Dry eyes

O have dry eyes from time to time, I use boots dry eyes eye mist, spray it into closed eyes and nlinkt. Works well for me.
But first have you seen your doctor?

My husband has had this for years. As you say it is strange that this condition called dry eyes makes the eyes water so much but it is because the tear ducts are not draining the tears away efficiently through narrowing or a blockage. His is worse in cold and windy weather. His eyes stream so much it made his cheeks sore. I told him to put Vaseline under his eyes to stop the soreness but he doesn’t do it very often. He did see a consultants and his tear ducts were blocked. He had one unblocked in day surgery so that one has improved but the other one is twisted and the consultant said that the procedure to try to unblock it could make it worse. He hasn’t found the drops made any difference and I did buy him the eye pad but he doesn’t use it as regularly as he should. If it persists it might be worth seeing if the tear ducts can be unblocked.

I too have it, I am often crying when out in weather I m always telling people ‘ I’m really not crying’ when I cycle they stream I don’t do anything just mop them up I always just thought it was me as my Dad was the same
I don’t really think about it much as it’s been like it so long

Kate, I have Sjogrens syndrome, which is an auto-immune condition. I wonder if there is a connection with a pre-existing condition, you may have?

Dry eyes is very common in post menopausal women. I get it and so do several of my friends. My optician says it's because the tears which lubricate the front of the eyes when you blink are no longer 'sticky' so just run off. So your eyes get sore and dry although tears are streaming down your cheeks! The corners of my eyes get sore from constantly wiping away tears and I too use vaseline when that happens. There are lots of kinds of drops and sprays you can use but I find the best for me are contact lens drops in separate sealed containers called Allergan refresh plus which I buy over the internet. You need to try some different ones and see what suits you. Your optician will advise or ask at the pharmacist. When my eyes get really sore I find bathing them in Optrex eyewash helps too.
Another of the joys of old age!

Thanks all for your very helpful comments.

I have seen the pharmacist and optician. The latter gave me a regime of warm eye compresses and drops for a month and then she will formally assess me. She then said if we hadn’t sorted it out then the doctor was my next port of call.

Thanks for your suggestion Mary I will check it out.

I have just bought the spray Maybelle thanks.

I am finding Calendula cream excellent for any sore areas.

A very big THANK YOU Maybelle I bought the spray mist and it worked immediately. I sprayed my closed eyes at 8.00 this morning and I still have not had one tear, it is a miracle. I started the procedure yesterday and had 7 hours of clear eyes then and as you will see even longer today. I cannot tell you the relief. ??

Jane43 do get a mist spray from Boots for your DH he may find as I have that the tears stop.

nan DH has the same thing at the moment and the optician has given him drops for it [cost £10] and told him to stop using his warm eye patch thingy as that would make it worse! That is for use when there is a blocked tear duct.Not dry eye.

Thanks Lemongrove the optician thinks I have got a blocked tear duct which is making my eyes water, hence the warm thingy. I have tried two types of drops both made them worse however the actimist worked within minutes and I have had no tears today (the first time in months). The optician said that having the tear ducts seen to is a tricky business which does not always work so I think it is the warm treatment and the mist.

Hope your hubby is improving it is an annoying thing to have.

My ophthalmologist said I have dry spots on both eyes, which makes them feel irritated and as though I have something in my eye, and causes difficulty with reading small print. She recommended Hyabac drops. I put one in each eye every morning and seems to work ok.

Thanks Blue mine were just watering. This spray mist is brilliant with instant results.

thanks Nan he is much better now, and glad your treatment worked.

I have had dry eyes for quite a few years now. I was prescribed Systane eye drops by the consultant at the hospital. My eye also water, and I use Blephasol solution in the morning. Sysane has worked very well for me , with dry eyes you have to be so careful as it can cause a detached retina, according to the consultant.

I have very dry eyes, with a dry spot in one as Bluesapphire describes (called a pinguecule). I find that ‘normal’ eye drops don’t really help much but I have Viscotears on prescription and this works brilliantly - as the name suggests, it has a more viscous consistency so clings better to the eye and provides moisturisation for hours.
Also, I’ve been advised by my optician to always wear large-
framed sunglasses even on dull days to protect my eyes from further uv damage. I have a pair of Reactolite glasses that I wear on duller days and it’s surprising that they usually go dark, showing that uv rays are around even when it’s not sunny.

I too have dry eye symptoms. I got the drops but am scared to put them in. I swim regularly and blame chlorine

Ethel if you get the spray on mist from Boots you spray it onto closed eyes, then you blink a few times and the spray runs into the right parts of the eye and helps a lot. The Optrex one can be used over makeup the Boots own has to be put on before any make up is applied.

Hi etheltbags - why are you scared to put the drops in?

I have dry eyes, as part of auto immune conditions, including Sjogrens Syndrome. I've been using drops for about 27 years, it's just part of my routine. Wake up, put drops in, put kettle on for cup of tea. Dry eyes are more prone to infections and other eye problems so it's important to look after them.
Your GP will prescribe drops but understandably, they usually prescribe the cheapest. It's worth doing a bit of research and asking for the more expensive ones if they're better for you.

As I said previously, I have Sjogren's.
Drops no longer work for me and I now have to use gel.

Update folks. I bought from Amazon some over sunglasses, tortoishell, which I now wear if it is very sunny or windy and they wrap around my normal glasses and keep my eyes protected. Not one tear came from my eyes. Wish I had heard about them before. They cost £13.99 in the sale.

I have very dry eyes, and my GP advised me to use eye drops. After several months of applying the drops I went back to the doctor as my eyes were becoming bloodshot quite often (really badly boodshot - I looked like I'd been assaulted!). He said I simply wasn't using the drops often enough, so I increased the frequency to several times a day. If anything they were worse and I was getting really fed up. It was actually a nutritionist that advised against the type of drops I was using, in favour of preservative-free drops. I have used those for several months now, and have not had one episode of bloodshot eyes in all that time. Who knew that eye drops could actually cause eye problems?! There are quite a few preservative-free brands out there - I tried a few until I found the one that suited me best.

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I am not a grandparent, I am a 38 year old Australian.

I would like to offer my own experiences, which might help a fellow sufferer of dry eye.

Mine is caused by my lasik surgery, 2 years ago.

I am now using 2 preservative free eye drops, these are like absolutely no other eye drop on the planet - I was a contact lens wearer for nearly 20 years.

Buy these, and use these:
HylaForte
Nova Tears

Take the RIGHT kind of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, daily. check the label on your bottle, does it have quality, responsibly sourced, toxin free EPA and DHA oils?
(I will gladly provide you more information on how to purchase, message me if you are interested (yes, international is okay).

Buy yourself a proprietary Warm Compress specifically for your eyes, and use it every single chance you get, every day.

Buy the eyelid wipes that are designed for babies, and wipe your lids, a couple of times a day,

Get good quality sleep.

Avoid Eye Makeup at all costs.

Hi I have Meibomian gland dysfunction and Blepheritis, dry eye. Is there anyone who has the same condition as me and has been able to improve on things. I have had this for 7 months and it us so painful.
Thank you

Is it the Dual Action Optimist that's need for watery eyes?