Eye redness 24/7 -tried everything..advice?

[blakesl8]

Hello,
I've been suffering from extreme, constant eye redness for about 5 years now. I'm only 20 years old and I don't know why this is happening. I became addicted to using the OTC red drops up to 10x a day for about a year and now I use them around 2x a day. I know they're aweful for you, but I just dont know how to stop! i've seen a few doctors, tried restasis, steroids, flax seed tablets, you name it, I've tried it. I read that some of you completely stopped using the OTC drops for redness and I was wondering if anyone has gotten any better. I'm lookin for some hope of improvement if I stop using them. Has anyone noticed any positive changes in their eyes?? And does any one have any good advice for me or a name of a great doctor near Michigan that you would recommend?

I'm so glad there's a site like this that we can all talk about our eye problems and help eachother out!

[tim-carroll@comcast.net]

Lets see your 20 - I am 48 and used OTC for longer than you have been on this planet - so in short - yes there is hope for you.......

I quit last July 2007 and have not looked back - It will take at least 3 months for your eyes to get better - Since you may not have dry eyes - you may get away with just putting in some artificial tears - I use blink tears - You will also need to use the thicker kind for a while -

I actually bought some glasses and had them tinted - they have no prescription but look real - I used these for the first 3-4 months to hide my redness -


Today I am good - my eyes still get red occasionly - but at least now I know I can put something in them that will not harm them


Need advise - email me timothycarroll@verizon.net - I can help you through this

[jack_bristow]

Try to stop using drops and put on swimming goggles instead. See if you experience a dramatic improvement while the goggles are on.

[blakesl8]

Thank you for the help. It's just really hard because I'm a junior in college and I meet new people all the time, and its so frustrating when it seems everyone comments on my eyes.

I never thought about getting tinted glasses, thats a good idea, I'll look into it.

My main doctor said I do I dry eyes, but it doesn't make sense sometimes because I don't feel like I do. I'll try the artificial tears though. Can you buy blink tears in the grocery store?

[Francesco]

I m in college too..get tinted lens and if someone asks say that you are having a problem with your eyes and lights bother you....thats what i've done for the last 6-7 years....I'm 24...it's hard I know how you feel.

[blakesl8]

Were you ever on OTC drops for rednesss at all? The tinted glasses thing is a good diea, I'm going to look into that. Have you done anything where you've notice improvement in your eyes?

[tim-carroll@comcast.net]

I got my on eyeglasses.com - picked out some cool frame, etc - they are quick to ship and return if you have issues

I wear them occasionally at work if I have a bad day

[NancyH]

Stop using constrictor drops,wear sunglasses outdoors ,keep using your preservative free dry eye drops.BUT the best thing I have found for red eyes is ice.I also had dry eyes,tried everything,flaxseed,hot compresses,humidifier etc etc.For the last week I have ditched it all out of frustration and now sleep with a gauze soaked in iced water on each eye(bowl of iced water in an ice filled small esky)If I wake and the gauze is off, I just dip it back into ice water ,squeeze and reapply.I usually put in a dry eye drop before bed then put the gauze on.My eyes have just improved over the last week.Hope this helps Nancy

[sanna]

Tim,

Did you just stoped with the "get the red out of your eyes eyedrops" and 3 mounts later your eyes were better???
Did you have red blood vessels in your eyes before? I stoped with every eyedropp 2 weeks ago, and i have one blood vessel that has now became blue in the morning and the others are still red.

[beachblanketbingo]

It took me a long time to get better - I wore the glasses for over 6 months before my eyes felt better - It has been almost 2 years now without the OTC and my eyes are better - I rarely needs the tear drops - I do have lower plugs -

So for those out there - there is hope - these days you can contact me at
timothy_carroll@yahoo.com

[Judy]

Hi Blakesl8,

Yes, I agree with others, stop the constricter "get the red out" eyedrops immediately. It is hard to do because for a few minutes, they make your eyes look better, but after 2 or 3 months, I think you will be much happier. As most everyone has mentioned, keep using the preservative free eyedrops for moisturizing. I was hooked on the constricter eyedrops for 20 years. Then a dr finally told me they were a big part of my whole problem!!! I've got other issues too, but I think you should take this simple step first, then see how things go. And buy those tinted eyeglasses if it helps make you feel better! Good luck and keep us appraised!:D

[blakesl8]

Thank you...I think I'm going to really try to stick with ditching those drops this time. I'm going to go out soon and buy some tinted glasses...I just can't take the redness and after affects anymore!

[sanna]

blakes18,

I don´t know but maybe there is a change in my eyes now when I´m not useing any eyedrops or maybe it´s just in my head. Let me know how it goes for you.

Timothy,

It´s good to know that there is hope, maybe one day my eyes will look better

[beachblanketbingo]

I know I had a long road - then to top it off, once my eyes were better - my teeth and mouth starting bothering me - then I had to go through the whole sjogrens testing - which came back negative - but I am still going to a rheumatoligist at the end of the month - I have no aches or pains - my eyes are not bad - but now my mouth is dry - Ain't life grand

[sanna]

sorry think i wrote the same thin twice

[Aaron77]

Alphagan P seems to make my eyes very white, however it does irritate them slightly and it may also make the red eye worse in the long wrong. Not sure about this stuff as I've only used it a few times.

[Norm1966]

In early Oct 08 after a recent move into our home we brought over all of the things out our medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Unfortunatly for me they were allergy drops that were over 6 years old. It was late and I may have used them instead of the new ones I had purchased. Well I then flushed it under the tub faucet. The next day the left eye was red, then it became itchy, then the burning. It burned for a few secs after I flushed it. Can expired allergy drops that I later saw had black spots on the outer part cause this effect. I must have been to 5-6 eye doctors and been on every drop known to man. The really harsh ones were the gel drops. Made me eye look and feel awful. It sent me into much anxiety and depression. I hated the way it feels and looks. The last Doctor finally did the test for tears. He said neither eye makes a lot of tears. I did restasis and Doxy for about 2-3 months. I've been off both now for almost a month. It still feels and looks bad at times, but funny how its not as bad right now. Sometimes not fooling with it as much helps. It has changed me. I don't like to look at myself in the mirror. I'm only 42 and it has affected my life. I'm not social because of it. PLEASE take care of you reyes you only get one set. I feel that I messed up badly or maybe it was from all the stress I had been under, but it stinks...Any advice on the drops or anything would be greatly appreciated. I hate what this did to me.

[blakesl8]

Hi,
I know what it's like to be not social. And I'm worried that I did this to myself and my eyes will be like this forever and I'm only 21. The best thing that has helped me is that I started using pataday once a day, which helped me get off those bad red relievers, and then I stoped using pataday and just use the preservative free lubricant drops. I agree with you, I feel what has helped me the most is just not fooling around with my eyes and putting things in them. I try to only use the preservative free drops when I have to. Ever since I stopped using those red drops, my eyes have gotten a little better. While my eyes are red throughout the day, theyre not aweful, and they don't hurt as much. I jsut hope with time things will get better. Just surround yourself with people who love you for you, I think that's really helped me.

[Pati]

Blakes18.

Have you though about IPL? I just had my first treatment and like you my eyes had been consistently red for 2 years. I also have MGD & rosacea but it may be worth a consultation if you have exhausted others.

I have been in and out of dr.'s offices for 2 years now and I am hoping that the IPL treatments work for me. (try a search for IPL here)