Have you seen the TV ads with Jennifer Aniston describing her dry, itchy eyes and telling you to see an eye doctor about your Dry Eye symptoms?
It’s an interesting twist on the typical “ask your doctor about this new drug” ad. Because this ad never even mentions the drug.
Instead the campaign aims to raise awareness of Dry Eye by telling us to love our eyes, see our doctors, and talk to them about our symptoms.
Is Xiidra the revolutionary new miracle drug for Dry Eye?
We couldn’t agree more.
It’s incredibly important, if you’re suffering with Dry Eye symptoms, to see your doctor, because it’s literally impossible to diagnose your own specific Dry Eye condition. For one, you can’t see everything that’s going on unless you’re looking through a slit lamp. And you can’t always tell what’s going on just by what you feel. So for an accurate and comprehensive diagnosis, you need to see a really good eye doctor.
Visit the website that Jennifer Aniston talks about and you’ll learn that the campaign is sponsored by Shire, maker of Xiidra™ (lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5%). Shire announced on August 29, 2016 that the drug cleared FDA approval and would be available by prescription in the US.
Revolutionary new miracle drug for Dry Eye?
And what exactly is Xiidra? Is it the revolutionary new miracle drug for Dry Eye that so many of us hope for?
Xiidra is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory “prescription eye drop used to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.”
According to Shire, “the most common side effects of Xiidra include eye irritation, discomfort or blurred vision when the drops are applied to the eyes, and an unusual taste sensation (dysgeusia).” Side effects were reported at least 5 – 25% of the time.
Although Xiidra is not the same product as Restasis, we noticed some similarities, namely:
They’re not sure how or why it works: “the exact mechanism of action of lifitegrast in dry eye disease is not known.”
You may have to use it for a while before you see any benefit.
Enrollment criteria included, minimal signs (i.e., Corneal Fluorescein Staining (CFS) and non anesthetized Schirmer Tear Test (STT)) and symptoms (i.e., Eye Dryness Score (EDS) and Ocular Discomfort Score (ODS)) severity scores at baseline.
Note that “minimal signs” was an enrollment criteria, so there’s no indication from the study how the drops will work on someone with moderate or severe symptoms. And only non-anesthetized Schirmer tests were used. This test is usually used to screen for aqueous deficiency associated with Sjogren’s Syndrome (no tear production despite irritation) versus Schirmer with anesthetic, which tests for non-Sjogren’s aqueous deficiency. It’s not clear to us why they went with no anesthetic.
There are no results from a long-term or multi-year study. And since the drug was just released, there’s no post-marketing information — results from a large and diverse patient population.
The Xiidra product information sheet includes charts that show how well patients responded to the drug in the clinical trial. It takes a bit of detective work to tease out the information in the charts. (We would have preferred more details in the numbers, e.g.: how many benefited and how much, rather than one single number adding them all up). In any case, here’s what we found:
Eye dryness scores usually improved a little more with Xiidra than with the placebo.
Corneal staining scores usually improved a little more with Xiidra than with the placebo.
Only a little better than the placebo. Oh well. At least for some maybe there will be some improvement in symptoms.
Bottom line – Xiidra may help some people with mild symptoms somewhat, with a decent chance of having some side effect. But it’s probably not the revolutionary new miracle drug for Dry Eye that patients hope for. That’s because most of us are still facing a multi-factorial, chronic disease, that requires diligent and persistent care under the supervision of a qualified and experienced eye doctor.
So take Jennifer Aniston’s advice if you have Dry Eye symptoms. Love your eyes and see your eye doctor.
Hope — such a tiny word that carries so much weight, especially for those of us who suffer from chronic Dry Eye.
Susan Howell with her puppy, Bindi.
Hope is what we turn to as we face each new day. While it doesn’t always come easily, hope can give us the strength to endure this miserable disease, and never stop searching for new or more effective treatments… and maybe even someday a cure. But navigating a world with red, swollen, and painful eyes, struggling with the simplest tasks, robbed of the quality of life we once knew, can destroy any hope of ever feeling better.
My name is Susan Howell and I know about hope. My story is probably like that of so many others struggling with Dry Eye. Before I got it, I led a very active and social life. It was filled with promise. I was independent and could do whatever I wanted. Then, suddenly, everything came to a screeching halt as I succumbed — both physically and mentally — to the disease.
