Hello All. I have Hashimotos, and have developed dry eye (tear deficiency) and MGD - blocked glands and was diagnosed with same about a month ago. This appeared out of the blue and came on within about 2 months. Never had a problem with dry eyes before... I don't have blepharitis (the crusty eyelash thing), but my eyelids, particularly the lower ones, get very burny if I look at things too long. I can't be on the PC for more than 15 mins, can't watch TV, also reading brings it on after a while. I've been put on steroids', cyclosporine, antibiotics, I'm using a heat pad twice a day and use eye drops like there is no tomorrow and take omega 3 oils. During the night I put in vaseline like lubricant. Things have gotten better and the eyes don't feel as dry anymore (they felt like a dried out desert!) but the burning of the lids is slow in getting better. Has anyone suffered with this, and if yes how long did it take to get better? In particular has anyone had similar issues with their eyelids and sensitivity to screens? The doctors seemed to think that this was strange and PC etc should not cause this and it might be a nerve sensitivity... Overall I got the impression I'm in this for the long haul...
Dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction... - Thyroid UK
Dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction...
We can get thyroid eye disease with Hashimoto’s
Dry and gritty eyes common issue
Eyes can also swell so that eyelids don’t shut properly at night ....leading to very dry eyes when you wake
Ask to see eye specialist or see optician
How long have you been diagnosed as having Hashimoto’s
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested
I have mild TED and Hashimotos, so as SlowDragon says, it is possible.
I use HycoSan Extra drops often and also supplement with Selenium and lutein and zeazanthin (Eye Complex 7 on Amazon). I would ask your optician to check your eyes and refer you to an ophthalmologist if things don’t improve. I wear reactive glasses as I’m very sensitive to sunlight and dim the brightness of my pc screen. I hope things improve soon!
I have TED and Hashimoto’s too
I find these eye drops are good as no preservatives
amazon.co.uk/Evolve-Hyprome...
Did T3 improve your eye condition at all SD? I’m only 2 weeks into my T3 trial and haven’t noticed any improvement yet, but following forum advice to introduce slowly.
No...not noticeably 😟
SlowDragon do these drops have acacia powder or microcrystalline cellulose in them please?
I don't have the box with ingredients list ....will let you know when new boxes arrive
Nothing listed on the bottle
Thanks SlowDragon . helvella has kindly posted details for me.
Hopefully these are the ones!
Composition:
Evolve@ Hypromellose contains Hypromellose 0.3% w/v, Boric Acid, Borax, Sodium
Chloride, Potassium Chloride and Water for Injections.
medicomhealthcare.com/resou...
Thank you for posting this for me helvella .
Many thanks for your replies. I'm under the care of two opthalmologists and have had various tests done, hence the cyclosporine immunosuppressant drugs and steroids and antibiotics.I was diagnosed with Hashimotos in 2007 and I take Armour Thyroid and T3. I go for blood tests quite regularly, my Vitamins are all in normal range. I've always struggled with thyroid medication, getting a lots of problems with heart rate, blood pressure, shortness of breath, weird head shock sensations.... I've managed to get TSH down to 4 - I know for most people this sounds horrendous, but I've lived on TSH between 8-15 for years. When I was diagnosed I was TSH >100.... it's also not entirely reflective of how I feel every day since I take T3 during the day also. Having said that I've slightly increased my armour a few weeks back and will go for bloods again end of January....
Vitamins are all in normal range.
But are vitamin levels optimal?
Vitamin D at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol maybe better (40ng/ml)
Serum B12 at least over 500
Active B12 at least over 70
Folate and ferritin at least half way through range
With Hashimoto’s we need optimal vitamin levels to be able to utilise thyroid hormones
Are you on strictly gluten free diet and/or dairy free diet
Often helps or is absolutely essential
Hi, sorry for the long pause in replying, PCs are still a big issue...Serum B12 is 534 ng/l, Folate 8.7 ug/l, Vitamin D 82 nmol/l, Serum Iron 15 umol/l, Serum Ferritin 172 ug/l - I have not hear of active B12? not sure they test this here (in Ireland).
