Wellness

[BichonEmma]

I also have dry eyes. My dr did prescribe restasis. Thankfully my copay wasn't that high. Restasis has a copay assistance program that helps. I took it for 2 years and never noticed much of a difference. I got tear duct plugs put it and it's like night and day. I can actually wear contacts if I want. I never wore the, full time just a few times a year but the last time I wore them before the plugs my eyes were so dry the contacts felt like the were glued in, no fun!

To answer your dosage question my eye doctor told me to use 1 vial per day am&pm but not to use it longer than that due to risk of infection. 

[Reba055]

I've used it in the past and my doc said I could use the vial multiple times, and I did. I'm pretty sure my problem was a hormone imbalance. I'm having the issue pretty bad again and I've been trying like heck to get my hormones straight. 

That is a pretty hefty cost for you but I will say it really helped me back then. 

[Tissyanne]

 I have suffered from dry eyes for a few years, and it is a miserable condition. I have used Restasis for a long time, and my eye doctor had me use Lotemax (steroid) along with it for the first 10 days to jump start the effectiveness. Restasis is a miracle drug in my opinion, but it does take time to become effective. I do not refrigerate mine, and one vial will last two days. I no longer use over the counter drops very often. Sleeping under a humidifier is helpful to me. I use distilled water in my humidifier. Genteal eye GEL is the best too. It is superior to other over the counter eye meds in my opinion. 

Dry eyes is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get. My eye dr said you will have good days and bad days. 

[abbeythe 8th]

I've used Restasis for about 5 years morning and night.  The last year or so it no longer seemed affective.  I've since switched to Lotemax.

My insurance plan pays for both prescriptions.

[Tissyanne]

Lotemax is a steroid, and can cause glaucoma with long term use. I don't know of any eye dr that would let someone use this for more than a few weeks, 

[NAES1]

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@Tissyanne wrote:

 I have suffered from dry eyes for a few years, and it is a miserable condition. I have used Restasis for a long time, and my eye doctor had me use Lotemax (steroid) along with it for the first 10 days to jump start the effectiveness. Restasis is a miracle drug in my opinion, but it does take time to become effective. I do not refrigerate mine, and one vial will last two days. I no longer use over the counter drops very often. Sleeping under a humidifier is helpful to me. I use distilled water in my humidifier. Genteal eye GEL is the best too. It is superior to other over the counter eye meds in my opinion. 

Dry eyes is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get. My eye dr said you will have good days and bad days. 

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      @Tissyanne,

        I have a question, since you are very knowledgeable about Dry Eye: would you, in your own personal opinion say- that wearing contact lenses _*will or could*_ eventually cause a person being Near Sighted, has always worn glasses, now using contact lenses (the soft ones, I think) have this condition later on.

I am asking because since I have never worn glasses, I have a family member that does choose to wear contacts. He is older but did wear glasses at one time- for reading close up.

 Personally, I can not understand how anyone can/does gets used to having 'those' in all day.

I have to admit, I know a lot about the anatomy of each organ, along with the eyes, though ...I find very little out there teaching about eyes per`se.

I was not taught much about classes in eye diseases, while in nursing school, even less when teaching. Those courses would be delegated to the student in ophthalmology, I do know that. 

In fact I have a friend with Glaucoma and Diabetic Retinopathy, a teacher himself, in health, who stopped suddenly wearing CONTACTS, now wears "only his prescription glasses".

Retinal Vein Occlusion is a very serious eye disease, also, and he has to have eye injections to keep the arteries, within the eyes, opened  ( injection with medication) and free from any irritation.

Each eye injection costs $3,000.00 per treatment. Once every 5 months.  That is his only option.   I know he is in his 60s. Has had this condition (both) since he was approximately 55 years old.

This came on very quickly after his triglycerides rose to a very high level.

Honestly, I learn more about eyes from patients than doctors, unless it would be an Ophthalmology, MD. 

I do not believe there is that much taught in medical school -REF: eye diseases. 

Personally, if this were me, I would choose glasses. I can only speak for myself since I do not wear prescription glasses, or never have. 

..." on the small amount of information I gave, I was hoping you would come on. I know how much you do know about this particular issue. NAES

[deedledeedeedle]

I've used Restasis off on on for several years now. My ocular dryness seems to be cyclic and seasonal allergy related. Restasis does not perform like any other OTC preparation. It is cyclosporin, an immunosuppressant.

This medication has been a life saver for me. I do reuse the vials until empty being careful not to contaminate the opening. I find I can get 2 1/2 days dosage out of each vial and I also don't let the vial sit open longer than that. My ophthalmologist told me that once the eyes are doing well it's okay to "skip" one of the doses once in a while. 

My eyes did so well that I was taken off of it for a year, only to have the dryness return. So now I am back on it and my eyes are no longer dry. I describe the feeling of dryness similar to when I  sometimes "overwore" my hard contacts from back in the day. Very, very uncomfortable to the point of not being able to open eyes and blurred, hazy vision. 

I would forgo a couple of non essentials to have this medication, that is how impressed I am with it. See if the drug company that makes it offers a rebate program.

I am not affiliated with the manufacturer in any way.

[NAES1]

@Tissyanne,..."please read my other post: a question referring to dry eye"...

[Tissyanne]

@NAES1,

My brother and I were both near sighted early in life at about 8 years old. Both of us wore the hard contact lenses and neither of us tolerated them very well. I believe the hard ones were all that were offered at that time. My son has been near sighted since the age of 8, and when he became a teen we let him get the soft contact lenses which he wore for a wèek at a time ( slept in them) and then put in a fresh pair. He no longer wears them after his illness. I don't know that contacts would contribute to dry eyes, but it certainly would aggravate the condition. I read a lot on the Dry Eye forum, and lots of people say they cannot even think about wearing contacts. Dry eyes are very painful, as our corneas have more nerve endings than any other part of our body. Without adequate tears, especially at night when we are not blinking corneal abrasions can occur. I can say that this is the most severe pain I have had. I do have a high pain tolerance. 

It is good to hear from you. 💜

[NAES1]

I just glanced back to the forum & blogs, and noted that I AM THE

__Author of: Anyone Use Restatis? I posted to Daring Greatly about Systane, but told her to wait until someone who knew more than I -would come along and contribute more on the subject. 

Maybe "T" you will note the very same thing? I am NOT THE AUTHOR....