How do I know if I have dry eyes due to a lack of tears or a wrong composition of oil, water and mucus?
My eye "specialist" told me there's no test to find that out, but I think that's just a lame excuse!
How do I know if I have dry eyes due to a lack of tears or a wrong composition of oil, water and mucus?
My eye "specialist" told me there's no test to find that out, but I think that's just a lame excuse!
*bump my post*
Dry Eye Patient
Find another doctor who will treat dry eyes instead of ignore you.
Don't trust any refractive surgeon with YOUR eyes.
The Dry Eye Queen
Hello Lucy,
thank your very much for your reply and health and happiness to you.
I have been to FOUR different eye doctors within the past few weeks since my symptoms got worse. None of them were too helpful. All of them said they can't do more than they did. All of them said there is no underlying inflammation somewhere. I was tested for bacterial and viral infections as well as fungi.
I went to general practitioner and had my blood tested to see if my thyriod was involved or if there was any other underlying problems. But my values were "perfect".
This month, I started taking BioTears (dietary supplement for dry eyes), Tears Again (liposomal eye spray) and Optive (artificial tears). I hope their effect will start to become obvious within the next few weeks.
I also started meditation, gratitude, forgiveness, acceptance and compassion. Furthermore, I purposefully smile a lot. I do that because I believe that the mind has a strong impact on your body and that positive emotions are conducive to one's health.
Other than that, I wonder if I should go to an expert (about 500 miles away) or to an alternative healer.
Somebody on this board must be able to answer this question. Please!
Dry Eye Patient
Hi there, Unfortunately I don't have an answer for you either but just wanted to let you know that I have also been to several specialists and many doctors about my dry eyes and have never been told anything significant at all either. (I am going to try yet another doc next month and am going to try to pin him down for specific answers.) Anyway, I just wanted you to know that what you've experieinced is not that unusual. My docs all just say that my eyes are super dry and leave it at that unfortunately.
Dry Eye Patient
Originally Posted by wetEyes
Hi
I wish I could add something positive but I can't.
When you refer to an `expert doctor', do you mean someone who has an interest in dry eye and considerable expertise in its treatment?
Alternative / complementary therapies might help but it's an individual thing. The only non-mainstream thing that has helped me is acupuncture. I go to see a practitioner when my coping levels are at a really low point and it manages to restore a bit of energy.
As much as I would like to have a smile on my face, sometimes it just isn't possible. However, when I feel my `inner resources' spiralling, I know I must take myself in hand. It's the time when I could do with a good cry - but it isn't an option.
Hello AlisonW, hello irish eyes!
Thank you very much for your replies and good health as well as happiness to you!
I have started reading the book "The Dry Eye Remedy: The Complete Guide to Restoring the Health and Beauty of Your Eyes". It contains more information than most "normal" eye doctors will ever tell you. It was written by an expert, an eye doctor who exclusively treats dry eyes. I can recommend it to both of you.
Also, I have written e-mails back and forth with a German dry eye expert. I contacted him after I have read one the studies he has conducted. On October 1st I have an appointment with him. No earlier date was possible. It is about 500 miles away.
In case you two suffer from evaporative dry eye (80% of dry eye sufferers do), a relatively new product named Tears Again (http://www.medicalsearch.com.au/Prod...id-Spray-23036) might help you. The study of the Prof. Dr. I contacted showes significant improvement after 1 month and major improvement after 6 months: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15499517
weteyes
hi there just read your post
have you tried tears again? i have evaporte dry eyes and wondering if this product is availble in the uk but is it the same as that clarymist spray? do you know
Dry Eye Patient
Hi again wetEyes
I have a copy of the book and I agree that it contains some good nuggets of information.
I didn't find the lipid sprays to be of much use I'm afraid although I know that some people report positively on them.
Do you mind me asking you about the studies conducted by the German doctor?
Danke vielmals!
I have been using Tears Again for 2 weeks now and don't feel an improvement so far. However, the study (see below) found that it takes a couple of MONTHS to get the real benefit.
