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Hi Alexandria,
I have a question about my eyes. Occasionally my eyes (usually the right, sometimes the left, once both at the same time) suddenly start feeling hot and burning and start to tear. It's really intense and I have to take out a handkerchief and hold it to my eye. Blinking to spread the tears doesn't seem to help, I just have to wait until the episode is over.
I haven't been able to link it to any trigger in the environment. The time it happened to both eyes I was reading an article aloud. Last time it happened I was dancing. It used to happen when I was driving in the car but now I have no clue what precipitates it.
This has been happening for years but seems to be occurring more frequently lately. I wore gas permeable lenses and switched to glasses about a year ago, but that doesn't seem to have made a difference. Any ideas?
Thanks.
Best wishes,
Happygal
In Reply to: For Alexandria Dumas posted by Happygal on April 06, 2003 at 04:12:04:
Hi HappyGal!
Here's hubby's response to you:
In spite of the fact that you're tearing, you're really experiencing dry eye syndrome and dry eye syndrome is when the secretion of the glands in your lids don't produce the proper thin oil that floata on top of your tears and keeps them from evaporating.
Either something in your diet or something in the atmosphere changes this chemical balance, allows the tears to evaporate and hence the burning and stinging, hence the excessive tearing. Please understand that you can have tears running down your cheek and have dry eye syndrome. It's not a matter of production of tears.
The best thing to do is use individual treatment vials of "Refresh." This helps restore the proper balance. The reason you use individual vials is that there's no preservative in it. The preservative used in most eyedrops aggravates the situation. While these little vials are intended for one-time use, once you open it, use it until it's gone.
The fact that it happens intermittently indicates this may not be an ongoing problem for you (maybe now that you're eating fruit ????? ). Ninety percent of people who complain of eyes burning and stinging and excessive tearing and occasional smudgy vision would be helped considerably with Refresh.
; - )
In Reply to: For HappyGal re eyes posted by Alexandria Dumas on April 06, 2003 at 12:42:51:
Hi Alexandria,
I am most grateful for your reply and your husband's wisdom.
A few questions, if I may.
What is the proper use of the Refresh? Is it something that I would use everyday forever? Since this is an intermittent problem, I'm not clear exactly what I need to do.
Is there any way to approach this via diet? I don't think fruit or lack thereof is the culprit. [On second thought, maybe not enough mangoes in the diet! :o)] I remember this happening even 20 years ago. It seems to get worse occasionally and then better, and I can probably go 6 months to a year without an episode, but it never goes away completely and it's been problematic lately. I'd like to ask it to leave. It's pretty embarrassing when it happens in public and scarey if I'm driving.
Do I find "Refresh" at a pharmacy?
Thanks and best wishes,
Happygal
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Happygal on April 06, 2003 at 16:14:26:
Use as needed. It's perfectly safe. You could swim in it. You literally cannot overuse it. It's nothing but unpreserved artificial tears. There is no active ingredient.
The proper use would be to use it the moment you think you need it and as often as you think you need it. You can't go on a regime like once a day, you just use as needed.
If you're driving along and it happens, you either pull over and give your eye a drink or wait until it's safe to pull over.
Hubby says if you use it, and if you ever meet him, you'll kiss him for telling you about it. ; - )
In the "old days," before these individual Refresh came along, they had people put artificial tears in but the preservative aggravated the problem. These individual packets of Refresh (do not get the bottle as it DOES have preservative in it) have really helped a lot of people.
He doesn't think, if you've noticed the problem for 20 years, that it will ever go away, but I disagree with him in this respect. I think, in fact, you SHOULD ask it to leave. This works for me (sometimes).
It is located in your neighborhood drug store in the eye drops section. It is a nonprescription item.
Regards, Alexandria
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Alexandria Dumas on April 06, 2003 at 18:19:43:
Hi Alex,
Is your hubsband an ophthalmologist?
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Teresa on April 06, 2003 at 20:56:04:
Is your hubsband an ophthalmologist?
No, a retired optometrist. I think he's the smartest man I know. He was the one that all the doctors and opticians sent their problem patients to. He's very happy to dispense info if I ask, but he's even happier to be retired. I would like him to write a book but that will never happen unless I sit with him, taking dictation and asking questions (and that's not going to happen anytime soon). He's not always proud of his fellow optometrists.
