LymeNet Flash: DRY EYE ATTACKS

This is topic DRY EYE ATTACKS in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by daystar1952 (Member # 3255) on :

Ever since I've had lyme I have very bad spells of dry eye attacks. It's like all of a sudden something gets squeezed or closed off and the tears can't get through. Sometimes I can't keep my eyes open. 6 months ago I was being treated for babesia and lyme and the dry eye stuff was much better. Then after going off the babesia treatment but staying on the lyme treatment, the eyes have gotten worse again....gunky crusty stuff too. Just wondering if anyone has correlated babesia with the dry eye problem?

Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :

I have these also. Having one now and it is really a pain. Makes my eyes sting and feel tired all the time, even when closed! Had this several years ago, then it went away or mostly away. Now back. Curses. Using eye drops, but not getting great relief.

Not sure about my babs status, hoping it might be gone after several treatments. So, I am more inclined to think it is lyme, not babs. I also have intermittent spells of hair loss. Have been thru six or seven of these.

Posted by henson2 (Member # 463) on :

Hi,

I don't have what you're referring to, but I did get very dry eyes when I was studying for my Generals at university. I basically read for 10-12 hours a day (pre-Lyme days) and didn't blink.

When they did a dry-eye test at the eye doctor's I cried with pain because I couldn't make tears.

There were a few products that really helped me. They are things called Refresh, and something else (trying to remember) called Just Tears.

Drops you put in your eyes that is the same thing as tears. It made a HUGE difference in how my eyes felt.

Hope it will help you!

Warm wishes to feel better.

Posted by bpeck (Member # 3235) on :

I used 'Terramycin eye ointment' while I was
going thru Lyme abx treatment (and my eyes got worse while on abx). Polymyxin B and tetracycline ointment.

Pfizer makes this ointment - and it's sold as a veterinary procduct in the USA but it is FDA approved for human use, and is sold
in the developing countries for people.

It was very effective ( I used at nighttime
for about 5 months) and my eye doc approved it's use (although I did get it from my Vet.)

Barb

Posted by Corinne E (Member # 4670) on :

My glaucoma specialist advised me to use several products each day. Using just one product per day is not effective nor helpful over the long term. He says there are 7 different kinds of fluid in the eye.

I use Refresh Plus by Allergan during the day, I can use it several times a day. At bedtime I use Celluvisc (a thicker gel but still drops workers better but is harder to see with) by Allergan. A lot of people actually sleep with their eye lids open just a little, so this gel provides night-long protection.

Because of glaucoma, and some very unusual lyme eye symptoms, I really need these drops to function and to keep glaucoma and inflammation at bay, especially with the allergy season here now.

Corinne

Posted by daystar1952 (Member # 3255) on :

Thanks so much everyone for the great advice. I have wondered about some sort of antibiotic foor the eye. I will look all this stuff up. Thanks again

Margie

Posted by monkeyshines (Member # 6406) on :

I have this problem too. It was actually one of my earliest signs of illness. Since I also had body pain, my opthalmologist thought I might have Sjogren's.

Anyway, it's always been bad but lately has gotten to where I almost can't stand it anymore. There doesn't seem to be any amount of drops or combination of brands that helps.

I'm seeing the eye doc tomorrow, and will report if I learn of anything new and interesting.

monkeyshines

Posted by Nal (Member # 6801) on :

I too get dry eye from time to time so I definatel feel your pain! The one product that helped me the most was the Refresh Plus that was mentioned on here. I really thought it was the most helpful for my situation. I hope your eyes are able to find some relief soon.

Nancy

Posted by Kara Tyson (Member # 939) on :

You can have plugs put in. I know people who have had that done without a problem.

Posted by aliyalex (Member # 6976) on :

Interesting. This was my vert first symptom 18 years ago. My eyes were dry only at night or when I got very tired. When I went for an eye exam then, the opthalmologist looked into my eyes and asked if I had RA or lupus in my family. The answer was no, but it really scared me as I was just around 30. My neurologist tested me for Sjogren's, too, but it was negative.

Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :

My first time around with this, I went to ophamologist, who suggested plugs in tear ducts. Had an appt. made to do it but then someone who had gone to the same doc said he had plugs, went to ER to have removed because something didn't work out right. Can't remember what, maybe allergy to the material. Someone else said the plugs later fell out.

So, I cancelled out, didn't do the plugs. Fortunately the dry eye problem eased off not long after. Sure hope it does so this time.

Posted by Lymelighter (Member # 5310) on :

I have this and yet I tested - fo ANA and Sjogrens. LLMD said bb can effect the tear ducts. I was going to try plugs but was told they can be uncomfortable.

I've been using those pricey Sustain drops with transient results.

The PM drops are greasy and I put them in at night as they blur my vision.

Anyone try Restasis? It's a Cyclosporine, which is an immunosuppresant so I was loath to try it.

[This message has been edited by Lymelighter (edited 21 April 2005).]

Posted by richtersl (Member # 2554) on :

quote:
Originally posted by henson2:
...There were a few products that really helped me. They are things called Refresh, and something else (trying to remember) called Just Tears.
Drops you put in your eyes that is the same thing as tears. It made a HUGE difference in how my eyes felt.
Hope it will help you!
Warm wishes to feel better.

That product would be "Refresh Liquigel". It's an excellent product and it's non-prescription. It's for moderate to severe dry eye.

They also make something called "Refresh Plus" which comes in a package of little vials.

Linda

[This message has been edited by richtersl (edited 21 April 2005).]

Posted by Lymester (Member # 5848) on :

Daystar,

I was planning on the lasik procedure in Jan04 up until the pre-testing of 3 hrs with tests,dilation and drops. I never had the eye problem until after that day. This was my 1st experience. I had blurry vision, dry-painful eyes, darting eyes, saw halos around everything. I ended up doing abx and nixing the lasik.

Posted by Lymester (Member # 5848) on :

oops, brain fog, forgot to say that I ended up using the Systane ($$$) drops that they wanted me to use for the lasik.

Posted by monkeyshines (Member # 6406) on :

Just went to opthalmologist today. She said that while lyme can cause inflammation, my dry eye problem (which has gotten very severe) is caused by rosacea (which, on my face, actually isn't very bad).

She did give me an Rx for Restasis, but said it only works in about 20% of cases (and that it's very expensive). Since I have prescription coverage, and I'm pretty desperate, I'm going to give it a try.

She also said to use Celluvisc at night. Personally, I dislike it and all "thick" eye drops, as they just make the grit feel much worse to me. But I wanted to pass that on.

She also told me to put warm wet compresses across my eyes twice a day for ten minutes, and to wash my eyes each a.m. with a dilute solution of baby shampoo.

The compresses are to help 'open up the blocked glands' that cause the reddening of skin and dry eyes, but perhaps could help with dry eyes in general? I forgot to ask.

Not sure if that will help anyone whose problem isn't ocular rosacea (if in fact, she's right), but there you are!

monkeyshines

forgot to add ... if you live somewhere dry or in winter, she said always run a humidifier!

[This message has been edited by monkeyshines (edited 21 April 2005).]

Posted by AZURE WISH (Member # 804) on :

Actaully since I have started treatment for lyme I have had dry eye issues...
My eye dr...who I think is a really good eye dr. said it was because of the meds I'm taking (for lyme)

I used to wear contact lenses and never had a problem and I had lyme for 13 years before I was treated so I tend to believe him.

I use Refresh Plus (my eye dr. said that was a good kind) eyedrops .... I like them because they come in use once and throw away vials ...very sterile.

my eye dr had prescribed some drops but they made my eyes just randomly tear.... so I had to stop them.

Best wishes