As my Dry Eye symptoms worsened, the revolving door of endless eye doctors left me angry, frustrated, and filled with disappointment. Hopelessness and despair became my new soul mates. Their emotional toll was steep. Anxiety, panic attacks, and massive depression rocked me to my core, leaving me unable to eat, sleep, or concentrate on anything. Emotionally depleted, with eyes in constant pain, and realizing I could not fight this alone, I took the advice of a friend who convinced me to surrender and seek medical help.
Susan Howell’s Hope Restored
Over the next six months, a wonderful primary care physician helped tame the crippling beast that raged inside me. While there was nothing he could do for my eyes, his treatment and compassion set me back on track emotionally. And with that, I was able to persevere and refocus on finding an eye doctor.
Susan Howell’s Story of Hope
After intense searching online, help came in an unexpected e-mail reply from Dr. Steven Maskin, an ophthalmologist in Tampa, Florida who specializes in the treatment of chronic Dry Eye disease. Dr. Maskin understood both my physical and mental pain, and aimed to bring comfort to my eyes. Over the course of five months under his care, my eye symptoms improved enough that my quality of life — something I thought was lost forever — was restored.
I realize hope can be hard to hang on to, and finding doctors who understand what a Dry Eye patient is going through is a task in itself. But recently I was able to travel alone to Virginia and New York to visit family and friends. Hope was with me then, securely tucked in my back pocket. And it’s still with me now.
As a community of Dry Eye sufferers, we must all remember that without hope — this little four letter word — we run the risk or losing ourselves and allowing the disease to rule our lives.
Many of you read our last blog post, Sue VandePanne’s Story of Hope, and some of you sent in questions. Sue answers some of these questions below.
Question from Walter:
Why do you say over and over again that we need to keep looking for a doctor if we have Dry Eye?
Sue’s Answer:
It’s important to look for a doctor who can diagnose all of your conditions and treat them. Although everyone with Dry Eye has some form of the disease, all of our specific conditions aren’t the same. If your specific set of conditions aren’t diagnosed, then you probably won’t be treating the conditions you have. And there are many conditions that only a doctor can diagnose and treat.
Sue VandePanne
Conjunctivochalasis (loosening and wrinkling of the clear tissue that covers the white part of the eye and the inner part of the eye lid) is one of these. You can’t see it in a mirror. And there’s no over-the-counter treatment.
Question from Elizabeth:
What condition does a wet contact lens treat? Does it hurt when you take them out or put them in?
Sue’s Answer:
It doesn’t hurt when I take the contacts out or put them in. I developed dry spots on one of my cornea so my doctor put in a bandage contact lens. That contact protected my eye from the environment and stayed in for two weeks. While it was in, I used antibiotic drops to prevent an infection. Because my eye felt much better with the bandage lens, my doctor suggested that I should try daily disposable contacts – the wettest available – to see if those would work for me long term. My optometrist suggested Dailies Total 1 because they have so much moisture in them. He said people that could never wear contacts can wear these. So nine months ago I started using them and they have been a life saver. There are days, especially when I’m outside, that my eyes still bother me. But I’m so much better overall.
It’s been twenty one months since I developed this horrible Dry Eye disease. Back then my symptoms were unbearable. My eyes were scratchy and gritty. I could hardly keep them open they hurt so much. It felt like I had foreign objects in my eyes. There were days I didn’t want to get up in the morning and I couldn’t wait to go to bed at night. Actually that was true on most days!
It all started two weeks after cataract surgery. I’d experienced severe eye pain for no apparent reason in past years. But it always went away after a few days. Not anymore. After seeing six eye doctors, I was scared this was going to be my new normal. It was hard just to keep searching for the right doctor. How do you keep searching for the right doctor when your eyes feel so bad? I even felt as if I was going to lose my sanity.
A Doctor Who Finally Helps
Although we live in Michigan, my husband and I are snow birds, spending our winters in Florida. So in January 2015, I was very lucky to find Dr. Steven Maskin in Tampa, just over an hour away from our winter home. He was the first doctor who understood my symptoms, diagnosed a variety of conditions, and knew what to do about them. The first thing he did was check for infections – which I had. He probed my meibomian glands, and with that I finally had some relief. He also cauterized my upper and lower tear ducts because my tear film was aqueous deficient. But I needed even more treatment. Because there were wrinkles and heavy red veining on the surface of my eyes I had surgery – amniotic membrane transplants – in both eyes.
