Please....I really need help. I'm at my wit's end. I have persistent, constant eye pain that is being attributed to severe dry eye. Where to begin?
36 years old. Retina dettachments in both eye (2 and 3 times each), surgery, laser surgery, cataract removed in one eye. I've had dry eye for a few years, mild to moderate, always responded to eye drops. Last December the dry eye really escalated and starting causing horrible pain. The pain has just intensified since then. In Feb I didn't think pain could get worse...it did. In May, didn't think it could get worse...it did. In August I knew I was maxed out on pain. Wrong...it's worse. I don't even know the words to describe the horrible sharp, stabbing pain I'm experiencing. My eyes hurt when they're open, when I close them, when I move them from side to side. You probably get the message.
Been on Restatsis since January. Take oral BioTear vitamins. Have all four ducts plugged. My favoriate eye drops are: Systane Ultra, GenTeal gel, Celluvisic, Blink, B&L ointment....use them frequently. It even burns and hurts to put drops in. I use a humidifier at night and just got one installed onto the house HVAC system. I use wam clothes on my eyes sometimes, I use cold packs on my eyes sometimes. I wear sunglasses in my home and always when using the computer.
Oh, the headaches. Migraine once or twice a month. Tylenol, Advil, Aleve - use them all - don't provide much relief anymore.
I've researched the archives here to find something that I may have missed. I don't know where to go from here. My doctor seems to be out of suggestions. I think, he believes, I'm making some of this up. He does admit the my eyes are "drier than the saharra deseret." Lately his only advice has been to try some different drops (gels and ointments) and use them more frequently.
I realize I'm rambling. I'm trying to provide as much info as possible in the hopes of getting the best advice/suggestions as possible. To say that this has impacted my daily life is putting it mildly. I'm having trouble taking care of my two small children. The pain gets so bad and I'm becoming an awful parent. It's tough to plan our day because I never know how dibilitating the pain/eye strain is going to be.
Does anybody have any suggestions of something to try that I'm not already doing?? Anything? I'll stand on my head and meditate if that will help. Thank you.