Treating My Dry Eyes
The older I get the dryer my skin becomes but what bothers me the most is my dry eyes. I’ve been struggling with it for years.
It turns out dry eye is a huge problem for older women and many of us suffer from it. When I say suffer, I mean it. My eyes often feel like they have sand in them, they itch, frequently tear and just plain hurt.
My previous eye doctor suggested I wash my eye’s with baby shampoo and apply warm compresses using a damp facecloth for ten minutes at a time. That didn’t help. The facecloth would get cold too fast, the baby shampoo was drying out the skin around my eyes and my eye’s remained dry.
I read everything I could on the subject. I added extra fish oil supplements, switched to preservative free eye drops, upped my water consumption and changed my blood pressure medication to one that did not include a diuretic. Still, no relief.
I finally dragged myself to a new eye doctor for a proper diagnosis. He numbed my eye’s and did multiple weird tests before he concluded…I have chronic dry eye. Duh!
He also told me I have meibomian gland dysfunction. These are the glands in our upper and lower eyelids that secrete oils onto the surface of our eyes which keep our tears from evaporating too quickly. These glands often become blocked as we age and can cause or worsen dry eye.
He didn’t suggest Restasis or Xiidra because they’re expensive, are seldom covered by insurance and his patients have mixed results. He agreed a washcloth was not a great way to apply warm compresses to the eye and suggested I try this 
Let me tell you, it is nothing short of amazing.
I heat it in the microwave for 15 seconds, put a clean tissue over my eyes and lay back to relax. The compress comes with a few disposable sheets to put between your eye and the compress to keep it sanitary. When those ran out I just substituted a clean tissue.
When I remove the eye mask, my vision is totally blurry. Luckily I knew this might happen so I didn’t panic. #neurotic It simply meant the oil from my eye glands had melted and was flowing properly so it could help moisturize my eyes.
I’ve also added 
I now have several brands of preservative-free eye drops which come in these one-use disposable tubes. They’re all single use so I have them scattered in every purse, in my car, and by my desk. I discovered these 
Dryer than usual conditions is still a challenge for me. When we flew to the east coast yesterday, I had several vials in my purse and kept one on my tray table to use every 30+ minutes. These vials are single use only but my eye DR said it was OK to recap and use for up to 3 hours.
It may seem like a lot of trouble to go to but my eyes are finally feeling better. I’m not cured…there is no cure but my dry eyes feel better now than they have in several years.
Do you have dry eyes?
Please share what you use for them.
Thanks for reading and have a great day.
Here’s my regimen. The wipes in the morning followed by restasis. I recap it and use in the evening before tossing it. My insurance covers it with a copay. During the day I use Refresh drops, and Refresh pm ointment before I go to bed. I also have plugs in the lower corner of both eyes. I sometimes use the eye pad and Celluvisc vial if feeling really dry.
I have sjogrens syndrome, which gets worse with time. I loved all the products you mentioned, but they are quite costly for me at this time. If you or any of your readers have less expensive solutions, I’d love to hear them. My opthamologist is treating me with a steroid drop for now. It is not covered by my insurance and very costly, ay $68 for 28 day supply. I need other ideas that help. Thank you.
I hate that insurance companies don’t cover meds for dry eye syndrome. Have you looked into ordering them online from a Canadian pharmacy?
I had cataract surgery one year ago and have not Had clear vision since. Vision fluctuates widely day to day. Left eye is never clear. I have been to several ophthalmologists and they all say I have dry eye. I have tried eye ointments, gels, every preservative free drop made, steroid, Restasis, Bruder mask, the best fish oil, and I tape one eye shut every night. NOTHING helps! The more products I put in my eyes the more irritated they become and the worst my vision is. I probably have dry eye but I’m not convinced that the doctor did not insert the wrong IOL In left eye because my vision is always very blurry.
That is so frustrating. I’d find a good teaching hospital and get the eye reevaluated! If it was done wrong, you deserve to have it corrected.
Thank you, Jennifer, for this VERY timely post! I had no idea what the heck was going on with my eyes, until the eye dr. FINALLY figured out it’s dry eye. (Never had an issue prior to having cataract surgery… wish I had known that dry eye might be a result.) (Too late now!) All the information, from you and all the commenters, is so very helpful. Thanks to all of you! Now, I have a list of possible treatments. (Been using Lotemax … at $185/bottle … and Restayne drops, but I need something better.)
I hope you get some relief Elinora! It’s really painful and so frustrating.
Restasis is the solution. Period. Twice a week. It’s covered by my Silver Script insurance (Medicare age) and is the easiest, most efficient solution. Have used for five years… and I wear a contact lens in one eye so am very careful!!
