Watery eyes?

For some years now, I have had a very watery right eye. My left eye also
waters, but non nearly as much. I have tried to get help but am usually
met with something like: As contradictory as it may sound, watery eyes
are really an aspect of dry eye.

I can go along with that, but this eye really seems to turn on a faucet.
The tear duct id not blocked. I can sometimes taste eye drops. It
sometimes does feel as if an eyelash hair got inverted. The tears form
so fast that vision is greatly distorted. Blinking does not help much.

The trouble may have started with cataract surgery. Is that possible? If
so, what can be done about it? Since the cataract surgery, I have had
glaucoma surgery (trabulectomy)as well.

Bill

--
Private Profit; Public Poop! Avoid collateral windfall!

On Dec 4, 10:50*pm, Salmon Egg <Salmon...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> For some years now, I have had a very watery right eye. My left eye also
> waters, but non nearly as much. I have tried to get help but am usually
> met with something like: As contradictory as it may sound, watery eyes
> are really an aspect of dry eye.
>
> I can go along with that, but this eye really seems to turn on a faucet.
> The tear duct id not blocked. I can sometimes taste eye drops. It
> sometimes does feel as if an eyelash hair got inverted. The tears form
> so fast that vision is greatly distorted. Blinking does not help much.
>
> The trouble may have started with cataract surgery. Is that possible? If
> so, what can be done about it? Since the cataract surgery, I have had
> glaucoma surgery (trabulectomy)as well.

Bill,

If you search, on PubMed, you'll find studies that show that cataract
surgery INCREASES dry eye syndrome (reduced Tear Breakup Time AND
Schirmer's).

It seems that -- like LASIK -- this is probably an issue of severing
the nerves that innervate the tear reflex.

My guess: your dry eye simply became worse.

Have you had quantitative testing to determine what sort of dry eye
issues you have? If it's a quality of tears issue (TBUT) vs. quantity
(Schirmer's), then you'd want a thicker (preservative-free) eye drop
to help enhance your tears' viscosity.

Have you seen a dry eye/anterior segment/ocular surface specialist for
these issues? The shotgun approach isn't particularly valuable.
Somebody who knows about things like meniscus, interferometry, rose
bengal, fluoroscein, etc., etc., is much more likely, IMHO, to be of
help to you.

Neil

In article
<53b988f0-2930-49fb-b79b-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Neil Brooks <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
> If you search, on PubMed, you'll find studies that show that cataract
> surgery INCREASES dry eye syndrome (reduced Tear Breakup Time AND
> Schirmer's).
>
> It seems that -- like LASIK -- this is probably an issue of severing
> the nerves that innervate the tear reflex.
>
> My guess: your dry eye simply became worse.
>
> Have you had quantitative testing to determine what sort of dry eye
> issues you have? If it's a quality of tears issue (TBUT) vs. quantity
> (Schirmer's), then you'd want a thicker (preservative-free) eye drop
> to help enhance your tears' viscosity.
>
> Have you seen a dry eye/anterior segment/ocular surface specialist for
> these issues? The shotgun approach isn't particularly valuable.
> Somebody who knows about things like meniscus, interferometry, rose
> bengal, fluoroscein, etc., etc., is much more likely, IMHO, to be of
> help to you.
>
> Neil

I have seen several ophthalmologists over the years on this subject over
the years. None of them suggested the possibility of a neurological
deficit. Even with all the tears, it feels like something is on the
cornea. I am talking about my better eye which is not all that good. The
tear distortion does not help.

1. I really think that the surgeon who performed the cataract surgery
on that eye was good. He moved away to consolidate his practice at one
location.

2. His replacement seemed OK but left the USA precipitously.

3. Before he left, he sent me to an ophthalmological plastic surgeon
who determined that the duct draining tears was functioning well.

4. The next ophthalmologist, I a still seeing had other problems to
treat.

5. I went to a specialist surgeon to treat glaucoma, That puts dry eye
in perspective.

6. I visited the same practice yesterday because someone notice my eye
was unusually red because of irritation.

Writing this up amazes me Six ophthalmologists in about four Years and
still no effective dry eye treatment.