In case you're interested, here's part of his take on becoming nearsighted and how to prevent it (although he doesn't think being nearsighted is all that bad): Most who are nearsighted started to become that way in the fourth grade, or when they began reading for information. If the parents could get the children to read in good posture, i.e., keep the book at a proper distance and sitting up straight, with good light, their children possibly would not need distance glasses. If very weak reading glasses (i.e., +.50) were prescribed for those who really like to read, most would not become nearsighted. Wearing reading glasses to a book loving child's eyes is like brushing their teeth, it protects their vision.
However, what usually happens is the child is prescribed glasses for distance, the child reads both the blackboard and his books through those glasses and builds in his own set of reading glasses, thereby needing stronger and stronger prescriptions. If the child is already nearsighted, he could protect his distance vision from further deterioration by wearing bifocals, with the lower part clear glass thereby letting him use the efficiency he already built in.
If a child isn't able to read easily and comfortably, he subconsciously makes the decision to either quit reading and preserve distance vision--this is the kid who did very well grades 1, 2 and 3, and then started doing very poorly in the fourth grade--or the child makes the subconscious decision to build in a pair of reading glasses and continue to be an academic achiever.
He also says if you divide the world between those who are nearsighted and those who are not, the nearsighted would have 90 percent of the world's brilliance and the non-nearsighted would have 90 percent of the world's idiocy. Doesn't mean there aren't some dumb nearsighted folks because there are and it doesn't mean that everybody who is not nearsighted is not intelligent, because there are some who are brilliant.
However, as a group, what is stated above does apply.
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Alexandria Dumas on April 06, 2003 at 21:54:37:
Thank, Alexandria.
Kudos to your husband!
Namaste`
Walt
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Alexandria Dumas on April 06, 2003 at 21:54:37:
Hi Alexandria,
So I went to Wal-Mart today and of course, it wasn't clear what I should buy. There were 3 kinds of refresh.
1) Refresh Endura - "Complete Relief for Symptoms of Dry Eye" breakthrough technology for complete relief plus protection, for sensitive eyes. - contains glycerin 1% and Polysorbate 80 1%, inactive ingredients carbomer, castor oil, mannitol, purified water, and sodium hydroxide.
2) Refresh Plus - "For Dryness and irritation" - immediate, long-lasting relief plus protection, for sensitive eyes. - contains carboxymethylcellulose sodium (CMC) 0.5%, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, purified water, sodium chloride and sodium lactate. May also contain hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide to adjust pH.
3) Refresh - "for dryness and irritation" immediate relief and protection. - polyvinyl alcohol 1.4%, povidone 0.6%, purified water and sodium chloride. May also contain hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide to adjust pH.
All were listed as preservative-free single-use vials.
Which one is the correct one?
I was very interested in what you said about nearsightedness. It makes sense to me. I started wearing glasses in 3rd grade. I've improved my vision by almost half over the last 2 years just by reducing the prescription (and reducing the stress in my life). Does he have any other tips for improving vision? I still have 2-1/2 diopters to go to get close to 20-20.
Tell your husband I have blown him a kiss from Colorado!
Best wishes,
Happygal
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Happygal on April 07, 2003 at 19:02:17:
Use plan old "Refresh."
Hubby says, at your age (how he knows how old you are is beyond me--I think he's assuming you're around 40), if you're only a minus 2.50 you should be happy with your eyes because you can "read and sew and take a splinter out of a gnat's butt." Two-and-a-half diopters is a perfect 16" focal length. Apparently, people who are not nearsighted can't even remotely see as well close up, especially once they hit 40.
Don't get him started on this 20-20 stuff. He can go on and on about how stupid that measurement is.
The definition of vision is the ability to interpret the space around you and act correctly upon it (either with or without glasses, whichever is best for you).
You can have 20-20 vision and be legally blind, it's a terrible standard.
He finds this whole business of being able to see clearly without glasses a false god. All third world societies have good, clear vision. They don't have anything else because they don't read.
Hope this is understandable. I've had it explained to me many many times and am still learning. For example, I didn't fully understand until just now, when he demonstrated to me, how people with "perfect" vision don't see as well close up as those of us who are "nearsighted." He demonstrated it by having me try to read his watch from six inches away through my glasses. I couldn't. That is why people who have good distance vision HAVE to wear reading glasses usually around 40 years, while I can read comfortably without my glasses.
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Alexandria Dumas on April 07, 2003 at 20:20:33:
Hi Alexandria,
Thanks again. I'll use the plain refresh.
So what I understand from your last two posts is basically, reading is what messes up our ability to see far. I wish it wasn't one or the other.
I understand his reluctance to use the 20-20 standard. I suppose what I mean is I would like to be able to see better without using glasses. Each eye is actually different. My last glasses prescription was at -3.0 and -2.5. But that was too weak and I had them strengthened slightly.