Jennifer, Thank you so much for this post. I ordered the compression eye masks the minute I finished reading your it. I have suffered with dry eyes for quite a few years. It effects my vision and makes it impossible to wear contact lenses.
I too have tried most ‘cures’ on the market. I hope the eye masks are a winner for me.
NickiC
It effects my vision too. I hope they help you. I’m hoping to get back to wearing contacts soon. Dry eyes are awful.
What a timely post. I have been on Restasis for two years with no improvement. I was sent to an Opthamologist who said he did not care for it. I am currently on steroid drops & over the counter ones. I return in another week for a checkup. I will certainly be asking about these products!
Good luck Theresa. Be sure they check for Demodex and the glands in your lids.
I too suffer from dry eyes. It seems to be an hereditary condition in my family. My eye doctor advised no eye makeup and to be very careful with any creams or makeup near the eyes. I no longer use makeup, just good hypoallergenic facial cream. I don’t mind at all. I do wear glasses and choose fun frames.
Since stopping the ey makeup I immediately found my eyes improved. I don’t think we realize how little it takes to irritate our eyes.
Thank you for the post.
Jill
Oasis eye drops. Sterile. NO preservatives, period. Individual use packaging with resealable tips for use within 24 hours. Thicker formula available for bedtime use. So soothing. Helps especially when sleeping with an overhead fan in the room. Available only at optical offices or online directly from Oasis (because it contains no preservatives0. Dr. Veronica Barber in Roseville carries it. An optical shop at the Galleria carries it. BEST dry eye relief ever! No side effects or reactions.
Thanks Dale!
Seems there are lots of us with dry eyes! For many years I’ve used OTC TheraTears and have bottles in my purse, car and home. Several years ago I was diagnosed with severe dry eyes and began to use Restasis. Thankfully my medical insurance covers the cost of it. I use the single-dose vials at least 4 times like mentioned here before. The Restasis has helped a lot. I just found out I also have ocular rosacea and was told to continue with my Restasis and to use an eye mask compress similar to yours. I microwave it for 25 seconds and then leave it on for 10 minutes. Love using the eye mask as it’s quite soothing. I asked the ophthalmologist how I could differentiate between the ocular rosacea and pollen/seasonal allergy eyes (for which I use OTC Zaditor eye drops) and she said if my eyes were itchy then it was due to pollen/seasonal allergy. If just gritty then it’s the ocular rosacea.
Wow, Jennifer! This is the best post yet! I was just about to put my eye drops in before going to sleep and read this. I had no idea what an issue this is and all the treatment options. Computer screens I would have guessed but not the ceiling fans I have been sleeping under for 20 years! Saving this post!! Thank you and all who posted!
Very interesting to learn of all the different methods to care for this problem. I have worn contacts for 50 years, have dry eyes, meibomian gland dysfunction, blepharitis at times. My opthalmologist recommended SteriLid cleanser by TheraTears. Amazon has the best price. I tried the gel drops at night, but didn’t care for them. I use the Refresh Optiv Mega3 drops at night and have noticed a marked improvement in the dryness. I also use moist heat, which helps, along with contact rewetting drops during the day if necessary. When I visit my eye doctor and the glands are noticeably mor clogged than usual, he expresses the glands which releases the lubricating oil from the glands into
your eyes
Thank you for this helpful post. I’m going to try that eye mask you are using. I bought a bunch of plain white cotton handkerchiefs that I use only for washing my eyes. Regular washcloths seemed to irritate my already irritated eyes even more.
I have also had to give up all eye makeup, and even foundation or coverstick around my eyes. I can even notice my eyes bothering me more if I use moisturizer too near them, and anything with retinol anywhere on my face really sets my eyes off. Wearing no eye makeup or coverstick under my eyes makes my face look 10 years older. I had Graves Thyroid disease. I wonder if anyone else that has read your post today thinks their dry eyes may be connected to their thyroid disease.
I’ve been alternating between systane lubricating drops, and most recently Retaine lubricant eyedrops in the little vials. My eye doctor said it would be ok to recap the vial and reuse within the same day, as long as I don’t touch the tip to my eye.
I have been so tempted to use the opcon A eyedrops that I used in the past for my dry itchy eyes, but I haven’t because the cardiologist said it could affect my atrial fibrillation, there are days when my eyes are bothering me so much, so far I am refraining. My eyes feel like they are congested, maybe it is the oil glands you wrote about, I am definitely trying the eye mask compress you recommended.
