil and putting in a contact lens?

Rebecca Petris

19-Dec-2007, 09:39

Has anyone asked medical opinion with regards to applying Extra Virgin olive oil to the eyelids?
Took the words out of my mouth ;)

Bev

19-Dec-2007, 14:46

Has anyone asked medical opinion with regards to applying Extra Virgin olive oil to the eyelids?
The main thing I found as far as its effect on the cornea was this http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17962450&ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

this sounds great, will give it a go! Bev - how long do you wait between putting on the oil and putting in a contact lens?
This is just personal experience but I've waited about an hour so far before putting in contact lens. Also, now that I've been doing this for nearly 2 weeks I put the olive oil even farther away from from my eyes so it is more dilute by the time it migrates there. Noted I was getting little irritated moreso at medial canthus i.e. inner corner of eye with closer application.

Hi all,
I just started putting a little vasaline (petroleum jelly) in the corners and around lower lids/lashline and got terrific relief! Probably just as good as olive oil and easier/cheaper. I keep my eye jelly separate and always wash hands, don't want to contaminate. :rolleyes:

That's wonderful! I was wondering about the use of vaseline also. Don't know of any corneal toxicity study yet but if it doesn't burn and as immediately soothing as it is on everything else raw would think it is quite safe. Certainly safer than all these other facial preparations we use.

Curious....anyone else out there a user of Retin-A before starting to have these problems? Of course, I'd had Lasik and cataract surgery too but suspicious of its contribution. Haven't used it for a year but wonder if it did some damage tto Meibomian glands?

Bev

19-Dec-2007, 15:08

Found these reassuring articles about using vaseline also. It is indeed the base for a lot of around-the-eye substances. The first article recognizes that people had relief with just the plain petrolatum even without the calcium addition they were testing and the second is anecdotal experience.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1723096

http://dry.org/petrolatum.html

Stanza

19-Dec-2007, 15:32

This is great. Thanks for the contact lens comment too.

I was thinking of trying one eye with oil, the other with vaseline :D

I note the articles mention that a
petrolatum based calcium ointment calcium version is better, I don't think that's normal vaseline but that the non-calcium is still good.

Rory

19-Dec-2007, 17:32

Bev,

I am always looking for miracle cures...so...

I actually tried this today. I found it really irritated my eyes...causing an increased burning sensation in my eyelids. Did you feel this the first day that you tried it?

vman

19-Dec-2007, 18:55

Thanks for that find, Bev -- the paper comparing castor oil to other vegetable oils
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17962450&ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

That is interesting to me, because it seems that I have some keratoconus tendency, in addition to dry eye, and I have to say that the 3 months that I was taking Restasis were those in which I experienced the most dramatic increases in multiplopia symptoms typical of keratoconus.

I now wonder if the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during that period gave rise to the faster progression of keratoconus (which is thought by many to be due to high ROS levels, or poor clearance of them)

calli66

19-Dec-2007, 22:47

vman,
That's interesting--when I used Restasis for long periods (8-10 months) my astigmatism got worse. I know that's not the same as keratoconus, and I don't know what multiplopia is.....or the ROS you referred to.

I have not met many people who noticed a deterioration in vision while using Restasis. It's usually the burning that people notice.

Calli

Bev

20-Dec-2007, 19:32

Vman
...the 3 months that I was taking Restasis were those in which I experienced the most dramatic increases in multiplopia symptoms typical of keratoconus.

I now wonder if the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during that period gave rise to the faster progression of keratoconus (which is thought by many to be due to high ROS levels, or poor clearance of them)
Vman,

That's a good question since cyclosporine has been found to reduce the activity of enzyme superoxide dismutase, a major "clearer" of oxygen free radicals, in other body systems . The addition of anti-oxidants to the cyclosporine seems to attenuate that bad side effect but Restasis does not have any anti-oxidant additives to help keep those good levels of superoxide dismutase. In other words, it makes a lot of sense that Restasis could contribute to keratoconus problems. For some reason people usually lose their tendency to have progression of keratoconus in their mid 30's it seems but maybe this age will rise as Restasis is used more...hopefully not.
Have you had any corneal topography to verify keratoconus or just going by your symptoms right now?
I, for one, had no improvement after 6 months of Restasis and it burned like crazy. Vision was worse for me also Calli66 and fluctuated much more.

