As reported to Erica Rimlinger: Imagine walking on the beach on a windy day. Sand gets into your eyes. The sand hurts, stings, and no amount of saline solution can flush it out. Now imagine living with that sensation every day, for decades. That is my experience with dry eye disorder. The symptoms began in my second year of college. Every morning, when I opened my eyes, it felt like my eyelids were scraping my eyeballs as if they were made of sandpaper. At that time, I wore contact lenses. I constantly poured saline solution over them: took them out, rinsed them, and reinserted them. But no amount of saline solution was helpful, and pints, liters, and gallons of expensive eye drops did not relieve the itching or pain from the dryness in my eyes. Using contact lenses is obviously impossible now, so I started wearing my horrible old glasses again (I was 19 back then and very superficial). At the same time, I started experiencing intense and long episodes of migraines. By the time spring came, my eyes were so dry that when I heard my alarm go off, I would lie in the darkness with my eyes closed, dreading the ordeal of opening them to start my day. My straight-A average started to drop. I felt like I had lost control of my life. An ophthalmologist said I had dry eye disorder. I was relieved to be diagnosed: now I could get treatment and make my life normal again. But the recommended treatments only made my eye irritation worse. I followed them to the letter: I applied warm compresses to my eyes for five minutes every morning and night. I obediently used preservative eye drops that I later found out worsened the type of dry eye disorder I had. The doctor even recommended applying a brand of baby shampoo directly to my eyelids, a suggestion I abandoned when I couldn’t bear the pain and burning sensation. Meanwhile, my migraines worsened, my grades kept dropping, and having no information or solution had a huge emotional and psychological impact on me. Despite receiving the diagnosis of dry eye disorder, I didn’t know what caused it or how to treat it. I needed to know why I was dealing with this terrible chronic condition and how to get rid of it. A doctor in Boston said I wasn’t blinking fully and advised me to do blinking exercises, as well as procedures called Meibomian gland expressions, which involved the use of a metal device, a lot of expenses, and considerable pain. I worked in four different places to pay for my law studies and spent a lot of my money on doctor consultations and eye drops. The financial burden was almost as heavy as the emotional one. I desperately sought a solution to make my eyes feel “normal” again. Out of desperation, I spent thousands of dollars on treatments and over $3,000 a year on eye drop treatment, which I later found out did not have the active ingredients they advertised, and of course, did not make my eyes feel better. I did my own research and found an ophthalmologist who could give me some answers. I learned that there are two types of dry eye disorder. The most common type, evaporative dry eye disorder, affects the oily layer of the eye. Approximately 9 out of 10 people with dry eye disorder have this type and react to some of the treatments I was offered (although, for avoidance of doubt: baby shampoo is not on the list of approved treatments!) I had an aqueous deficiency, meaning my eyes do not produce enough tears. Approximately 1 in 10 patients with dry eye disorder has aqueous deficiencies. Our tears lubricate and protect our eyes, not only keeping them comfortable but also flushing out germs and tiny foreign objects. An aqueous deficiency or having too little tears is detrimental to the normal function of your eye. The tear film is part of the protective eye layer against airborne irritants, such as smoke or animal dander, to which we are exposed all day. Sometimes, this type of dry eye disorder can respond to cauterization or sealing of the tear ducts. Sealing the tear ducts closes them to keep the tears I produce in my eyes longer. I did this four or five times, and each time I came out of surgery, I looked like a boxer with two black eyes. This surgery is not a suitable treatment for everyone, but in the end, it worked for me, and for the past five years, the ducts have remained closed. They may reopen, and I may have to go through the process again. I became obsessed with my condition, reading medical studies and seeking answers in medical journals. My obsession caused me to feel depression, distress, and often, physically worse (it makes sense that reading about sore and itchy eyes makes you feel more pain and itching in your eyes). But reading about the disease, trying various treatments recommended by medical professionals, and determining what works for me gave me a sense of control and finally provided me with real ways to treat the disease. I learned how to implement care for my condition. I stopped using eye makeup (I loved using eye makeup, so that was a sacrifice). I bought moisture chamber goggles. They are goggles, originally designed for motorcyclists, that seal your face to prevent irritants that my dry eyes cannot expel. I wear the goggles at home when I turn on the fan, when there is a fire, or when I work on the computer because we tend to blink less when staring at a screen. I don’t love wearing them in public, but I put them on to protect my eyes in dry environments such as airplanes. I also have a pair of sunglasses with moisture chambers that I wear outdoors. They allow me to do some of my favorite activities, such as cycling and gardening, without worrying that wind and dust will irritate my eyes.
I found an instant messaging group called Dry Eye Zone Forum, where there are other people who know what I was experiencing. I interacted more with the group when I contacted the founder of the Dry Eye Foundation, who, like me, is a researcher by nature and feels empowered to actively seek information about this poorly understood condition. The connections I have made and the help I can provide to other people have been very valuable to me.
I combined a regimen of treatments and lifestyle changes that currently work for me. I currently manage this chronic condition under the care of a doctor with specialized knowledge in this type of dry eye disorder, using the current tools available to me and perhaps adding new tools in the future.
But the most important factor in managing my disease is communicating with others. Addressing the mental health challenges that accompany dry eye disorder is a crucial part of how I adapt. Managing our chronic condition together makes it easier for us to bear the burden. Even if we produce few tears, we don’t have to cry alone. Additional Content: This educational resource was prepared with the support of More Real. More Substance. YouTube channel of the eye care division of Viatris. Are you a woman with real stories you’d like to share? Let us know. Our stories are authentic experiences of real women. HealthyWomen does not endorse the views, opinions, and experiences expressed in these stories and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of HealthyWomen. From Your Site Articles Related Articles Around the Web. If the provided articles seem to be less than 200 characters or are an introduction by the author, try generating an article using this title: Getting the Right Diagnosis and Treatment for Dry Eye Disorder.