So far my eye Dr has just said to use hypoallergenic eye makeup. I’d have a hard time using no eye makeup because I am so pale. But if it mattered to my health I would do it. Then I would get a slight tint to my lenses so it wasn’t so noticeable.
I was diagnosed with Meibomian gland dysfunction and have had the Lipiflow procedure ($1,500) which helped. My Doctor took x-rays of my glands and it was very interesting to see the glands that were completely destroyed. I use the microwave pads to get/keep the oil flowing. I prefer to use the OcuSoft Original in pump form at home and the pad form for travel. I use Retaine MGD drops. My Doctor recommended the PRN Dry Eye (De) oil pills because he says they are a very good quality. (Bottle says to take 4 daily, but he said to take 2 since they are not cheap). I take Restasis twice daily. Every 6 months he pushes on my lower eyelid and counts the glands that are still secreting oil. If the count is lower than before, he manually expresses the ‘gunk’ out so that the oil can flow. The average amount of glands in each lower eye lid is 40. I have 16 functioning on one eye and 18 functioning on the other eye. It’s also important to BLINK. It’s when you blink that your glands release the oil that keeps your tears from evaporating. I believe a lot of my MGD was caused by working at a computer screen for all of my working years and I continue to spend many hours on the computer in retirement. When you read a book, or stare at a computer screen, you blink less. I now have a reminder that pops up every 20 minutes that tells me to blink.
I will look into that PRN oil, thank you for sharing. My eye DR did express my glands and said the bottom seemed ok but the top was too watery so suggested this compress. I do go back in several months so I’ll be curious to see what else he recommends.
My doctor also recommended the disposable eye scrub towelettes to prevent ducts from clogging and they make a huge difference. I find that make up does aggravate my eyes as I have aged. Thanks for the tip on the microwavable mask. I will try it!
Here in the UK we have the same problem in our thousands. You should just see the row of bottles and tubes of magic potions purporting to relieve the blasted condition on the shelves of every chemists shop! My doctor and then later on my opthalmologist confessed that there is no cure for chronic dry eye. Nor is there for gout of the bloodstream, or indeed for the fibromyalgia which both grace my person.
I hadn’t heard of the microwaveable eyepads which I shall try to get hold of over here. The equivalent treatment so far suggested for the nonfunctioning glands in my eyelids was the old washcloth soaked in warm water routine which sort of worked if you don’t mind water trickling down your elbows!
Optive Fusion eye drops by Allergan are very comforting when the eyes are blurry and hurting and they even help to cushion the irritation caused when uric acid crystals build up under your eyelids. You need to use it multiple times a day though. I can endorse the ultra cleaning methods as an aid to managing this troublesome condition.
Thank you Jennifer for helping to illuminate such a shadowy area, warmest regards,
Anne xxx
I knew we suffered from this and am so grateful for all the wonderful suggestions my readers are sharing.
I’ve found a tea tree oil foaming eyewash very soothing for my dry itchy eyes, along with Refresh lubricant eye drops. Will have to try your microwave eye mask.
I don’t have dry eyes but my eyes do water when walking on cold mornings or windy days. I figured it was just part of growing old. It’s not a big problem though.
Is Rare Objects a good read?
It is a good read and I’m enjoying it. I’ve read most of her books.
wow…I feel a bit less alone with my dry eye..I am on the extreme side of dry eye, and it took over my life. I do all the things listed above, plus- since I have MGD- I do IPL to help with inflammation and Lipiflow to keep the glands going..I also wear scleral lens to protect my eyes. It took me awhile to find a good doctor, it is important to get diagnosed with the type of dry eye . The doctors who kept up with the latest research have been the most helpful. It is a complicated disease and there are many cause/factors…
PRK procedures, 35 years of contact lenses, cataract surgery all contributed to my dry eye. It flares, then dies down. I had Meibo treatments which is hot massage with an instrument on the lid rims done in the doc’s office and got a lot of relief from that. It’s a cheaper version of Lipiflow. They were able to express the glands to get the oil flowing. My doc put me on Xiidra and says he sees results. I don’t know. I use one tube for 3 days because of outrageous cost. I also use the microwaveable compress when it’s bad. One thing I did learn in the past year is that although I don’t have “allergies” my eyes get a seasonal allergy condition. I have a prescription to use when it flares and I have found is that when I thought my dry eye was aggravated, it was more the blepharitis from the allergies. It all never goes away and sometimes (especially when it’s windy) it can keep me home. I use refresh when necessary for bad days and when I get up and go to bed.
I’ve heard of that eye procedure. I will ask my eye DR about it for me. My insurance is awful and won’t cover Xiidra or Restasis.