Dry Eye

[ThyroidDeb]

Not liver related, i don't think, but has anyone had really bad dry eye? If so has anyone found a great way to treat it, successfully? Have prescription drops helped anyone? Thanks

[Alterity]

Dry eye and Dry mouth is liver related. So hard to keep under control. They just told me to take Dry eye drops. My mouth I have water by my bed all night and sip a little when I wake up but not to much or I have to get up again... One endless circle.

[Learning-2eat in reply to Alterity]

Another symptom I didn’t realize was liver related. By itself not too uncommon, but when paired with all the others it starts to make sense. Then it all comes together like a jigsaw puzzle.

[HoneyBeeGal in reply to Alterity]

Thanks for the heads up. I would have never guessed that dry eyes could be liver related. I have seen several ophthalmologists, and none of them ever mentioned that.

[1966chevelle]

I have NASH and my eyes are extremely dry.

I use prescription Restasis eye drops , but have recently tried Refresh Gel Drops at night. My optometrist thinks I have improved greatly since I started using it.

[ThyroidDeb in reply to 1966chevelle]

I use refresh optive it's preservative free. I have not tried the gel, I was afraid it would make my sight blurry during the day even if used at night. My sight gets blurry anyway since the eyes are dry except shorty after drops. I tried prescription but my copay was pretty high and at the time I thought too expensive for not much difference than OTC. Then I had eye and brow lift because the lid was also affecting my sight. This surgery made the dry eye worse as I was told it would but I thought it would at least go back to normal dry eye in time. The Optamologist later said it may or may not, so now my eyes are somewhat better a month from surgery but still very dry. We will see what time brings, I may have to pay the large copay, thank you.

[HoneyBeeGal]

Restasis (generic = cyclosporine drops): They are expensive, but the company that makes Restasis has offered significant coupon codes that one can sign up for. Once the local pharmacist puts in the code, it’s on file at that chain. The generic works fine too.

Lotamax gel (generic = lotoprednol gel drops): It is a low dose steroid. Steroids can lead to cataracts, so doctors often limit use for dry eyes to 2-3 days at a time. It is a godsend if you occasionally get stabbing pain. This gel eye drop is intended for after eye surgeries, but it is useful for extreme dry eye flare ups.

OTC: Refresh Mega 3: They come in single use vials (that you can close and reuse. You are not supposed to. I keep the vial clean and use within 1-2 days. I throw older open vials out.) Systane PF was my go to, but once I found Refresh Mega 3, I have never looked back.

Olopatadine: Eye antihistamines dry eyes out, so I limit their use. But, sometimes what I thought was a dry eye flare up was an eye allergy flare up. Oral allergy pills can also help eye allergies but can also make dry eyes feel even drier too.

(Some eye drops are intended to rewet contacts and others to lubricate dry eyes. It can be confusing in the eye drop aisle. My eye dr only recommends preservative free OTC drops, as preservatives cause eye irritation.)