My Restasis for Dry Eyes Journey
About 6 years ago I was diagnosed by an opthalmologist with Dry Eye Syndrome.
I had been using artificial tears in my eyes.
However, he told me to discontinue them and instead, to use Systane Balance moisturizing eye drops.
He inserted tear duct (ductal plugs, punctal plugs) in both my upper and lower tear ducts next to my nose.
After over 5 years, the lower plugs came out.
I managed to do fine with just the upper plugs and drops.
Then when I turned 61, my dry eye condition worsened.
I was examined by a board certified opthalmologist again who also performed various tests on my eyes.
One of the tests showed that the tears I was producing were lacking in quality and quantity.
The tears are made up of various substances and my tears were not very moisturizing.
He concluded that the only reason I was suffering from dry eyes was due to aging.
Additionally, my work requires my use of a computer and reading small text on paper documents 40 hours a week, so this puts an additional strain on the eyes.
The opthalmologist told me that when we're reading and concentrating, we forget to blink because we are so mentally focused.
So the actual act of blinking is very beneficial for keeping the eyes moisturized and I put a reminder note on my computer monitor to "blink, blink, blink!"
I have suffered with the dry eyes for 1 1/2 years now.
It has affected my vision and made me pretty miserable.
I'm back to using the Systane Balance drops now not just once or twice but 5-6 times a day.
An optometrist inserted ductal plugs in the lower lids twice 4 months ago and the fell right out less than a week later each time.
I saw the opthalmologist in March and he prescribed Restasis eye drops to lubricate my eyes, which he told me I will have to use for the rest of my life.
He also prescribed a steroidal eye drop to help reduce inflammation which I am only taking for several months.
Yesterday I began the new therapy for dry eyes (Restasis + the temporary use of a steroidal eye drop).
The opthalmologist said the longer I use Restasis, the more effective it is in treatment of dry eyes.
In fact, he told me both he and his wife use it.
I am very hopeful that these new modalities of treatment for my dry eyes condition will resolve the issue.
I will periodically post updates on this blog to share with others the status of my condition as I continue this treatment.
p.s. I also have a ductal plug blog which I rarely update. Although the upper ductal plugs have remained in my upper inner tear ducts now for over 6 years, they just aren't enough to treat dry eyes. The opthalmologist told me that actually ductal plugs are more beneficial in the lower tear ducts rather than the upper ducts.
.
I had been using artificial tears in my eyes.
However, he told me to discontinue them and instead, to use Systane Balance moisturizing eye drops.
He inserted tear duct (ductal plugs, punctal plugs) in both my upper and lower tear ducts next to my nose.
After over 5 years, the lower plugs came out.
I managed to do fine with just the upper plugs and drops.
Then when I turned 61, my dry eye condition worsened.
I was examined by a board certified opthalmologist again who also performed various tests on my eyes.
One of the tests showed that the tears I was producing were lacking in quality and quantity.
The tears are made up of various substances and my tears were not very moisturizing.
He concluded that the only reason I was suffering from dry eyes was due to aging.
Additionally, my work requires my use of a computer and reading small text on paper documents 40 hours a week, so this puts an additional strain on the eyes.
The opthalmologist told me that when we're reading and concentrating, we forget to blink because we are so mentally focused.
So the actual act of blinking is very beneficial for keeping the eyes moisturized and I put a reminder note on my computer monitor to "blink, blink, blink!"
I have suffered with the dry eyes for 1 1/2 years now.
It has affected my vision and made me pretty miserable.
I'm back to using the Systane Balance drops now not just once or twice but 5-6 times a day.
An optometrist inserted ductal plugs in the lower lids twice 4 months ago and the fell right out less than a week later each time.
I saw the opthalmologist in March and he prescribed Restasis eye drops to lubricate my eyes, which he told me I will have to use for the rest of my life.
He also prescribed a steroidal eye drop to help reduce inflammation which I am only taking for several months.
Yesterday I began the new therapy for dry eyes (Restasis + the temporary use of a steroidal eye drop).
The opthalmologist said the longer I use Restasis, the more effective it is in treatment of dry eyes.
In fact, he told me both he and his wife use it.
I am very hopeful that these new modalities of treatment for my dry eyes condition will resolve the issue.
I will periodically post updates on this blog to share with others the status of my condition as I continue this treatment.
p.s. I also have a ductal plug blog which I rarely update. Although the upper ductal plugs have remained in my upper inner tear ducts now for over 6 years, they just aren't enough to treat dry eyes. The opthalmologist told me that actually ductal plugs are more beneficial in the lower tear ducts rather than the upper ducts.
.
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