Burning, sore eyes...

[HollyHeski]

Hi, I have aps as well as SS - my eyes are always dry and use eye drops but the last few days my eyes are stinging & feel like they are burning.

Does anyone else suffer like this and if so, what helps?

[grahamb]

Sure, I've had Sjogrens about 10 years. There are several factors which can bring about a flare up of stinging eyes, and once they are stinging, the drops don't do much but give temporary respite, and after not long they will start to sting again. I'm in NZ and in late Summer we went through a really hot patch with hot dry winds. When the body temperature reaches the point where it starts sweating, the danger of stinging from dry eye is worse. Wind is a big aggravation, as are dry air conditioned indoor environments. At home I have a weather station to measure room temperature and humidity. 22 degrees with 50% humidity, and wrap around prescription sunnies keep me from needing to use eyedrops.

Also, it's important that first thing in the morning, you clear out the sleepies from the corners of your eyes, and lower eyelids, come back 5 minutes later to clear them again, and once again after breakfast. They may be in a mucous state when you clear them out, but if left there, they can become dry and scratch the cornea.

In the past I would nurse my eyes back to health, and one thing I found helpful was to lie down and place the palms of my hands over the eye sockets, so as to create a warm moisture chamber. This is a variation on using a warm flannel.

Before bed i would put one or two drops of hexane free organic castor oil in my eyes, roll them around, lie down, close them, and rub any excess oil over the eyelids and around the eye.

It's taken me a long time to learn a hard lesson: closing the eyes, and doting on them with eyedrops, discourages tearflow. Last month I tried a new approach when I got an attack of dry eye, which was, believe it or not, keeping the eyes open. It is difficult, when you feel them burning, but is made less so but slowly rolling the eyes clockwise and anticlockwise, slowly, and repetitively (as you are groaning from the burning sensation!)

But after maybe 3-5 minutes of this, you will feel your nose begin to run clear, and as this happens, the body is sending real tears to your eyes, which you are spreading around, by rolling your eyes. The stinging will settle down, and you will have to blow your nose about 3 times.

I learnt this from an ancient Chinese meditation technique used to encourage increased tearflow.

These days I only use the castor oil on nights when my eyes have felt really dry. Now that it's early autumn in NZ, the climate is much easier on my eyes.

Bear in mind that gazing at computer screens, and the bright light of the sun can aggravate them too, and the sun does start to lower in autumn, and get more in our eyeline.

Hope this helps.

[HollyHeski in reply to grahamb]

Thats really helpful-will try your suggestions. Thanks

[DBillings in reply to grahamb]

Hi there. I'm a newbie on this site seeking a NZ support network. I am in Auckland and keen to make local contacts to share ideas re specialists, meds and supplements. There doesn't seem to be a Sjogrens support group here that is operational 😏

Regards

Deirdre

[milkwoman]

Recently, I went thru a very bad period with my eyes - dry, burning, irritated, etc. Turns out, my meibomian glands were blocked.

To unblock them, I used warm compresses two times a day. You have to keep the compresses on your eyes for at least 6 minutes and need to turn them when the compresses cool off. After heating, you take your finger and gently massage along the lid line, from the inside of the eye to the outside. You are trying to express the gland.

This really helped me. I was much better after a few days. If I hadn't, my ophthamologist would have put me on dioxycycline to clear the infection.

I recently found a really wonderful eye drop. It is called OCuSoft Retaine MGD Complete Dry Eye Relief. Instead of just relieving symptoms, it's formula works to restore the three layers of the tear film. I have found great relief since I started using them.

If you haven't reported your symptoms to your ophthamologist I would do so in case you have something very serious going on.

Good luck!

[DianeR]

Hi, organic cold pressed castor oil from the Health Food shop works well for me too at night time. As do the eye exercises upon waking. I wet my eyes first thing and cup my hands over them while I do 360 degree movements to warm up the muscles and rapid blinks to get the tear film going. A visit to the eye doctor is also a very good idea. Best wishes with your eyes and hope you get some relief soon.

[willybilly]

Nothing helps in my experience. Just keep on with bathing and drops etc.

[HollyHeski]

Agree, just have to wait it out until it calms down. Thanks for answering x

[happyhappy60]

I like the Bion Tears eyedrops(3 boxes on script) 4 times a day.