Just been for a blood test after increasing thyroid meds, so will post when I have the results. I generally feel good, I have energy, sleep well, my digestion works well. Skin is a bit dry, but otherwise after years of trial and error I actually feel good on my desiccated pork gland + T3 combo. I once went on a year of gluten and dairy free, but noticed no difference. I've had numerous blood tests and an endoscopy for coeliac, but I defo don't have it. A recent ANA/ENA to test for Sjogren's came back negative as did RF and connective tissue screen.
My eyes have gotten a little bit better, I think my main issue now is MGD and posterior blepharitis, the latter giving me all the pain. I do steam goggles twice a day and gland expression and have found that applying manuka honey to the eye lids seems to help. I also put clingfilm over my eyes during the night (held in place by a simple airplane eye mask) and that avoids any moisture loss during the night (I use Hylo night during the night and top up every 3 hours). The antibiotics were given because of suspected blepharitis, and all the other meds due to the tear deficiency. I think I just have to keep doing what I'm doing and eventually I hope it will go away.
I've gone sugar free and eat loads of veg, losing weight, which is welcome. I've started drinking green tea with lemon, but my stomach doesn't like it unfortunately, so have to scale back on that one. I also take omega eye fish oils, so I'm really giving it my best shot I think. patience is what I am lacking in!
I’m being treated for Sjogrens but havent had the test for it so at least Sicca Syndrome. The bottom link posted by Slow Dragon makes perfect sense to me. That its the Thyroid dysfunction and not Sjogrens. I was only diagnosed with Hypothyroidism last year but have been poorly with lots of symptoms for 20 yrs. Never suspected Thyroid as no one in my family and no doctor checked it either!
I have red eyes, one eye runs when I’m out. I have less than 2mm when they put tapes in. Its very painful through the night and I cant just open my eyes. Its pretty awful. Been like this for 20 yrs and gone double sighted now. Saw an Opthamology Consultant at Manchester Eye Clinic for 3 minutes 2 yrs ago who wrote to my GP that I have ‘slight dry eyes’ and discharged me. That was so offensive to me. Have been referred back by Rheum for eye plugs and been on the waiting list a year.
It looks like youre getting more attention at least. Wishing you all the best x
Like you I have one eye that waters when I go out. Usually waters when I wake up, too. GP called it ‘dry eye’, which surprised me as it never feels dry, and prescribed hypromellose. GP said to use it as and when, but on this site someone advised using drops constantly, so long as they’re preservative free (mine aren’t). I’ve actually given up on the drops as they just make my eye water, which is the thing I’m trying to prevent, without seeming to provide any benefit. Any tips?
I use Hyobak preservative free. Before then I just used water but apparently thats dangerous. I dont know why when we drink it! I was prescribed ointment but that made them terrrible. Omega 3 oil is meant to help but I havent noticed a difference. Hot pads are meant to help but I didnt notice it. I have a room humidifier but that doesnt do anything either. Computers and phones dont help. Blinking does. My Dads eyes ran too and I now wonder if he was Hypo. He also developed Parkinsons. I’ll let you know if the eye plugs work x
👍
I dont know why when we drink it!
I suspect the reason is that water, even clean tap water, has some bacteria in it. Not advisable for eyes.
If we are well enough, and don't have any eye problems, it likely is no issue as we know from baths, showers, eve swimming.
It’s not a good idea to put water into your eyes or use it to rinse or wet your contact lenses, nor should you put contact lenses in when you are in the bathroom or kitchen - water even tap water that you can drink - contains acanthomoeba - it’s very nasty cdc.gov/parasites/acanthamo...
This isn't a " like " but a " hug " - I waited months to see an eye consultant at the hospital and was advised how to thoroughly wash and clean my eyes and quite honestly I felt offended.
He then gave me a further prescription for the same eye ointment my doctor had given me and I came home totally deflated, as this couldn't " all be in my head " as the distress, and constant watering were obvious.