Bill

--
Private Profit; Public Poop! Avoid collateral windfall!

On Dec 5, 9:25*pm, Salmon Egg <Salmon...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>> Writing this up amazes me Six ophthalmologists in about four Years and
> still no effective dry eye treatment.

There really is not effective dry eye treatment. There are various
meaures that help a bit but no cure.

I, and I'm sure the other docs here too, spend a fair part of my day
dealing with dry eye patients. If I had an easy, effective treatment,
I would be very, very rich.

Judy

On Dec 6, 12:14*pm, Dr Judy <mpac...@rogers.com> wrote:
> On Dec 5, 9:25*pm, Salmon Egg <Salmon...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> >> Writing this up amazes me Six ophthalmologists in about four Years and
> > still no effective dry eye treatment.
>
> There really is not effective dry eye treatment. *There are various
> meaures that help a bit but no cure.
>
> I, and I'm sure the other docs here too, spend a fair part of my day
> dealing with dry eye patients. If I had an easy, effective treatment,
> I would be very, very rich.

Amen.

The most effective treatments, though, are geared toward the
underlying problem AND the kind of dry eye issue that YOU have (ie,
quantity or quality issues).

The fixes CAN be targeted. Proper targeting will increase the
likelihood that you'll have some relief of symptoms.

But it starts with a thorough exam, and an accurate Dx. There are
LOTS of things that can cause dry eye issues, IF that is, indeed what
you're experiencing.

You may want to explore www.dryeyezone.com -- particularly their
online forum. Lots of caring, helpful people participate, there.

Also, if you're a glaucoma patient, are you managed with drops? If
so, are those drops preserved with Benzalkonium Chloride ("BAK")?

If so, then that could ONLY be making your symptoms worse....

In article
<8bb8dc7b-ef24-43c5-bf2f-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Neil Brooks <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> But it starts with a thorough exam, and an accurate Dx. There are
> LOTS of things that can cause dry eye issues, IF that is, indeed what
> you're experiencing.

As I pointed out earlier, I have seen many presumably competent
ophthalmologists. What is the likelihood that I would get adequate dry
eye examination if I complained about dry eye?

Bill

--
Private Profit; Public Poop! Avoid collateral windfall!

In article
<8bb8dc7b-ef24-43c5-bf2f-(E-Mail Removed)>,
Neil Brooks <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Also, if you're a glaucoma patient, are you managed with drops? If
> so, are those drops preserved with Benzalkonium Chloride ("BAK")?
>
> If so, then that could ONLY be making your symptoms worse....

I have had trabeculectomies performed on both eyes because drops were
not doing the job. The only drops I am using now are for the dry eye.

I have had trouble with BAK. You might have clued me in on that. My not
so good eye was really irritated at the time of surgery. Enough so, that
a different post surgery medication regime was used.

Bill

--
Private Profit; Public Poop! Avoid collateral windfall!

On Dec 6, 4:19*pm, Salmon Egg <Salmon...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> In article
> <8bb8dc7b-ef24-43c5-bf2f-9a35aa4f6...@v5g2000prm.googlegroups.com>,
> *Neil Brooks <neil0...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > But it starts with a thorough exam, and an accurate Dx. *There are
> > LOTS of things that can cause dry eye issues, IF that is, indeed what
> > you're experiencing.
>
> As I pointed out earlier, I have seen many presumably competent
> ophthalmologists. What is the likelihood that I would get adequate dry
> eye examination if I complained about dry eye?

My oversimplified answer is this: if you were not seen by a doc who
specializes in dry eye, then you may not have received the best advice
currently available.

Ophthalmology -- like most of medicine -- is very specialized. My
(excellent) strabismus guy knows NOTHING about dry eye.

If it were me, I'd see if any of the people on THIS list was close to
me, or could recommend somebody close to me:

http://www.tearfilm.org/dewsreport/pdfs/Membership.pdf

This is the only 'significant' consortium that I'm aware of whose sole
purpose is to advance the diagnosis and treatment OF dry eye.