Do you know for certain you don't have a cataract which often causes multiplopia as they did for me?? Completely gone after cataracts removed. Cataract surgery did not worsen anything for me as far as dry eye either.

In any case, Restasis may be effective for that small sub-population with an auto-immune component eg. Sjogren's syndrome but if, like most people there isn't an auto-immune problem, it likely isn't going to be a long-term answer and may, as you point out, have unnecessary side-effects. And, on top of all that, is very expensive. As another poster on another thread noted, people generally change more than one thing in caring for their eyes when they begin Restasis i.e better protection, more frequent eye lubricants, keeping caustic creams away from their eyes etc. Most would likely feel just as well or perhaps better due to their improved eye care without the Restasis. That's my current corneal ophthalmologist's opinion on Restasis also.

Anyway, have you tried a small amount of the Vaseline or olive oil applied on the facial skin for the dry eye part of your symptoms? I like the idea that the olive oil has anti-oxidants. I am now to the point I am applying a light amount a good half inch away from the lid margins and have very comfortable eyes compared to before and this is with wearing one contact lens for over 10 hours every day last 3 days and no sticking. Didn't use any lubricating drops today. Whoever tries this, more does not seem to be better and too much just makes it take longer for it to eventually dissipate to just the right amount. Give it a full day before applying more. If you try it, give yourself a few days to adapt and apply farther away if you find it bothersome. I think it may depend on whether your symptoms are pain or itchiness also. It has eliminated my pain. I may occasionally notice scant itchiness now that there is a wonderful lack of pain.
We don't all have dry eyes for the same reason but thankfully this is easy to try.
Well, hope all else is going well for everyone....

yoganut

23-Dec-2007, 09:08

Day 6 of this regimen. Wore my contacts (trial pair of Proclears that eye md gave to me in Sept to try, and have not had the courage to wear them yet) wore them a little longer than anticipated due to xmas shopping, anyway they ended up in my eyes for 10 hours, towards the last 2 hours, my eyes were a bit sore, but I figured that was to be expected. I did use Aquify rewetting drops a few times, but that was more as a 'just in case' measure.
I had a small bit of mucous in the corners of my eyes this am, but today (and I'm not wearing contacts) they don't feel too bad, is is the olive oil? Who knows, I'll give it a bit longer. Just wanted to give an update.

Filazafer

28-Dec-2007, 08:30

I did try putting olive oil around my eyes. I really didn't expect it to do much, but my eyes have felt better though it causes slightly blurry visison. I have dry skin on my face and it makes me realize I should never put anything like lotion on my face because it will make it into the eyes. It also tells me that some doctor should seriously look into making more lubricants that go around the eyes instead of directly in them.

It wasn't perfect, I still experienced some burning, but it was better. And perhaps less is more because when I got home I washed the olive oil from around my eyes, did a short warm compress, and my eyes didn't hurt for the rest of the night. That hasn't happened in awhile. I'll let you know how things go over more time.

"is it safe to put extra virgin olive oil around the eyes?" I don't know, but I figure it can't be any worse than taking a scapel and cutting all the nerves covering your eye. And it won't cost you thousands of dollars. I was dumb enough to let someone do that, so what the Heck.

Maria1972

28-Dec-2007, 16:25

Bev

30-Dec-2007, 17:25

This is all very interesting. I wish I knew it last week when I saw my dry eye doctor to comment on it. He is a well known dry eye specialist.

I was doing fine for a while but I was using antihistamines, decongestants for 2 weeks + upped my Elavil (meds that dry you out like hell) and now my eyes are in pain. I discontinue the cold meds and lowered my Elavil again...however about the same time I was applying Neutrogena eye cream round my eyes, lower skin only. Since the warm compresses are drying the skin aound my eyes I have notice some wrinkles. I thought about the Neutrogena eye cream possibly impacting my eyes but now that I'm reading this thread I realize that (duh) what we put around the eyes can affect the already sensitive eyes more that other people.