So actually I can't read and sew and take a splinter out without the glasses. I can read well without glasses at 8" (I measured). I take my glasses off when I walk through the park, but I walk right past people I know because I can't see their faces. How nice it would be to see better.
Vision is interesting. I've learned how it can even change from day to day.
Best wishes,
Happygal
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Happygal on April 07, 2003 at 22:06:46:
reading is what messes up our ability to see far.
Sad to say, this is true. However, would you rather be nearsighted and knowledgeable like you are, or have clear distance vision and not be so well informed?
Doctors who have gone on these voluntary services trips to South America, examining 3,000 pairs of eyes in a few days, rarely find even one nearsighted person in the whole bunch, or at most, one or two, and the reason is, those people don't read.
The ancient Chinese used to sleep with sandbags on their eyes to flatten their corneas, in an effort to be less nearsighted.
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Alexandria Dumas on April 08, 2003 at 07:21:08:
Usually the progression of myopia stops when the student is finished with his schooling. Light casual reading is not nearly as detrimental as studying is, especially technical material.
Doctors, as a group, are more nearsighted than are school teachers. Oriental college physics professors are the most nearsighted of all.
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Alexandria Dumas on April 08, 2003 at 07:21:08:
Hi Alexandria,
Since I've been working on the book, I've lost some of the gains in vision I made last year. It really confirms your point.
So I take it what you are saying is that as long as a person continues to read heavily, there's no real hope for myopia improvement. We're pretty much stuck.
Or does your husband have any suggestions? :o) I would still like to see better.
Best wishes,
Happygal
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Happygal on April 08, 2003 at 08:43:56:
He really does not have any suggestions of ways to improve vision for adults unless you want to change your lifestyle and greatly decrease your studying and reading. If you were a child, yes, he says there are definite visual training tools that can be used.
He and I part ways on some things and this is one of them. However, I've got no suggestions, other than prayer. I know there are books about improving vision, and I've even got the Bates book, which I've never read but it's sitting on the bookcase ; - ) I will read it someday.
I also bought a $99 "tool kit" about improving vision which contains a manual and different sets of glasses to use to improve vision. Unfortunately I didn't use them enough to be able to say one way or the other if they work. He scoffs at me. If you want to try it, I'll send them to you, no charge. They're just collecting dust here. Send me an address and I'll drop them in the mail.
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Alexandria Dumas on April 08, 2003 at 09:04:20:
Alexandria,
I find this whole thread fascinating and believe your husband's theory regarding near-sightedness is correct. What does he think about surgery to correct near-sightedness?
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by DonnaW on April 08, 2003 at 10:56:31:
He thinks the laser eye surgery depends on your age, for one thing. It's great for some people.
If you're young and you want to be a pilot, if clear distance vision without glasses is extremely important to you, as long as you realize that at age 40 you're going to need reading glasses. The best thing, if you're going to have the surgery is to have them leave you one diopter nearsighted (-1); you'd still have 20/40 or better in distance which is legal to drive and you won't be hunting for your reading glasses until you are pushing 50.
He's pretty ambilent about it, doesn't think it's really necessary but doesn't bad talk it. He wouldn't have it done to himself and he's a minus 2 and he likes being a minus 2. Why? Because he can see well enough to get around without his glasses, he can read comfortably without them, he can see in a mirror without them, basically he can do most everything he wants without his glasses. If he had 20/20 in the distance unaided, he'd have to have reading glasses hanging around his neck. That is a pain for sure.
I don't like the idea of laser surgery because no one is going to mess with my eyes unless it's absolutely positive necessary, they're just that important. I know several people who have had it done and they're thrilled. However, I'll have to check back with them in 10 years or so before I'm sold. One lady I know had it done a few years ago and was ecstatic, but I notice lately she has reading glasses hanging around her neck and uses them quite a bit (she's about 50 and is an accountant).
In Reply to: Re: For HappyGal re eyes - Alexandria posted by Alexandria Dumas on April 08, 2003 at 09:04:20:
Thanks, Alexandria.
Well, we know that vision improvement IS possible, because I started two years ago with my contact lens rx at -5.25 in the right and -3.75 in the left and now, my glasses are at (approximately) -3.25 in the right and -2.75 in the left. Not bad! I think there is still room for improvement.
Sure I would like to try the kit if you are not going to use it. There is also a woman at my office who is trying to improve vision so I will share it with her, too.
Best wishes,
Happygal
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