Sue VandePanne
We ended up spending a hot summer in Florida as I underwent treatment. And for nine months I made weekly trips to Tampa. Although it was a long nine months, I was grateful to finally be in the care of a doctor who could help.
My meibomian glands were the biggest challenge. Although after probing they produced oil, the oil wasn’t making its way to the tear film. So I continued to experience discomfort and a variety of troublesome symptoms. But Dr. Maskin was not going to give up on me. He was determined to get me to a place where I would be comfortable. He gave me eye injections for inflammation and he used larger probes and dilated my meibomian glands to improve the flow of oil.
A Wet Contact Lens
In the fall of 2015 I wanted to return home to Michigan to see my family which I hadn’t seen in months. Dr. Maskin tried a bandage contact lens in my left eye, the worse of the two. When it helped tremendously, Dr. Maskin suggested that, while home in Michigan, I should find a doctor who could fit me for contacts – the wettest ones that are comfortable. The contacts would work as a bandage to protect my eyes.
A wet contact lens helped
At first I didn’t believe that contacts could improve my eye comfort. I had tried contacts when I was younger and my eyes just couldn’t handle them. So I didn’t think they would work now. But I decided to follow Dr. Maskin’s advice. It turns out the contacts are a life saver for me. I found a wonderful optometrist in Michigan who found a pair of contacts, Dailies Total 1, that would work for me. Because I have astigmatism, I still have to wear glasses to correct my vision. But now I put the contacts in first thing in the morning, and take them out when I go to bed each night. Thankfully my eyes feel normal and comfortable most days.
Although I don’t think much about my eyes anymore, certain environmental conditions can change that – sand or dust blowing in the air; riding a motorcycle or a motorboat. Going to the beach is still a bit concerning. But most of the time my eyes are pretty comfortable.
Keep Searching for the Right Doctor
I wanted to share my story because I know many of you are experiencing horrible symptoms and wondering if life will ever be normal again. All I can say is keep searching for the right doctor. They are out there. You just have to find them. I did. And now I function normally (mostly) and once again enjoy life. Yes, it took time and perseverance. And at times I never thought I would get better. But I did. I got much better.
Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix for Dry Eye. It takes time and energy to find the right doctor. And you have to make a commitment to stay the course and get better.
I truly believed my case was hopeless. I felt frustrated, desperate, and wasn’t sure for a few months if I even wanted to wake up in the morning. But…here I am writing this, feeling blessed. There are many treatment options out there for everyone with Dry Eye. Explore them all and hope for the best. Keep searching for the right doctor and you will find help. Nothing lasts forever!
Government and volunteer organizations can help with travel and transportation to your doctor.
Lately we’ve been getting a lot of questions about getting to and from medical appointments, because driving with Dry Eye can be really hard. Sometimes driving is completely impossible, but you still need to see your eye doctor. And sometimes your doctor is so far away that driving just isn’t an option.
The most obvious solution is asking for help from your family, friends, or neighbors.
As with the 24 hour vet near me, these policies typically itemize covered treatments, deductibles and lifetime or per illness maximums. The cost of a pet health insurance policy will vary based on the amount of coverage, the type of coverage, the species and age of the pet, and even what breed of animal.
But even when they want to help, life can get in the way and they just aren’t available to drive you there and back. And what happens if your doctor is hundreds of miles away or on the other coast? You still need to get there. But how?
Travel and Transportation Services
Travel and transportation issues are faced by many Dry Eye sufferers. Here are a few resources for patients in the U.S., where there are both government programs and volunteer organizations, that can help with travel and transportation.
Let us know about travel and transportation services in your area. We’ll share the information on our website. Write to blogger@notadryeye.org
1. Local Transportation
Door to door transportation services like New York City’s Access-A-Ride are available all over the U.S.
A program administered by the Federal Transportation Administration is available wherever public transportation services receive federal funding. You’ll need to contact your local public transportation service to learn if it’s available in your area. You may also need to undergo screening to qualify for the program. Note:
• You don’t have to be disabled to qualify.
• You can use this service for transportation anywhere within the service area, and not just for medical appointments.
• Once you qualify, you can use the service in any other location in the U.S., wherever it’s available.
• Door to door service is provided.
• The cost to passengers is usually minimal.
• Passengers can travel alone or bring others along for the same fare.
2. Medicaid
All states, territories, and the District of Columbia provide non-emergency medical transportation to Medicaid beneficiaries. Check your benefits or contact your Medicaid administrator for more information.