On the oilive oil: I've heard that oilive oil generaly goes "rancid" after a few months, so if you are going to apply it in the eyes or around it, I'll suggest to buy the smallest bottle, probbably organic, and keep it in a cool place. I don't know if I read that it is better to keep it the refrigerator, but for sure in a cool place. Throw it away after a few months, or use it for cooking but not for the eyes after a few months. Just my 2 cents here. And byt the way, it may be a good idea to check with your eye doctor as we all may have other issues going on in the eyes besides the dryiness so it is better to be on the safe side.

Questions:
1-do you still get an effect if you apply it only on the lower eye lid? (not directly in the eye )?
2-If you have a mebomian (spelling?) glads problem (MGD), would the oil clog more the proes?

For those of you who had sucess with it, I think it is great! Keep posting! :)

Maria1972,
You really do not want to apply it directly in the eye. Less is definitely better as also noted by Filazafer. A very thin layer about a half inch below the lower lid margin is a good way to start. It will take a little time to migrate but be patient. From just personal experience I suggest waiting a good 6-10 hours before deciding if more is needed. Too much and you do have more blurring and a little itchiness (but nothing like the irritation of a dry painful eye.) Olive oil should also be kept in a dark place, not as a decorative oil in the sunny window. I am now getting away with sometimes only using it once a day. I tried the vaseline as suggested by Claire once and it worked very well also. Good luck to you.

Stanza

11-Jan-2008, 03:27

I've been trying vaseline at night but not sure it's made a difference at all, will give it a couple more days then switch to the olive oil :)

Bev

14-Jan-2008, 20:17

I've been trying vaseline at night but not sure it's made a difference at all, will give it a couple more days then switch to the olive oil :)

Hi Stanza,

I have the most relief by using a little olive oil on my upper cheeks after getting up for the day as it provides protection while my eyes are being exposed the most. I can skip the night-time application most of the time now.

Hope it helps.

Stanza

15-Jan-2008, 03:04

Thanks, I'm going to give it a go.

Randal

15-Jan-2008, 07:19

Hi Stanza,

I have the most relief by using a little olive oil on my upper cheeks after getting up for the day as it provides protection while my eyes are being exposed the most. I can skip the night-time application most of the time now.

Hope it helps.

Bev:

When you say "upper cheeks," about how far away from the lower part of the eyes is this?

Thanks.

Randal

Stanza

15-Jan-2008, 13:11

Hi, they put it about a quarter inch from the eye line or even further a way, I think!

I don't think I'm having any luck with this, or vaseline, both eyes are burning rather than just 'gritty want to pull my eyes out of my head' sort of feeling I normally have. So not sure if it's changed my symptoms or just given me one on the top to worry about!!! going to break from it and try again another time...

Bev

16-Jan-2008, 16:34

Hi,

Just wanted to be sure that anyone who is trying olive oil:

1) use a very, scant, thin layer about a quarter inch or so below the lower lids. Less is more. With trial and error I found that a little too much caused some haziness and some grit feeling but was still better than pain I'd had before. Now with restrained application it is perfect after many years of nothing helping.

2) absolutely do not have any other lotions, creams, make-up etc. on the face throughout the day or night when giving this a try as the oil will just hasten the migration of all of those things into your eye also!

3) be sure it is fresh extra virgin olive oil

So glad it is helping some. Noticed some people had found that facial lotions etc. they were using were the whole problem and didn't need anything at all once they stopped the offending topical.

