Watery hooded & puffy eyes

[HappyDiamonds]

Im suffering from watery eyes, and the water runs in to my glasses. My eyelids are hooded and look like slits and I have huge bags underneath them just to compliment my puffy cheeks that are a permanent Christmas shade of red! The inside corner of my right eye is a little tender. GCA is on left side. I don't suffer from styes but have had blepharitis in the past due to rosacea so know its not that. Don't suspect an allergy either. No vision problems other than looking through a watery blur.

Just wondered if this was a common reaction to Pred (tapered from 60 to 12.5 since middle of May 20 due to GCA) and what I can do to improve things please as what with this and my dry frizzy hair I don't recognise myself at the moment!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The main reason for watery eyes is - believe it or not - dry eyes. The normal thick quality tears aren't being produced so the eye makes loads of thin, poor quality tears in an attempt to protect the surface of the eye.

I use liposomal eye spray - you spray it on your closed eyelids and it works its way into your eye without causing gloop in the same way the artificial tears can do. But there is a range of products you can get from your optician or the pharmacy. And really kind GPs will prescribe them.

Some of us find too much salt contributes to the puffy eyes.

[HappyDiamonds in reply to PMRpro]

Well you live and learn! I will hunt down the eye spray, thank you for recommending. Can't blame salt as I don't use it or like it, now if it was sugar I could understand it as I did indulge Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but been back to low carb since.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HappyDiamonds]

I find carbs make me retain fluid too - and it takes a few days to calm down

[SnazzyD in reply to HappyDiamonds]

I had to avoid even hidden salt such as that in sauces, gravy/stock, snacks, even a tin of beans.

[agingfeminist in reply to PMRpro]

Many thanks. Now I know what is going on.No salt , no sugar no carbs, no alcohol since I began pred 13 months ago. So only the pred to blame for my watery eyes.

No weight gain! Moon face and hair loss now returned to normal...tapered in 13 months from 60mg to 6mg. One GCA episode a couple of months ago which bid a hasty retreat when I upped to 20 mg for 2 days.

I am only able to deal with my life calmly and happily because of the wonderful information I get from everyone here.

I work (online) everyday at my job and adapt to my lack of physical stamina...physically I do what I can, which isn't much most days - maybe walk about 100 metres at best.

I live alone but I feel so safe and supported by this group...I am actually blissfully happy in my bubble.

Sending all you lovely, kind, and helpful people every GOOD wish for 2021.

[Hildalew in reply to agingfeminist]

Are you perhaps dehydrated?

[agingfeminist in reply to Hildalew]

Thanks for the suggestion. And always worth checking on.But I drink a measured and more than adequate amount of liquid each day.

[Pollynolongerinagony in reply to agingfeminist]

YOU ARE A TONIC! AND A HUGE ASSET TO THIS SITE, THE NEW YEAR IS ALREADY A BRIGHTER PLACE WITH YOUR POSITIVE NATURE SHINING ALONG OUR SHARED PATH. BLESS YOU X GRANDMOTHER POLLY X

[Bobbury in reply to PMRpro]

I had the same problem with dry eyes. I got an eye pad for both eyes which you heat up in the microwave for 10 seconds ONLY... put them on your eyes for 10 minutes. It actually works!!! You can buy these from the pharmacy

[HappyDiamonds in reply to Bobbury]

Thank you, you reminded me I have a mask that works the same way that I bought when I had blepharitis, must try and remember where I put it for safe keeping😀. The spray that PRMPro recommended is helping though thank goodness.

[Coriander000]

I know about the frizzy hair HappyDiamind - mine is the same after long term Prednisilone - it also became very weak and fell out - I was so depressed, however now I’m down to 2mgs it has regained its thickness (phew) but remains frizzy .

[HappyDiamonds in reply to Coriander000]

Glad its improving for you. I have tried everything and even made the mistake of having it cut very short when it was coming out but that just made my face look even bigger! Treated myself to one of those really expensive hairdryers for Christmas and it does help but next day back to square one. I don't consider myself vain and never have been but it does knock your confidence looking so different.

[Coriander000 in reply to HappyDiamonds]

You are so right about the confidence thing - I just can’t get used to the new me 🤭

[SnazzyD]

So, at my worst after a few months of high dose Pred, my face looked like a polished Snow White’s red apple with side burns. If I had any hint of salt in my diet my eyes became soggy meringues with slits in. I had watery eyes until my tear film dried up completely and I had to have drops for them. I suspect the wateriness was irritation while my tear film was in the process of drying out.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SnazzyD]

You paint such a lovely image Snazz!!!!!

