Transitioning to Contact Lenses / Dry Eyes Gone?

A little over a year ago I decided to cease the use of contact lenses and strictly use glasses. However, now that a year has passed I decided that it would be the opportune time to visit an optometrist and get fitted for new contact lenses. I was set on getting CooperVision Proclear 1-Day Contact Lenses as I recall my previous optometrist saying how you needn't have to worry about cleaning them since they are daily disposables. Even though daily disposables are a bit more expensive than 2 week or monthly contacts I wanted to give them a try.

When I arrived at my appointment and spoke to this new optometrist, I learned quite a bit. After a comprehensive eye exam, he stated that my eyes were quite healthy (which was great to hear from a professional) and that he saw no symptoms of dry eye. It was a bit of a shock to say the least, especially since I use eye drops everyday. He did state that I had mild blepharitis which didn't come as a surprise to me and said that I should just clean my eyelashes with baby shampoo twice daily to help alleviate the problem. I mentioned how I still get occasional 'string' in my eyes and asked his opinion of it. The optometrist stated that it is most likely because of the blepharitis and I find it odd because I've never read of 'stringy discharge' being a symptom of blepharitis but it is something to think about.

With that being said, I now had the option of getting either daily disposables, 2 week or monthly contacts and I opted for the 2 weeks. Today has been the first day of trying CooperVision's Avaira contacts; I notice they aren't very popular with contact wearer's but needless to say they feel fresh in the eyes so far. As for contact solution, this time around, I am trying out ClearCare.

Mucus Fishing Syndrome

Suffering from strings of mucus on a daily basis? If the severity of the mucus is abundant where you insist on constantly wiping it from your eyes you might just have 'Mucus Fishing Syndrome (MFS)'. MFS includes increased mucus production through ocular irritation. However, when you reach into your eyes to remove the mucus you could be further irritating your eyes. This condition can last for years. Some times it can be embarrassing to admit to your peers let alone your optometrist but if they are not informed of this condition, the road to recovery will cease to exist.

If you think you might have MFS, pinpointing the problem is key. Are you allergic to certain things you eat but are unaware of it? Have you been neglecting your eyes through overuse of contact lenses? Make sure you know the side effects of any medications you may take as they may agitate the eyes. There is no one answer fix here but for more information please visit the websites below.

• dryeyeinfo: dry eye in depth
• reviewofoptometry: gone fishin'
• pubmed.gov: mucus fishing syndrome 
• dryeyezone: mucous fishing syndrome

Dr. Oz: Omega's

Omega's are important for great health and could prove useful in individuals with dry eyes. The 3 essential forms of omega 3's include:

• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) 

According to Dr. Oz, DHA and EPA come primarily from fish and what fish eat. ALA (walnuts, flaxseed, soybean, etc.) is everything else and does not get converted as easily by our bodies.

Exactly how many milligrams of omega 3's should our bodies take in?

Dr. Oz states that 600mg of DHA/EPA a day is essential to our health.

The Dr. Oz Show: Know Your Omega Fatty Acids - Video

TheraTears Liquid Gel: Review

TheraTears Liquid Gel is stated to be used for individuals with severe dry eyes and is perfect for nighttime use. Compared to Refresh Liquigel, these eye drops do not crust as much and do not leave you as irritated. However, if you plan on watching a nightly movie or decide to go for a morning walk and drip some Liquid Gel into your eyes, think twice. These are "liquid bandages" after all and you do feel as though something is in your eye. I notice that whenever I go to sleep with them, in the morning my eyes feel extra dry as opposed to using regular non-vial eye drops. I still prefer regular eye drops over liquid gel products as the relief provided is minimal.

Blepharitis

Do you suffer from itching or burning eyelids? Does crust form? If so you may have blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids). This condition occurs when there is excess oil buildup near the glands of the eyes. There are products available where you can scrub your eyelids although on a personal note, the OCuSOFT Eyelid Scrub Pads seemed to attract quite a bit of dust towards my eyelids which turned out to be counterproductive. However, simply cleaning your eyes with warm water every morning can be quite beneficial.

To find out the specific type of blepharitis you may have visit : The Eye Digest.

AzaSite for Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis (Red Eye) is the swelling or infection of the eyelids due to bacteria and viruses. Usually it disappears on its own but responds well to antibiotic treatment.

Approximately a month ago, I was infected with Viral Conjunctivitis and fell ill because of this condition. A plethora of medication was prescribed to me by an optometrist (during the course of this infection):

1. Allergan Pred Forte
2. Allergan Zymaxid
3. AzaSite
4. Falcon Pharmaceuticals Tobramycin and Dexamethasone Ophthalmic Suspension
5. Falcon Pharmaceuticals Ophthalmic Solution USP, 0.3%
6. Bausch & Lomb Erythromycin Ophthalmic Ointment USP, 0.5% *Did not use
7. Azithromycin Tablets *Did not use
8. Bausch & Lomb Lotemax *Given by Ophthalmologist (Worked as intended)

In regards to AzaSite, I have read that it has worked for some with dry eye and blepharitis, but in my case, it did not help clear up the Conjunctivitis. The skin under my eye was raw/sensitive enough that I felt solid pain on my eye. It was strange since on some occasions, no pain was felt but with most instances the pain was too much to bar. Hence, I stopped taking AzaSite. Readers, be forewarned.

Refresh Liquigel: Review

Refresh Liquigel contain PURITE, the same preservative found in Refresh Tears. This product is intended for individuals with severe dry eye as they are formulated with "extra strength" gel.

I received a couple of samples from the optometrist and decided to give these a try. After a week of use, I can definitively say that these eye drops do not compare to the Refresh Tears. The gel 'clogs' up your eyes for quite some time and your eyes are accompanied with blurred vision. After a couple of minutes, unsightly crust starts to form on both eyelashes. The only way to get rid of this is to either wait it out or wash out the eyes. I would not recommend this product.