Mika

22-Jan-2008, 09:31

oh hello again everyone... well by reading ur comments i feel that some people got some (sooo precious) relief by using Olive oil?...
woow dats great it is working for some of us...

well for me, I am not soo ready to "dive" in unknown water... so i'll see wat the results u'll be reporting..... but hey, i wanted to drops some notes about mine using ointment.

well , as maybe many of u know, i use ointment regularly BUT at a veryyyy smalllllll drops near my eyes --near the eyeslid...... and they realllyy help me....(help from mucus and dryness)

well.... now u are saying applying olive oil nxt to the eyelid, this is not so new for me, 'cause I'm doing da same thing but by using ointment... Mmm.... .... well i kno ointment is not safe... (and i really wanna find an alternative to it!!) but hey..... personally, compared to using olive oil...... i'll take the ointment which is sterile and (maybe)... more safe to put near (or on) the eyes

Mika

22-Jan-2008, 09:34

OHHH btw....... DON"T forget to do eyes compress (heat- rice baggies) if u are using anything oilly like olive oil, ointment for the sake of healthy eyes and glands........ else u'll get a lootttttt of styes and have a big eyelid.....

smb43432

23-Jan-2008, 19:06

I don't have any extra virgin olive oil so I can't try it right now but next time I go to the store I'm getting some.

Rory

24-Jan-2008, 15:37

Does anyone know why olive oil applied no matter how sparsely...extra virgin or not would help dry eyes?

Rory

28-Jan-2008, 08:02

Anymore developments on the olive oil mystery?

Any other happy customers?

I was looking at my vast collection of extra virgin olive oils the other day and they certainly are more and more advertising their Omega 3 content.

I wonder has anyone tried this experiment with a dab of flaxseed oil or without wanting to sound ridiculous..fish oil in a similar manner to the original poster's olive oil application?

Rebecca Petris

28-Jan-2008, 08:34

I was looking at my vast collection of extra virgin olive oils the other day and they certainly are more and more advertising their Omega 3 content.

That's just marketing. You would have to consume 10 oz per day to meet the NIH standard for daily Omega 3 intake (on a 2,000 calorie diet), or so I read. I use olive oil constantly because I love it and it's so much better than most oils, but I never think about it particularly as an Omega 3 source. If you really want to increase omega 3s go for the flaxseeds and walnuts - far higher concentration.

Stanza

28-Jan-2008, 11:40

both olive oil and vaseline didn't work for me, both gave me really bad burning rather than any relief.

Bev

04-Feb-2008, 18:10

Does anyone know why olive oil applied no matter how sparsely...extra virgin or not would help dry eyes?

The assumed reason would be the supplementation of additional lipids and so delaying the break-up of the tear film after blinking. A couple articles that dance around this are:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&uid=16876507&cmd=showdetailview&indexed=google

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&uid=15499517&cmd=showdetailview&indexed=google T

The best place I can find articles on this sort of thing is www.scholar.google.com

This is still working better than anything ever in years for me but if I get careless and put on too much it is blurry. Able to wear contact lens every day all day now.

Also beware if anyone is using "pure" olive oil as it is generally chemically extracted or comes from the second cold pressing and it is more acidic. (Doesn't taste as good either.)

stella

05-Feb-2008, 14:18

Can anyone tell me if white soft paraffin and petroleum jelly are the same thing ?
I am looking for something to use on my lids at night
I am at present using chloramphenicol eye ointment(one of the only things i can tolerate)but feel i cant go on using it indefinately 'cos of the antibiotic Anyway different makes of this ointment have different bases
My present one is made up of Liquid paraffin and white soft paraffin so if i could only try those ingredients on their own - but that does,nt exist
I had tried vasaline in the past but cant tolerate that - so am interested to read that vasaline is not neccesarily pure petroleum jelly
Where can i get pure petroleum jelly to try??

eva b

05-Feb-2008, 14:36

Hi Stella

have you tried Simple Eye ointment? I can't remember exactly the composition, but I do know it contains the carrier substance and no medication at all. It was recommended to me by an eye doc, but I couldn't use it...because as you know I can't tolerate anything at all. (in fact chloramphenicol gave me ghastly burning) Simple ointment might well suit you, though.

