Dry eye drops recommendations

[Wellingtonwearer]

Hi. Please can anyone recommend some dry eye drops. I’m recently diagnosed with secondary open angle glaucoma and am on Brinzolamide and Travoprost. I’m assuming it’s safe to use dry eye drops without asking my consultant first?

Many thanks.

[Trish_GlaucomaUK Partner]

Hello,

It is perfectly fine to use dry eye drops. There are so many different dry eye drops available from pharmacies. Prices vary greatly and can be quite pricey.

There are some dry eye drops that can be prescribed so it would be worth speaking to your consultant or GP to see if this could be arranged. You can get combination dry eyedrops that lubricate and hydrate the eye, but as far as i'm aware these are not available on prescription. Whichever ones you choose, use them as often as you feel you need to. But if you want to use them near to the time you put in your glaucoma eye drops, leave at least 20-30 minutes either before or after the glaucoma eye drops are due to be used.

[Wellingtonwearer in reply to Trish_GlaucomaUK]

Thanks Trish - that’s very helpful.

[muddledme]

Hello Wellingtonwearer,

There was an excellent Glaucoma UK digital webinar on 10 th June all about dry eye, causes and treatments. It is usualy available on You Tube a week or two later or I think on Facebook.

Personally I find Thealoz Duo Gel drops in individual doses are excellent at night and if needed Thealoz duo UD for daytime. These can be available on prescription but I do sometimes have problems obtaining them because of "production" problems. They can be bought from the Thealoz website online where they never seem to have production problems !

Best wishes

[Wellingtonwearer in reply to muddledme]

Thanks muddledme. I’ll definitely try and track down that webinar.

[Tokeh]

I use Hycosan extra, preservative free which you can get in Boots. No problems with other glaucoma drops

[Wellingtonwearer in reply to Tokeh]

Thanks Tokeh. I’ve used Hycosan in the past (pre glaucoma diagnosis) and they seemed fine, so I’ll get them again.

[warwickshire_singh]

I use Celluvisc 1% via prescription and have done for several years

[Wellingtonwearer in reply to warwickshire_singh]

Many thanks Warwickshire_singh.

[Nala2509]

I use Hycosan drops that I get from Boots, which are good for me.

[Wellingtonwearer in reply to Nala2509]

Many thanks Nala2509. I have used these in the past (pre glaucoma diagnosis), so will get them again now.

[Nala2509 in reply to Wellingtonwearer]

Hope they help you. I used the green one after cataract surgery and they really helped me.

I now use the red one daily and find it helps relieve the sore feeling.

[Wellingtonwearer in reply to Nala2509]

Thanks Nala2509. I’ve just bought the red ones - currently buy one, get one half price in Boots!

[Crafty-gran]

The webinar on dry eye was excellent and from that I realised that some of my symptoms were probably due to dry eye

I’ve just got some hylo-forte preservative free today so will see how I get on

I asked at the opticians what they recommended and also about testing for dry eye

She told me an assessment would be £80 😱

Has anybody had experience of having this done

I’m due to see the consultant again soon so I may ask her

[Littlesnowflake]

My glaucoma drops caused my dry eye, which my eye consultant diagnosed. I understand that it's quite common for this to happen. Because of this, I get my dry eye drops on prescription. I started with celluvisc but found that far too watery and it used to run everywhere. I now use hylo-forte. Good luck!

[North-Sea]

Hi Wellingtonwearer

The dry eye webinar was very informative. Big take away for me was to use preservative free glaucoma and dry eye drops. I use Carmelose prescribed by the consultant but not working very well, will discuss on my next visit.

Good luck

[Ladyblue8]

After many years and numerous treatment modalities, I feel like I have a handle on my dry eye, meibomian gland dysfunction, and blepharitis. I have had or done these treatments. Oral doxycycline, otc drops, prescription restasis, lipi-flow procedure, punctual plugs, eye lid shrubs, and warm compresses. Most of these did nothing, as I have 99 percent atrophy in my lower lids. My treatment now on a DAILY basis is: Morning and evening eyelid cleaning with Avenova, evening warm compress, 3 to 4 drops per day of serum tears(these are made from your own blood and must be refrigerated), and each vial last 30 days. This is in addition to my two glaucoma drops am and pm. My eyes feel better than they have in years, so this is what works for me.