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!

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.)

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.

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.

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.

quote:

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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.

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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

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.

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!

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.