Eva

stella

06-Feb-2008, 15:42

Hi Eva - Thanks for the suggestion.Do hope your eyes are under control at the moment
No i have not tried Simple eye ointment - I know about it - I know about all the eye preparations available in UK 'cos i have in my posession the BNF which is the pharmaceutical "bible" for health carers in UK (It is 2004 version mind)
It mentions simple eye ointment and i note the ingredients are the same (in slightly different proportions) as lacrilube and i cant tolerate lacrilube
The culprit is probably "wool fat " or lanolin ,which is listed as a known allergen in some people
I am still on my quest and it may take time - meanwhile i will just remain using a "smidgen" of chlorampheniocol at night
I have hit a bad patch again with the eyes :mad::--And thats after 10 weeks of being so good - Oh well it will pass, please God
It would be easier if i did'nt have constant pain from an arthritic back to contend with mind
At least i am retired and can pace myself which is more than a lot of people on this site
Woul'nt you just love to wave a majic wand and make us all better

eva b

07-Feb-2008, 06:33

Oh yes, Stella, wouldn't it be lovely!

sorry, I forgot about the lanolin in Simple ointment - now you mention it I do recall seeing it listed, which is why I couldn't tolerate it probably. I think I'm allergic to lanolin - certainly can't wear wool at all.

I wonder if any compounding pharmacy would be able to make up an ointment for you containing just the base ingredients of the ointment you're currently using?

I used to have a friendly pharmacist near where I lived who used to make up his own remedies for people...it can't be rocket science, surely, just mixing up some soft jellies?? might be worth asking.

I've found my current local pharmacist very knowledgeable about things - he knew a lot more about preservative free eye drops than my GP, (not surprising) but also than my opthalmologist at Moorfields!!!

best of luck - sorry to hear about your back...I have similar problems in my neck and when you add it all up it doesn't help at all, does it?:(

eva b

07-Feb-2008, 06:35

just another thought, Stella.

I've sometimes wondered about the effect of pain meds on our dry eyes. My GP prescribes both diclofenac and co-codamol for me, for occasional use, and I do wonder if either of those actually aggravate the condition. I've tried to do a "trial" but haven't really reached any conclusion because there are so many other factors.

stella

07-Feb-2008, 10:32

I constsntly take naprosyn - I have to, so it is not an option to do without NSAIDS I also take co -codamol as and when
Compounding pharmacies ? i dont know of any in my neck of the woods .
I understand that blepharitis waxes and wanes so i will just have to sit it out again i guess until it passes (I may try more doxycillen if this continues)
Fighting pain and discomfort makes me sooo tired too

Mercedes

16-Feb-2009, 22:03

I had lasik surgery last December 30, 2008. I had moderate dry eyes before surgery and after surgery it did not get any better. I incorporated nuts, fish oil into my diet with little relief. I ran into this sight and read about olive oil. I use it at night on my eyelids and put Celluvisc drops and wear the moisture chamber goggles overnight, this has created a tremendous relief. The use of eyedrops during the day has decreased. I actually have gone a whole day without using eyedrops. GLAD I found this site.

calcan

17-Feb-2009, 20:33

Sammy B.

29-Sep-2009, 08:39

I wanted to bump this post. I recently remembered that I used to use olive oil to take my makeup off after I had undergone LASIK, but had switched to some sort of lotion earlier in the year...until I came across this post.

It's no magic bullet but putting some olive oil around your eyes right before you retire at night and then right before you leave for work in the morning does bring some relief - to me, anyway. Seems to keep the whole area more moist. Now if only I could somehow rub it onto my dry corneas and eliminate that issue.... EW!! GROSS!! :D

- Rose

SAAG

29-Sep-2009, 12:29

Thanks for bumping this Rose... I'd read this thread ages ago, but forgotten about it completely... At the time, I remember being skeptical that this could provide any relief...

BUT...

It's very interesting to see everyone's results with trying this... I'm still going to continue with exclusive Dwelle for now, but once I see my improvements reaching a plateau, I think I will consider trying the olive oil thing.

If anyone else has tried this technique, please post and let us know your results...