So, I resorted to Dr Google and checked out various websites and learnt about the difference between eye ointments and on checking the gunk I had been prescribed realised neither options were preservative free.
I purchased preservative free eye drops from Moorfields Hospital where I had been a patient 25 years earlier for laser treatment in both eyes owing to retinal tears and holes in both my eyes.
On explaining all this to my doctor I was prescribed these preservative free single dose eye drops but only allowed 1 box a month ( 30 drops ) which hardly touched the sides of my ongoing issues, let alone the fact that I have two eyes !!!!
I have prescription [Scottish/UK NHS] for dry eyes from my first encounter with an underactive thyroid about 20 years ago, it was the consultant who told me this is a recognised issue. It has got worse with extended screen use over the last months. I am prescribed HYLO-FORTE, preservative and phosphate free, it is excellent for me.
NHS England no longer will prescribe eye drops as available OTC
So far we have been able to continue the commitment to free prescriptions in Scotland and do receive eye drops through NHS prescriptions. Just incase this is helpful to anyone who does not realise.
Anyone on levothyroxine in England is entitled to free prescriptions.
But no longer prescriptions for OTC items
Except those on block and replace! 
(The rule states myxoedema.)
Lots of good answers here; all I can tell you is my experience, which is slightly different.
Once I got on T3 steadily with FT3, TSH, and vitamin levels also well sorted, my terrible, painful, debilitating dry-eye problem eased up and then went away. It took months and month, though, so hang in there and don't despair. Thera-Tears was what I found to be the very best treatment along the way (expensive, alas, but this was what my ophthalmologist eventually recommended though it is OTC; not sure if it is available everywhere). Had tried Rx and other preparations, even a compounded one, but TheraTears worked easily and well for me. I still very occasionally have a problem, and when dry eyes occur, they're sometimes almost an early warning signal of a flare, imbalance, or probelm arising overall. I wish you luck and patience; there really is hope. But I'll say it was not a short road.
The only thing I can add is that perhaps you are in a warm room when you are doing your computer - TV etc. Also when you are computing it is possible that you are not blinking often enough as you need to. Remember too to look up into the distance regularly.
Once you’ve got dry eyes you’ve pretty much got them for life. You can sort of control them by doing what you’re doing but as soon as you stop what you’re doing the dryness will unfortunately start up again.
I hate to say it but the burning sensation is probably blepharitis of some sort. I’m not sure why your doctor has given you steroids and antibiotics for dry eyes. I’m not sure that is a common form of treatment. Did he / she think you had an eye infection.
I can’t think of anything else to tell you - you are doing all the right things so eventually they should sort themselves out - when that happens whatever you do don’t stop the routine you’ve got going.
If you haven’t done so already it might be worth booking an appointment with a good local optician, they will probably have a more in-depth knowledge of dry eyes than your doctor des.
Once you’ve got dry eyes you’ve pretty much got them for life.
That can be true - but thankfully, not always. I used to be forever using ViscoTears and LacriLube but have not done so for years now. 
Just meant to inject some (hopefully realistic ) optimism.
Sorry, I didn’t really mean to come over pessimistic.
Know what you mean, mine come and go depending on what I don’t know. I’ve probably had dry eyes on and off for about fifty years
At the moment I’m doing well, I’m not really using anything- I’m sure you’ll have seen my advice on here advising people with dry eyes to do as I say not as I do - which is tend to stop the eye drops once my eyes feel better.
At the moment I think they might be good because of the Algae oil omega 3 DHA capsules I’m taking every day - supposed to be good for my bones but when I ran out recently my dry eyes got dry again. Now I’ve stocked up on the Algae capsules again the dry eyes are fine.
On the other hand it could be because of the damp weather and the fact I haven’t been out in the car for a long time - the heater / fan dries them out. Who knows. 😉
Sorry, I didn’t really mean to come over pessimistic.
Apology not needed.
Yes, these things do vary. And we often have no idea why.
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