Here you will find the information you are looking for:
Clinical Trials
Trial 1 – Proven effectiveness of Clarymist ™
Stringent Methodology
A study of 382 dry eye sufferers was performed in Stuttgart between August 2003 and May 2004 to test the effectiveness of Clarymist ™ eye spray – at that time marketed in Germany as Tears Again TM. The methodology for the trial was exceptionally stringent, being 'double blind', which means that neither the clinicians nor the volunteer users knew who was taking the real product and who was taking a placebo control. These precautions eliminate the common experimental errors of observer and subject bias, and assure highly reliable findings.
Clearly Demonstrated Effectiveness
At the end of the trial, parameters such as LIPCOF, BUT, and Schirmer were all significantly superior in the treatment group compared to the control group. Other effects included a remarkable reduction of 89.5% in inflammation of the margins of the eyelid. Questioning of the patients revealed a subjective perception of reduced symptoms in 72% of the cases. Also every patient was of the opinion that using Clarymist ™ eye spray is more straightforward and more pleasant than tear substitute eye drops.
Reference
These outstanding results achieved were published in the leading German Ophthalmic Journal. (Klin Monatsbl Augenheilkunde 2004;221: 825-836)
Trial 2 – Comparative trial demonstrates efficacy and usability
Positive comparison with eye gel
A further blinded crossover study compared Clarymist ™ eye spray with a triglyceride gel treatment that also addresses the tear film lipid phase. Parameters measured were almost identical to the first study.
The conclusions state that Clarymist ™ eye spray showed statistically significant clinical advantages over the triglyceride tear substitute on all the key measurements. In addition, 96% of the patients stated that they preferred the Clarymist ™ eye spray method of application to the gel system.
Reference
'Comparative study of the therapy of dry eye syndrome with artificial tear substitutes especially for the treatment of the disturbance of the lipid layer.’ Lee S., Dausch D., Dausch S. Klinikum St. Marien, Amberg
Please Note:
This product has been rebranded for the UK and Ireland and is called Clarymist ™
Dry Eye Patient
Hi again
I got hold of this product when it was first launched in the UK and tried it for a long enough period of time but it just didn't make any difference at all.
The expert you are going to see - is it one of the people who were involved in developing this product?
As far as I know he only conducted several studies about the medicine and has no financial or other ties to the producer.
Dry Eye Patient
Do you know of others he has helped?
No, I just "know" him because I read one of the studies he was involved in.
Moderator
wetEyes,
Your docs are sort of right. Lets take the most common tests and see what could be right or wrong.
Schirmer strip test for quantity of tears- If no antisthetic is used you get a lot of tears due to irritation. This would be a false negative. If you use an antistetic you lower the amount of tears you normally make so you get a false positive.
TBUT(Tear BreakUp Time)- This is generally ised to see how quickly your tears evaporate. Theoretically this gives an idea of lipid layer thickness. What if you have a low aqueous flow and a steep cornea? You would have low TBUT and theoretically a diagnosis of inadequate lipid layer, a false positive.
The doctor can do a dye test and see the dead epithelial cells (the outer cells of your cornea) and know that your mucin layer is thin. But is the mucin layer thin because of low goblet cells and is therefore the cause of the disease or is the mucin layer thin due goblet cell loss due to inflammation that was caused by anotehr reason, low aqueous or high evaporation.
What you really need is a doc who will listen to your symptons and find a treatment plan that helps you. Good luck. This is a journey.
Thank you indrep for your elaborate and knowledgable reply!
Dry Eye Patient
Is that so, if you use antisthetic you lower the amount of tears when you do the test? I did the test and the doctor said i had dry eye, but i do not feel dry at all! I only use drops at night. The doctor used antisthetic, now i know the test was not right.
About the tbut, can a person have low aqueous flow and great tbut?
Moderator
sanna,
It is possible for you to have low aqueous flow and a good TBUT. This could be caused by a heavy secretion of lipids(they regulate evaporation). Lipids in and of themselves in large quantities can be toxic to the ocular surface so it is unlikely this could go on for long period of time.
Dry Eye Patient
Thanks,
I was thinking that it has to be like that, but no doctor have ever told me.
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