Here's what I found most interesting about the results so far...

7 people posted on this thread who specifically said they had tried either olive oil or petroleum jelly, AND those 7 people also posted whether or not this treatment had helped them.

Bev, Filazafer, Claire, and Mercedes had all previously had lasik (see user profiles), and found some degree of relief with either Olive Oil or Petroleum jelly.

Yoganut, Eyeburn and Stanza had NOT previously had lasik (see user profiles) and all found no relief from this treatment.

I realize that these 7 people are a very small sample size, but it was interesting to note that 100% of the people who had lasik reported some success with this technique, whereas of the remaining people who had not had lasik, 100% of them did not have success with this treatment.

I'd be curious to see if this pattern continues...

If anyone else finds any relavent studies that haven't been previously posted on this thread, please share them! I'll be looking for some myself... if I find any that might be of interest, I'll post links here.

Sheralyn
:)

Sammy B.

29-Sep-2009, 17:14

Sheralyn,

You know that I fall into the LASIK category so there's one more for the tally.

The ONLY thing I can conjure up is that more and more doctors are beginning to believe that LASIK patients are suffering from a compromised lipid layer in their tear film due to meibomian gland dysfunction (Dr. Tseng in Miami recently wrote about this).

So, while this technique doesn't really get any sort of lipids into our actual tear secretions, the olive oil might somehow leak into the eye to help with coating of the surface....? Or maybe it simply weighs down the upper lid of the eye so it sags closed a bit more? That would prevent the eye from being "open" so much, and exposed to the elements...? :confused:

I'm planning on asking Dr. Hector when I see him next Friday if there's any harm/merit in it.

- Rose

Lucy

29-Sep-2009, 19:45

I'm planning on asking Dr. Hector when I see him next Friday if there's any harm/merit in it.

Dr. Hector spoke at a Dry Eye Zone seminar a few years ago in Tampa. I with I had him as my ophth! He seemed like a good eye doc, funny tool
Lucy

SAAG

29-Sep-2009, 21:24

Sheralyn,
So, while this technique doesn't really get any sort of lipids into our actual tear secretions, the olive oil might somehow leak into the eye to help with coating of the surface....? Or maybe it simply weighs down the upper lid of the eye so it sags closed a bit more? That would prevent the eye from being "open" so much, and exposed to the elements...? :confused:
- Rose

I read an explanation on another site... it goes something like this: (first, a diagram)

---------------------your skin
---------------------oil layer against your skin (A)
---------------------oil layer in contact with the air (B)

Layer A is warmer (and therefore more fluid) than layer B because your skin is warming it.

Layer B is cooler than layer A (and therefore more solid-like and able to slide around)

Layer B slides around on top of layer A, and therefore layer B slides off layer A and spreads onto the surrounding skin.

This newly oil-covered area now forms it's own layer A and layer B of oil.

The whole process keeps repeating until the layer of oil is so thin that it no longer spreads noticeably. Presumably, this is when one would feel the need to apply more olive oil to the lids.

This spreading process is what causes the oil to migrate from the skin into the eye.

Apparently this is all explained by fluid mechanics:confused:

So... it kind of makes sense... I suspect that this is the mechanism by which the lipid spray (Clarymist aka Tears Again?) probably is supposed to work. They say to apply that lipid-containing spray to your lids, right?

I did a quick google scholar search for olive oil and dry eye... it appears that they have studied cyclosporine in... you guessed it... olive oil... This makes me wonder why castor oil was chosen as the oily component of the vehicle for Restasis instead of olive oil...

Aaron77

29-Sep-2009, 23:47

I think Castor Oil is also used in the Refresh Endura drops, seems like I can go longer on the computer with the Refresh Endura then with other drops. Eyes still feel like crap the whole time its just that its a different feeling and a little less painful. I'm going to continue to take them at least until my restasis gets in, hopefully it makes the restasis a little bit easier to take.