3. National Patient Travel Center
This non-profit organization provides referrals and information about charitable, long-distance, medically-related transportation.
Charities help patients with air travel.
For example, depending on your needs and qualifications, you may be referred to Mercy Medical Angels, a non-profit that provides ground and air transportation services and assistance.
4. Air Charity Network
Volunteer pilots, receiving no compensation for their services, provide transportation at no cost to passengers. Commercial and corporate aviation services are available. This non-profit is funded by donations from individuals, corporations, and other organizations that cover the costs of air travel.
Dry Eye symptoms can flare up periodically or persist for a prolonged period of time. Sometimes important and necessary treatments, like topical medications or surgery, trigger new types of discomfort. With proper care and treatment, all of these symptoms eventually subside and flare-ups can become less frequent.
During times of prolonged discomfort or sudden flare-ups, it can be difficult to find relief while waiting for treatments to take effect or healing. And when there is pain and other discomfort in the eyes, literally everything else recedes into the background. It can even be very difficult to just get through the day.
Some doctors prescribe anesthetizing drugs, like Lyrica, that can mask these symptoms. These drugs may help temporarily. But unless the underlying conditions are treated, symptoms will return. And masking symptoms will not only mask the symptoms from you, but from your doctors as well. Because if you can’t feel it, you won’t report it to your doctors. They won’t be able to treat what they don’t know about, especially if something changes or a new condition crops up. And that could be a problem.
Temporary relief can sometimes be achieved with distractions that direct the mind toward something other than the symptom. This works because the mind is able to really focus on only one thing at a time – whether it’s a sensation or a thought. The object of the mind’s focus will be the one that’s the most prominent, while everything else recedes into the background.
Here are four distractions to help you get through the day.
1. Hold an ice cube wrapped in cloth to your eyebrow or cheekbone.
The sensation of ice on the skin near your eyes is particularly helpful during acute episodes of pain or other discomfort. Here’s what you need.
• Ice cube
• Clean, thin cloth, like an old T-shirt
Hold an ice cube wrapped in cloth to your eyebrow or cheekbone.
Wrap one layer of the cloth around the ice cube. Hold the cloth, with the ice inside, to your eyebrow or cheekbone until you feel the coldness of the ice. Leave it there for a few seconds until your eye symptom subsides. Then pull it away. Keep touching the wrapped ice to different spots on your eyebrow or cheekbone as soon as you feel the symptom return.
The cloth shields your skin while absorbing the melting ice. You can try a paper towel, but the paper tends to rip when it gets wet. A thick cloth insulates the ice too much and you won’t feel the cold enough.
Never touch the piece of ice inside the cloth to your eyes, eye lids, or inside the eyes. Cold is the enemy of meibomian glands. It’s best to leave these glands at their normal temperature unless you’re doing a warm compress.
2. Eat something.
If you’ve noticed that your eyes feel better when you eat, you’re not alone. All of the sensations in the mouth – taste, temperature, texture – are great distractions that help to deflect focus from the symptoms in your eyes.
So eat something. Then keep eating.
Try to find something that doesn’t have too many calories and is generally healthy, especially if you’re going to eat for a long time.
One favorite is popcorn. Skip the fat and calories in the pre-packaged microwaveable bags, and make your own air-popped (if you have an air popper) or microwave popcorn.
Microwaving your own popcorn is the easiest thing in the world. Here’s what you need.
• Popcorn, any brand, any kind. Or try organic.
• A brown paper sandwich bag
Use a brown paper bag to make your own microwave popcorn.
Put enough popcorn into the sandwich bag to cover the bottom. Fold the opening down two or three times. Place the bag in the microwave with the folded side down. Push the popcorn button. Wait till it finishes popping.
You can eat it plain, or you can add salt or butter. Look for butter from grass-fed cows that is higher in Omega 3 fatty acids. Or try butter-flavored olive oil that mimics the flavor of movie theater butter, with the added benefit of being lower in Omega 6’s.
3. Engage your mind.
Activities that require some mental focus, but low visual focus, are great distractions. Try listening to music, audio books, talks shows… whatever interests you.
Listening to music or audio books can be a great distraction.Ask a friend to help you solve a crossword puzzle.
Crossword puzzles are one of the best distractions, but you will need a friend to read the clues, tell you how many letters are in the word, and which letters are already there. You’ll have to think about the clue, count the letters, and maybe visualize the word. The harder the crossword puzzle the more your mind will be distracted.