[HappyDiamonds in reply to SnazzyD]

Please tell me it got better! Your description is exactly what I'm experiencing and it made me smile, thanks for that.Strange isn't it how we all worry at the beginning about the horrible serious side effects of long term steroids that the Doctors are fond of pointing out to us so frequently but they don't mention these sort of things which while not life threatening come along just to plague and torture us.

Been thinking about the salt angle and I do eat a lot of cheese and that can contain a fair amount of salt.

[SnazzyD in reply to HappyDiamonds]

Of course it did after it peaked and the dose came down. One day you look in the mirror and realise you can see your eyelashes and don’t need a shave. The hair comments reminded me. I have an horrific photo taken in Rome at 40C, so you can imagine the face, shortly after my hair fell out the before this cruise. I say this in jest but it was awful and yes we feel we shouldn’t be so shallow, but really it takes the biscuit. Grow your hair longer when you have it, avoid mirrors and wait patiently.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SnazzyD]

I banned mirrors too!

[Coffeebeans in reply to PMRpro]

I need to ban mirrors! All I can see is my thinning hair and my lovely pred 'tache' along with intermittent flushing and chubby cheeks.

[herdysheep in reply to SnazzyD]

Mirrors are like the news on tv- avoid where possible.

I don't stay in pj's all day but have become lax in dealing with beard and moustache. Wearing a mask when I go out makes me forget about other people seeing my hairy visage when out for a walk etc. Have to look in the mirror sometimes!!

[Coriander000 in reply to HappyDiamonds]

I agree HappyDiamonds - it’s all the niggling side effects of the medication I have found so difficult to cope with - especially the weight gain - I’m finding it really difficult to get back to a reasonable weight after gaining 2 stone over 4 years 😢

[HappyDiamonds in reply to Coriander000]

Hard to lose any weight as the Pred gives us the munchies and fatigue stops us from doing as much. I was lucky if you can call it that, as I lost 3 stone due to pneumonia and GCA going undiagnosed, could never manage it by dieting. 2 stone over 4 years is not too bad when you think of it as 7lbs per year or 2 ounces a week😀. Sure you will get some of it off when the weather improves and life returns to a form of normal.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HappyDiamonds]

Weight will come off while on pred if you cut carbs - though you might have to cut them a lot! Snazzy and I only lose weight if we get down to 20g carbs a day - but I lost 35lbs while still on over 10mg pred. Low carb also helps reduce the munchies to a minimum.

[Pollynolongerinagony in reply to SnazzyD]

IM VERY HAPPY TO SEE YR SENSE OF HUMOUR HAS NOT DRIED UP! THANKS FOR MAKING ME SMILE X

[SheffieldJane]

Look up orbital Cellulitis. The swelling pointed me towards that although Blepharitis was diagnosed over the phone. I agree with all the dry eye info I have it classically but this seems more severe. Left now with a central boil on the upper eyelid, having had very swollen upper lids with pain. I am barely controlling it with prescribed lotion - it itches now.

[Canarylady]

O bless you,I m going through all you ve mentioned!above!

I too live on my own,and I m finding it difficult,I m just about managing to work full time again.

I miss someone who understands my condition,and someone to have a laugh with!

I ve moved to a new job from Worthing back to the Newbury area.

Thank you for sharing your worries with us,you have certainly helped me.

Sending you all my best wishes

Xx

[Pollynolongerinagony in reply to Canarylady]

YOU ARE A LOVELY BRAVE CHIRPY LADY .. ENOYED YOUR 'TWITTER' ON HERE, KEEP ON KEEPING ON, THIS IS ONLY TEMPORY X

[Mahnahvu]

Once I started the 60mg dose needed for GCA and my moon face developed, my eyes got very watery. The eye doctor said that there are little drainage ducts to drain away your tears. Mine were covered over by a thin layer of tissue. He said that they could operate, but I chose to simply ride it out and see if it improved as I tapered the prednisone, as that is what seemed to bring it on. And the eye doctor said that things might improve as I taper the steroids. After a year, and now at 9mg, the eyes are still the same. I'll give it a while longer and see if I can loose this moon-face. Maybe the tear drainage ducts will open back up.

[HappyDiamonds in reply to Mahnahvu]

I would have done the same thing. Fingers crossed for you that the moon face and tear ducts disappear as you manage to taper further. My watery eyes have improved today after 2 days of the spray PMRPro recommended. Happy New Year.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HappyDiamonds]

Oh good!!

[HappyDiamonds in reply to PMRpro]

Yes thank you. My right eye is still watering but its nowhere near as uncomfortable, I can see better and eyes don't feel anywhere near so strained. Another successful 'consultation' much appreciated 😀