Dry eye

[Karen]

Can anyone give me some ideas of what kind of eye  gels and drops they use.  My doctor says to buy the preservitve free kind.  I have been using eye ointment Refresh PM four times a day.  He says I can try weaning off it during the days and using drops or gel if I want to have my gold weight taken our and a lighter one put in. Has anyone had a lighter weight put in or theirs taken out?  My eye is numb and that makes things worse.  Karen

[Raydean]

You could ask your eye doctor for samples this way you could try a few different kinds without it being costly.

I personally like Systane lubricant eye drops, other brands include Genteal, ( Gee it's alittle past three AM and I haven't had my coffee yet, can't think)  Other posters will provide addition brands of products.

Don't buy the kind that "gets the red" out.  They will actually make things worse,. 

Systane can be found in most drugstores, Wal-Mart and Costco.

best to you
Raydean

My husband has dry eye due to his AN tumor and facial paralysis.  I have dry eye due to age and other fasctors.  We both use Systane, just different bottles. 

[amymeri]

I use Theratears gel drops for times when I need more moisture, Bausch and Lomb P.M. lubricant for nights (like Lacrilube) and I use sterile saline for general use.  Anything with preservative is really hard on my eyes.

[daylilly]

Karen,
The Acoustic Neuroma Association sells a publication titled "Eye Care After Acoustic Neuroma Surgery", which
I found very helpful. Sue

[Hazelannb]

Hi.  I like the Refresh Tears by Allergan - but the best thing I ever did for dry eye was punctal plugs.  Your eye doctor can tell you about them and show you what they look like.  They look like little beads that they put in the tear duct to plug it up.  What little tears you get stay in your eye longer.  It's not perfect as sometimes there's too much tearing so you have to dab them away with a tissue.  But, too many tears feels much better than too few!  The best thing about the plugs is that they are not permanent.  As time went on, my eye produced more tears so I didn't even need them any more.  I stopped having to do drops all through the day.... now I just use drops at night!  Good luck!

[Jeanlea]

I'm thinking that punctal plugs don't work if you have no tears at all.  I had my eye checked and I produce no tears on my own.  I've been using liquigel.  I put it in every 3-4 hours and it's working fine.  At night I use the PM  Refresh Eyes which is an ointment. 

Jean

[luv2teachsped]

Hi Jean:  You're right!  Plugs didn't help.  My eye Dr. also said, what little tears I had were poor quality. He said they were oily, probaly due to the night lube.The plug really irritated my eye, as he had to enlarge my tear duct to even get the plug in.  I have also been on Restasis for the past 2 mo. without any difference.I need to get back to Dr. before my back surgery to check if it is worth putting Restasis drops in my eye.  The Restais makes your eye burn, like I need that!  Oh, by the way Jean, I'm teaching second grade next year, as my surgeon recommended I get out of special ed.  I've never taught gen. ed but I am beginning to get excited about the change!   After 25+ years in spec. ed.   Take Care-luv2teachsped 

[Jeanlea]

Luv2teach,

You must have feeling in your eye.  Nothing feels bad in mine.  lol  Back surgery this summer now, too?   Hope it goes well for you.  I think that you will enjoy 2nd grade.  They are at a great age.  Your special ed background will also help.  I'm moving to 4th grade next year.

Jean

[sunshine16]

I like Systane and Refresh PM combine day and night many, many times, several times during the day.  My left eye just gets dry very

easy..  it must be the Las Vegas dry weather.

[Joef]

part of me likes all this rain we are getting in the northeast... I went fishing yesterday .. in the rain ... I went all day without drops ..

[Zokess]

Has anyone else suffered cornea damge from dry eye related to facial paralysis on the AN side?  My left eye doesn't close completely, and doesn't blink on it's own anymore.  My eye doc doesn't believe the gold weight thing works and instead put a plain contact lens in my eye to help disperse moisture over my eye.  The contact lens has made a huge difference, especially when used with eye drops, but it is taking forever to heal.  Originally my eye doc thought my cornea flap (I had laser eye surgery a few years prior to my AN surgery) was damaged from my dry eye, then he told me it was my eye lashes rubbing on my cornea doing the damage.  He finally tried the contact lens after two or three months of "wait and see", but now 4 or 5 monts of wearing this contact lens, my eye doesn't seem to be doing much better.  it still gets very dry and is super sensitive to any air movement and bright-light.

Anyone with similar eye problems?

[tony]

I am 12mths post OP, my tear function does work
(but the eye/close/open blink mode does not work)
 and  I still am on a regular routine.
One night time application of a quite greasy lubricant,
clean out in the morning, then 1-3 applications through the day
of another clear gel like lubricant.
Special cloths and (medically) clean water are provided for the cleaning regime
Golden rule here : If you feel discomfort - get it cleaned.
It is usually a spare lash come adrift - or dust of some sort.
Also  I wear sunglasses as often as possible
as  much for the wind protection as the sun.
Winter mths I plan to get some clear glasses (non-corrected(
- just to keep the wind/dust/rain out.
Its all a pain - but it is necessary.
If there is anything there you dont currently do
ask this forum - they will know the local names for the medication.
Best Regards
Tony

[DeniseSmith]

Hi,and happy 4th to you all....

I had some scratches on my cornea after my initial surgery and prior to getting my platinum weight.  While my eye still does not blink all the way even with the weight, I would need a heavier weight, then my eye lid would sag.   I can close it all the way when i sleep and it feels good.  i still use drops throughout the day and lacrilube at night only.  I was told my eye dr. that the while the contact lense was an option, he did like it, because you can still get dust between it and your eye, causing more damage could be done to my cornea.  Since i have had the weight (7 months now), I have had no issues with cornea damage, and the scratches that were there have healed. 

  I also have sensitivity to the sun in my left eye and wear sunglasses whenever i am outside.  Since the AN surgery my eyesight in my left eye has suffered I have double vision when i use both eyes and blurriness when i only use my left eye. So I now have eye glasses with a prism on the left lense, which corrects the double vision.

I agree with Tony about the way he keeps his eye clean, i follow a similar regimen.  And yes its a pain, but i don't want anything else to happen to my eye.  it has been through enough!

Denise

[CoachC]

Gotta love Systane

[Joef]

I never leave home without it ... I might need a fix!

http://www.systane.com/