4. Watch or listen to comedies.
If you’re able to watch television without too much discomfort, this may be an option for you. But if not, you can try just listening.
Some movies and television shows are easier on the eyes than others.
Avoid dramas, especially if you cry easily at movies, because emotional tears exacerbate Dry Eye symptoms. Staying calm is also important. So it’s best to avoid horror movies, thrillers, or anything with suspense.
Comedies can help keep your mind distracted without exacerbating symptoms the way dramas and other genres can. Comedies might even help you find the humor or irony in your own situation.
Just be sure to blink and take frequent breaks if you’re watching TV or a movie.
These simple techniques distract the mind from Dry Eye symptoms and help you get through the day. Depending on your specific condition, some may work better than others. So try them, and see which ones work best for you.
Three years ago I suffered with symptoms of severe Dry Eye. My eyes constantly felt dry, irritated, and gritty, and were sensitive to light. On Schirmer tests, where a score of 10 is normal, one eye scored an abysmal 0 and the other eye fared hardly better with a whopping 1. My eyes were so uncomfortable that they interfered with my work and social life. Making matters even worse, no doctor I saw was to be able to diagnose my conditions or relieve my symptoms.
Diana’s Story of Hope: It’s possible to get Dry Eye symptoms under control.
As an Asian with a double fold in the upper lid, I have approximately 60 meibomian glands in each upper lid and 20 in each lower lid. But back then I had only 3 meibomian glands opened and functioning in each eye. (You need about 10 working glands to feel comfortable). Contributing to my extreme discomfort, Dry Eye had caused superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis (SLK) and conjunctivochalasis in both eyes. SLK caused extreme pain in the upper half of the eye every time I blinked. Conjunctivochalasis made my eyes feel raw. The wrinkled conjunctival tissue harbored bacteria that caused recurring pink eye and eye pain. Needless to say, I was miserable. As my eye discomfort consumed my life, I became depressed and began to lose hope.
It’s Possible to Get Dry Eye Symptoms Under Control
Then in 2014 I was finally diagnosed with all of these conditions and began a treatment plan that started with cautery of the tear ducts to retain moisture in my eyes. A few days later I had amniotic membrane transplant (AMT) surgeries for SLK and conjunctivochalasis. After recovering from the surgeries, I had meibomian gland probing to clear the glands of any obstructions. Soon after these procedures, my eyes began to feel moist and comfortable. I’ll never forget the first moment I felt wetness in my eyes and shouted out to my husband “I have tears, I have tears!”
Two years have gone by since the initial treatments. I still see an ophthalmologist in Tampa and another in Seattle where I live. And my eye health continues to improve. In April 2016, I underwent meibomian gland probing again for the third time – something I have been doing about once a year. And I’m happy to report that after my last probing I had more than 50 glands opened in each eye, a truly remarkable outcome especially considering how few were functioning just a few years ago. Plus my Schirmer tests scores have improved considerably, increasing from 1 to 22 in one eye and from zero to 16 in the other. If anything, one eye feels a little too wet.
As I sit at my desk and writing this, my eyes feel quite comfortable. Admittedly, sometimes they are a little too wet and sometimes they are still a little uncomfortable. But I could never have imagined a day like this three years ago, at a time that I was so miserable that I thought I would rather die than live like this. Instead I am grateful for having found help. And with help, my hope was restored.
Although currently there are no cures for Dry Eye Syndrome, with correct diagnoses, effective treatments, and life style change, it’s possible to get Dry Eye symptoms under control and manage them successfully. My eyes are a testament to that possibility as I continue to remain hopeful and work on reaching the next level of comfort for my eyes.
Asking for Help Doesn’t Need to be Hard. 11 Practical Tips.
Maybe they recognize that we live in an interdependent society where everyone relies to some degree on others. So they already know that no one can exist without help. Or maybe they know that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s simply an expression of need.
Somewhere along the way, we’ll all need someone else’s help. And asking for help is a skill that can be learned. Here a few practical tips that can help you when you need to ask for help.
1. Develop a personal support network that you can turn to in time of need.
For those suffering with extreme Dry Eye symptoms, the thought of developing a support network can seem daunting. It may even seem like it’s too late to start. You might have become isolated when your eye discomfort prevented you from leaving the house and taking part in normal daily activities, limiting your interactions and access to others.
