My Journey with dry eye

My Journey with dry eye

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11 Comments
by
glenda
, 20-Jun-2012 at 20:45 (687 Views)
The Beginning.
In the last 2 months I have been to the opthlamologist and my family doctor 12 times. It is really unbelievable. For most of my life I have only ever been to the doctor once a year and to the optometrist once every 2 years. The exception to this is when I was pregnant with my children of which I have three.
I first noticed that I was having a difficult time watching tv last summer. I would sit and squint at the tv and it felt as if my eyes were all gummy. I thought it was an allergy so I bought some allergy drops and would put them in my eyes whenever I thought about it.(which wasn't often) I noticed that the drops really burned my eyes when I used them. It wasn't pleasant so that probably also led to me not using them. I know my mother, who is 82, would tell me to stop squinting when we were sitting talking. I never really noticed myself. I just gave up watching tv, which I hardly ever did anyway.

By January, I was having difficulty at work. I went to see my doctor and she referred me to an opthlamologist. He just said I had dry eye and half of the population of the city had the same thing, so just put some drops in when they were sore.

In February he sent me for an ultrasound on my eyes as he thought I was at risk for acute angle glaucoma. That was scary, because I was getting headaches.
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Comments

  1. jads's Avatar
    Hi Glenda, as an older - but still young! - woman, I would highly recommend having your hormones checked - specifically estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.
  2. glenda's Avatar
    What would that show? I have gone through menopause so I know my hormonal levels have changed. Does it make a difference to dryeye. I refuse to take HRT because of the side effects.
  3. jads's Avatar
    It can do, very much yes. It's not a coincidence that older women are often the ones most affected by dry eyes. I've PM'd you with some more information. :-)
  4. Becky's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by jads
    It can do, very much yes. It's not a coincidence that older women are often the ones most affected by dry eyes. I've PM'd you with some more information. :-)
    This doesn't make sense. I'm 66 years old and went through my menopause 16 years ago and have had dry eyes for less then 2 year. When I hear an excuse made like homonal changes in older women it upsets me as 20 year olds get dry eyes. What is the reason for them.
  5. glenda's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Becky
    This doesn't make sense. I'm 66 years old and went through my menopause 16 years ago and have had dry eyes for less then 2 year. When I hear an excuse made like homonal changes in older women it upsets me as 20 year olds get dry eyes. What is the reason for them.
    Hi Becky,

    I know that in some women hormonal changes seem to cause dry eyes. As you get older, you do not make as many tears as you did when you were in your twenties. Mine began after I went through menopause. My optho says my tear production is minimal and of poor quality. Even when I cry my eyes are only moist and sting like crazy. Calgary is also, believe it or not, extremely dry due to its altitude and dry winds. Younger people do get dry eye. Some from laser surgery and others from the environment, whether it is brought on by an allergic reaction to something or an autoimmune disease.

    I know it doesn't make sense as to why some are affected and others not. The best thing to have is a positive attitude and a willingness to make the best of your situation. It is difficult at times, especially when you have to wear goggles outside of the home like myself, and can no longer drive. I am able to still be at work, although some days are difficult. Usually by the time I get home I am done. No tv, no reading, just closing my eyes with warm compresses. Although a combination of restasis and bion tears gets me through most days. Hopefully advances will be made in the future to help with the production of tears that stay on the eye for more that 2 sec, which is part of my problem. Take care
  6. glenda's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by jads
    Hi Glenda, as an older - but still young! - woman, I would highly recommend having your hormones checked - specifically estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.
    I have talked to my doctor re: hormone check. They said it is possible but not easily done. Your homones are not constant. It takes several measurements over several days for any accurate measurement. Otherwise you are only getting info on the hormones for that minute. Hormones vary throughout the day.
  7. farmgirl's Avatar
    Honestly Glenda, I have been on bioidentical hormones for 15 years now with no problems. My Dr. who used to do an annual blood test and never changed my Rx retired and closed the clinic where I went in Calgary. The next guy (natural healer type) that I could find who prescribed bioidenticals in Calgary charged me $1700 and then wanted to repeat the same stuff all over again in 4 months. Yikes! I next went to a nautropath who was cheaper and discovered that 'Dr. Arrogant' was giving me 5X more progesterone than I should be on and 1/2 as much estrogen as I needed. So much for the 'expert'. In all my 15 years my hormones were never so screwed up. With all his fancy measuring he didn't come close to getting it right. Needless to say I am pissed and looking for a better Dr.

    It is possible and it is easily done and if I have to keep paying so much I might just quit the whole thing and hope for the best. In spite of all this I developed dry eye 4 years ago due to Sjogren's so hormones are not necessarily going to be the answer to your prayers. I might just as well cough up the $1500 for lipiflow it would probably help me more....F/G
  8. glenda's Avatar
    Farmgirl, I guess as I get older I have become more accepting of what life throws at me. I am off for a week as I fell and broke one wrist and badly sprained the other. One finger typing anyone? I go to the university teaching clinic for my medical advice as my family doctor is also an instructor at the faculty of medicine. I am glad the hormones worked for you. I could go on HRT but my mother had serious problems with them, so I'll skip it. As for lipiflow, my optho said that my glands are working fine for that. Anyway on Monday I go to the surgical center for the cauterization of my upper punctals. I'm nervous, but hopeful that it will be beneficial as I cannot get plugs to stay in my eyes for longer than 3 weeks. Hopefully you find a doctor who is able to help you. I know in this city it can be difficult.
  9. farmgirl's Avatar
    Hi Glenda: Hope the cautery went well and you don't look too badly beaten up.

    I don't do synthetic hormones only natural ones. The natural hormones don't have side effects as they are bioidentical to your own hormones. Is there any way I can get my hormones checked and prescribed at the University teaching clinic? Can just anyone go there? Are they checking your eyes there and who is your optho?

    Sorry lots of questions...F/G
  10. glenda's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by farmgirl
    Hi Glenda: Hope the cautery went well and you don't look too badly beaten up.

    I don't do synthetic hormones only natural ones. The natural hormones don't have side effects as they are bioidentical to your own hormones. Is there any way I can get my hormones checked and prescribed at the University teaching clinic? Can just anyone go there? Are they checking your eyes there and who is your optho?

    Sorry lots of questions...F/G
    Farmgirl,
    The cautery went okay. He doesn't know how it will work, as he couldn't put the rod into the punctum, only tried to close the top. Actually I had no bruising and the "event" wasn't as traumatic as I thought it would be. My Optho is Dr. Goel, from the Calgary eye clinic up at Sunridge.
    The U clinic I go to is on the 8th floor of the Sheldon Chumir Center. They were taking patients a while ago, but I do not know if they still are. Do the hormones you take come from your own body or are they made in a lab? Do they help your eyes? I am sure you could put your name on a list there. What do the hormones do for you? I am curious as I am finished with menopause and had no issues except this dry eye and perhaps osteopenia/osteoporosusThey are checking for me.
    glenda
  11. farmgirl's Avatar
    I started on natural progesterone because in my mind that is a must. Then I went to tri-est (now they use bi-est) to deal with the hot flashes after I had exhausted all other treatments like wild yam, black kohosh and primrose oil. i did use testosterone for a while (five years) but was starting to look more like my father than my mother (receding hairline, hairy arms and legs) so I quit that. I now take a testosterone support supplement that the naturopath recommended in lieu of. The hormones do not come from my own body as I am not making them hence my need to supplement.

    Here is a website that might answer your questions better than I can:

    http://www.mybioidenticalhormones.co...es_ingredients

    Hope the cautery 'took'...F/G