Dry eye relief

[Lisa Peele]

Most of us that have been through surgery deal with dry eye/s to some degree.  Mine is mild.  I used the drops they gave me in the hospital twice a day for about the first month and at night I used a gel.  After the first month, I only needed drops at the end of the day, and I stopped using the gel altogether.  Since then, I've been using Nature's Tears EyeMist (you can get it almost anywhere).  It's a spray form of preservative-free tissue-culture grade water.  Now I keep bottles of the eye mist  in my car, purse, medicine cabinet and by the computer in case my eyes feel dry (I don't use it regularly, just as needed, but I love this stuff...it's so refreshing).

Mild to severe...what has anyone else found that works?

[Pembo]

My eye is still stuck open. I use Lacrilube all day and at night. I only need it about 4x's a day however it causes blurriness. I used to cross-stitch and now I can't because of the vision.

Any other suggestions?

[alwaysanonymous]

ask a doctor about getting a gold weight inserted into your eyelid to help keep your eyelid weighted down so you might be able to blink

[Raydean]

There is also a eye spring ( can't remember the word. but it begins with P")  It was discussed at the last ANA symposium in LA.  I believe a Doctor Levine specializes in it.  The spring was featured in the quarterly ANA notes awhile back.  Maybe the National ANA Office in Georgia could assist you in locating the article or maybe a reader has one.   I also believe that Dr Levine gave a workshop on the complications and dry eye at the symposium.  This being the case there should be a tape of it.
Again the main office in Georgia would be able to assist you in obtaining a copy.

Best to All
Raydean

[evelyne vandersand]

I also do not have tears in the surgery side. The drops were not helping much as they were going trouht the tears duct too fast. Doctor Levine put 2 plastic plugs in the tears ducts and that has been very helpful. It does not hurt at all and I do not fill them. Drops can stay in my eye and now, the plug are enough most of the time.
   Good luck
       Evelyne

[wanderer]

I like celluvisic during the day.   I am on and off again on the Lacrilube at night.    Refresh tears for good days when I'm able to wear my contact on that side.

[pstressel]

I had my surgery in Jan 2002.  My facial nerve was damaged and left the right side of my face partially paralyzed.  The worst part is the dry eye.  I have contemplated getting the spring, there happens to be a doctor here in MI that learned from Dr. Levine the technique and has done many of them successfully.  I'm just not sure.  Anyway, i just wanted to let you know what helps me the most.  My husband made me a patch using the lens from some sunglasses.  He drilled two small holes in either side and i attatched some elastic string.  He bought some weather seal and trimmed it up and cut it to size and stuck it on patch so that when i wear it it seals in the moisture.  It is absolute heaven!  I can usually go all day without it, but sometimes late at night or on windy days it gets really irritated, so i just put patch on and it relieves it in no time!  Yes, i may look like a pirate, but the relief it offers is well worth it!  I hope this helps someone else.  If you have any questions as to how to make it feel free to email me. 

[Becky]

Your doc can prescribe something called a moisture patch, which is similar to what you describe.  I received one the day they took me out of ICU and moved me to my recovery room.  I didn't care what it looked like because it worked GREAT.

Becky

[iowaboy]

Your doc can prescribe something called a moisture patch, which is similar to what you describe.  I received one the day they took me out of ICU and moved me to my recovery room.  I didn't care what it looked like because it worked GREAT.

Becky

What does it look like and where can I get it? I use cellophane at night, taped on. I helps but my eye still hurts in the am when I wake up. I use the Lubrifresh P.M. ointment at night too. I use Refresh Liquigel during the day, which is great (suggested by another AN person that contacted me through this forum).

If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate them!! Thanks in advance.

[welchy]

I am five weeks post-op, and my eye is still very bloodshot.  Is that normal?

I can blink, but not close it tight.  In most cases does the eye eventually close tight on it's own, or will some type of surgery be more likely?

[Becky]

Hi.  I think you should see an Ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

Becky

[heyyouconnie]

I hate this dry eye. I could deal with my face all droopy but please give me back my eye. I use celluvisic all the time during the day. I keep a patch over it too when I drive or outside in the wind. The part I hate is the lack of depth perception, and poke myself with the darn eye dropper. It hurts so much. I try and put the drops in on the sides of by eye, but man, if I hit it, ohhhhh. I hate the idea that most of the world is blurry now too. But it is what it is. What else can I do.........

[bluestar]

I hate this dry eye. I could deal with my face all droopy but please give me back my eye. I use celluvisic all the time during the day. I keep a patch over it too when I drive or outside in the wind. The part I hate is the lack of depth perception, and poke myself with the darn eye dropper. It hurts so much. I try and put the drops in on the sides of by eye, but man, if I hit it, ohhhhh. I hate the idea that most of the world is blurry now too. But it is what it is. What else can I do.........

I put drops in the inside corner of the closed eye ( and then open it). This warms the drops up as well. It also works with ointments.

I have had a blurry eye for 20 months and now have to put in drops in every hour for the dry eye. It is so tiring to have something wrong with your eye.

Hope this helps you a little.

Bluestar

[welchy]

I only put the lube in my eye when I'm looking in the mirror.

[welchy]

Along with being dry, my eye doesn't blink properly.  Has anybody out there recoverred from that?  If so, what was the time frame?  I'm getting the impression that this is a permanent side effect?  My left eye looks like it had a bad Botox experience.