Even if that’s the case, it’s never to late.
Start with basics. Make a list – even if it’s just in your head – of the people you know who you think you can reach out to. Write down their contact information (so you don’t have to look at a screen): name, phone number, and when is a good time to call. Then give them a call. You might not need any help just yet, but let them know you might ask in the future. If you give them a brief update about your eye condition and tell them how difficult it has become for you to do x, y, or z, they might even offer to help you with x, y, or z.
Then add neighbors to your list and give them a call. Or if it’s appropriate, ring their door bell.
When you initially make contact, try not to burden these people with all of your problems. They need to know what’s going on with your eyes, but for now everything else is just noise. Focus on the condition that’s driving you to ask for help – the discomfort in your eyes. Later, when you are better acquainted, and if there’s an appropriate time and place, you can share more.
2. Always be open to making a new friend, especially among your neighbors.
You never know when you’re going to make a new friend. At the bus stop. At the grocery store check out line. While taking a walk.
Introduce yourself. Be friendly and you will make friends.
Neighbors who are friends can be especially helpful once they learn that you need help, because neighbors are right here. They don’t need to drive long distances to get to you. And because helping each other is something that neighbors already do.
But remember to be a friend as well. Listen. Be positive. Have compassion. Help out when you can. Friendship is a two-way street.
3. Don’t act as if you’re being rejected by someone who can’t help.
Asking for help is not a job interview, a date, or a movie audition. You aren’t being rejected if someone says they can’t help. They just can’t. Accept it, ask if you can ask for help again in the future, and move on. And don’t ever make anyone feel guilty for not being able to help. You’re requesting help, not demanding it (see #10 below).
4. Try asking different people for help.
Even if you have a BFF who’s always available, others might want to help. In fact, for some people being asked to help is an honor. Asking different people for help is a way of nurturing your support network, which is important because you never know when your BFF will suddenly get a new job or have her own medical emergency. Or one person in your support network may feel they can help sometimes, but not always. So ask around.
Apps like the one provided by CaringBridge can help you organize your support network. CaringBridge is a non-profit organization that provides an online scheduling app so everyone in your network knows when you need help and can volunteer their time when they’re available. This way you don’t have to call everyone in your support network individually to let them know you have another appointment with your doctor.
5. Take advantage of government programs for people with permanent or temporary disabilities.
Depending on your country, state, city, province, or local laws and regulations, there may be programs that you can take advantage of without even having to be officially disabled. In the US, for example, there is a federal transportation program that provides door to door transportation services for people who qualify. If you qualify, you won’t have to drive yourself or ask someone in your support network to drive you shopping or to your next local doctor’s appointment.
6. Take advantage of volunteer programs.
Whether it’s volunteers who drive people to the grocery store or pilots who fly patients to medical appointments on the opposite coast, you may qualify for any number of programs offered by volunteer organizations in your area. These can help you resume some aspects of a normal life, or even save you thousands of dollars. It may be worth while to do some research, or ask someone in your support network to do the research for you.
Look for support groups in your area, not just for Dry Eye, but for other conditions or disabilities you may have. You might find people who have had to overcome similar obstacles who can give you advice on overcoming yours.
7. Be specific. Say exactly what you need when you’re asking for help.
If you need a ride to the doctor for an appointment on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., say exactly that. Don’t make anyone guess what you need. Don’t assume that anyone knows what you need. If you need to go shopping, or need help opening that new sports water bottle, or you just want to talk to someone, say so. Don’t beat around the bush. Just ask.
8. Be positive when getting help.
Consider how well you know someone. If it’s the first time they’re helping or if you don’t know them that well, you don’t want to scare them off with something that’s emotionally charged, too negative, or alarming.
But don’t be afraid to say what you’re feeling. Just try to do it in a positive or objective manner. Most people prefer to be around others who have a positive attitude. And when we’re struggling with Dry Eye, the more supportive people we can gather and keep around ourselves, the better.
After all, we’re all struggling with something. Whether it’s a medical condition or something else, life happens to everyone. It’s how we approach it that matters.
So stay positive. It will help your relationship with your support network as much as it will help you.
9. Listen to others and practice The Golden Rule.
As noted above, even though what’s going on with your eyes may seem insurmountable, everyone has their own problems that to them may seem insurmountable: medical conditions, problems at work, family issues, or whatever else. The list goes on and on. So have as much compassion and empathy for others as you would want others to have for you. In other words, practice The Golden Rule.