The Dwelle is also suppose to get in at about the same time as the restasis so I'll see how that feels as well.

ninja.angie

30-Sep-2009, 09:30

I would like to try this, but have a question first. :)

After reading all the posts in this thread, I got a little confused as to which one is better to be used, extra virgin olive oil or virgin olive oil?

Angie

Sammy B.

30-Sep-2009, 12:08

First off - Sheralyn - nice sleuthing!!

And Angie,

I'm not really sure if there is a difference in the products. We have EVOO (extra virgin) in the house so that's what I've been using. I just filled up a small plastic travel bottle with it and keep it next to my sink in the bathroom (reminds me to use it).

I must say, the soothing effects are immediate. As for how long it lasts, I'm not sure. I still have some foreign body sensations in both eyes, but no burning (that subsided with the Dwelle, however).

And hey, it's olive oil. It's probably safe as long as you aren't dumping mass amounts into your eyes! Just try it around the upper and lower lids and see if you have any luck.

- Rose

Sammy B.

09-Oct-2009, 15:02

I'm back from Dr. Hector's office and wanted to give everyone who was interested in this thread an answer.

Dr. Hector said that he had heard of people who had found relief using olive oil, vasoline, and tea tree oil around their eyes. The theory is simple - No additional moisture needs to be redirected from the glands to the area around the eye, instead the glands can focus on the eye itself. A well-hydrated eye socket seems to do the actual eyeball some good!

He further explained that the tea tree option would be for those who have inflammation as well. I do not so I am going to continue with the olive oil.

Hope this helps!!

- Rose

Drops

10-Oct-2009, 13:27

I have had good luck with coconut oil, jojoba oil. Don't drop it into the eye, just a small amount around the eye socket. Also, jojoba oil seems to calm down the roseaca on my nose.

SAAG

10-Oct-2009, 22:28

Well, as some of you may have read in my Dwelle posts, I was trying to use nothing but Dwelle...

However, I am not a patient person,:o so I gave in this evening, and tried using vaseline. I found the olive oil didn't last very long for me... that's why I figured vaseline was worth a try.

I applied the vaseline at 8pm because my right eye was burning and driving me nuts! I applied a very thin layer below my lower lash line, and another thin layer above my upper lash line. By 8:50pm, the right eye felt fine. It is now 10:25pm, and my right eye still feels fine. (I last used Dwelle at 6:15 pm...)

Anyhow, I've decided to add this to my daily routine... I'm going to try applying the vaseline every morning, and see how things go... I'll post again after several days with an update...

Sheralyn
:)

Drops

27-Oct-2009, 07:55

OK, I have good luck with the oil around the eye, specifically jojoba oil and Camellia Oil. Just a tiny, tiny bit, moisturizing the area around the eye sockets. (Too much and it will burn)

Originally I started using the jojoba oil and Camellia Oil on my hair, on the ends (dry hair help) and then I accidently got it on my face, found out on the internet that the oils are good for the facial skin, especially for those with roseacea.

Eyes are still dry, 2+ years after LASIK, but the oil is helping...

boston

01-Nov-2009, 21:02

Drops, are you a man or a woman? Where do you live? And have your eyes improved since 6 month point? (I read your 6 months post and it sounded bad)

What has worked for you?

Drops

12-Nov-2009, 10:58

Yes, my eyes have improved since the 6 month point. But it took about 1.5 years for them to settle down after the LASIK. DWELLE helped me though the roughest point.
Immediately after the LASIK I was in total shock, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was my diagnosis. I cried almost everyday after the LASIK. It was horrible, the worst thing ever.
It was hard recovering LASIK, my eyes were so dry that my eyelids scraped across my eyes, there were all sorts of scrapes on my eyeballs.

Now, I just try to keep my eye sockets moist, with the Camellia Oil. I occasionally use MiniDrops perservative free eye drops when things get bad.

Hopefully things will be on the up and up for me, and others here who seek help.

My eye are still dry, but over time the situation is better. I still go to therapy, but I am off my antidepressants and the meds that I had to take after the LASIK. I was taking all sorts of stuff for pain, depression, anxiety. It was a battle to make it though the day.