When you’re listening, one thing you’ll probably hear is advice for treating your eyes. This advice can sometimes be exasperating. Most people who are themselves unfamiliar with Dry Eye won’t be able to give you very good advice. But they might still try. Be patient with them too.
10. Never demand. Always request. And remember to say “Thank You.”
Some animal trainers say that when they’re giving an animal a command they aren’t really giving a command. They’re making a request and giving the animal the option of filling that request…or not. If the animal does what it’s asked to do, there’s a reward at the end in the form of food or something else the animal likes, like a belly rub.
It’s a good approach and one that can easily be adapted by anyone asking for help. First, remember that you’re making a request, not a demand. Then always give the option of saying no without guilt. And the reward at the end (no, not a belly rub) can be a sincere, heartfelt “Thank You.” Because who doesn’t like to hear “Thank You?”
11. Get help from professionals when you need it.
Whether it’s a doctor, a mental health professional, attorney, local government representative, nurse, or other professional, don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it. Waiting too long can make things worse or make problems more difficult to solve. Professional help can sometimes be expensive, so it’s important to be mindful when seeking this help. But if you need professional help, by all means seek it out. Remember that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. Asking for help is just an expression of need.
If you are having suicidal thoughts because of your eye pain or discomfort, seek help immediately from your primary care or eye doctor, spiritual advisor, mental healthcare provider, a trusted family member or friend, or a suicide prevention hotline.
In the US, National Suicide Prevention hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Research on contact lenses and Dry Eye Syndrome has recently been in the news. One study examined the role of the lipid layer in tear film and how that might impact contact lens design. The other looked at the microbiome in the eyes of contact lens wearers.
Contact Lenses and Dry Eye – Research at Stanford
It’s a known fact that contact lenses can contribute to Dry Eye symptoms and it’s not uncommon for people who wear contacts to stop because of the discomfort they feel. In fact, Dry Eye is the most common cause of contact lens intolerance, with about 50% of the 30 million contact lens wearers in the US switching back to glasses.
One Stanford researcher, Saad Bhamla, a postdoctoral scholar in bioengineering, who stopped wearing contacts as a student when they became uncomfortable, decided to do something about it. He and other researchers at Stanford looked at the role of the lipid layer in tear film and determined that it has two primary functions. One is strength. The other is liquid retention. They are using this new understanding of tear film in designing a new kind of contact lens that helps with tear film stability.
Sounds promising. Right?
But even these new and improved contact lenses could, like all other contacts, stress meibomian glands and interrupt the blink feedback loop.
And then there’s the question of the eye microbiome.
Contact Lenses and Dry Eye – Changing the Eye Microbiome
Last May, researchers at NYU Langone reported that the microbiome in the eyes of contact lens wearers is more like the microbiome of the skin than the eyes of those who don’t wear contact lenses.
Reporter David McNamee wrote:
The team found three times the usual proportion of the bacteria Methylobacterium, Lactobacillus, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas on the eye surfaces (conjunctiva) of contact lens wearers than on the eye surfaces of the control group.
The study’s senior investigator, NYU Langone microbiologist Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, PhD., said that putting a contact lens in the eye is, “not a neutral act.”
And Dr. Jack Dodick, the study’s author, professor, and chair of ophthalmology at NYU Langone, explained:
A common pathogen implicated has been Pseudomonas. This study suggests that because the offending organisms seem to emanate from the skin, greater attention should be directed to eyelid and hand hygiene to decrease the incidence of this serious occurrence.
And Dry Eye symptoms are only exacerbated when there’s an infection.
So if you’re going to wear contact lenses, be sure to practice good hygiene, rule out aqueous deficiency, and have your meibomian glands monitored periodically with meibography to be sure they’re healthy and doing their job well.
Alterations to the eye microbiome of contact lens wearers may increase infections
McNamee D. Medical News Today
31 May 2015 View the full report
Instability and breakup of model tear films
Bhamla MS, Chai C, Rabiah NI, Frostad JM, Fuller GG. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
2016 Mar 1;57(3):949-58. doi: 10.1167/iovs.15-18064. View the full report
New insights into human tears could lead to more comfortable contact lenses Medical News Today, Adapted Press Release
29 March 2016 View the full report
Subscribe to our blog to keep up with Not A Dry Eye.
Support Not A Dry Eye Foundation by shopping on Amazon. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates 0.5% of your purchase.
