Re: Sjogren's & dry eyes

[Guest guest]

I think that I have it, but my Dr. won't even address it. I was

wondering the same thing. My eye doctor told me that if I had it I

would not be wearing contacts, and I am. I have the swelling in my

salivary glands, and they get huge and I can't eat for days. I plan

to talk to my Rheumatologist about it, but as far as I know there is

nothing that can really be done about it, other than treating the

symptoms. If you have the dry mouth like I do, I use this toothpaste

and mouthwash, and keep this special spray in my purse, and it's the

only thing that keep me from being miserable.

From the research I've done, they diagnose it by your symptoms and

that test that you took. If I end up having to take it, I will

remember to blink

>

> Those of you who have Sjogren's, how were you diagnosed? Were you

given

> a specific test, or did the doctor just go by your symptoms?

>

> I recently went to a cornea specialist to have my Fuchs' corneal

> dystrophy and cataracts assessed. As a result, I will be having

> cataract surgery soon.

>

> They did all kinds of tests on my eyes. One of the technicians said

> that she thought that I might have dry eye. So she stuck a little

strip

> of paper into each eye, said something about three minutes, and

left

> the room. She gave me no instructions. I thought that I was

supposed to

> keep my eyes closed, so I did. I waited and waited, and my eyes

started

> to be very irritated. I finally took the strips out, but my eyes

were

> still killing me. I got up and looked in the mirror and found that

the

> end of each strip was stuck firmly to my eyeball.

>

> The tech did not come back in for 20-30 minutes. I told her what

had

> happened, and she proceeded to try to get the paper out with a q-

tip,

> which did not feel good at all. I said that those numbing drops

were

> not working anymore, so she put more in and finally got the paper

out

> of my eyes.

>

> I have since learned that this dry eye test is called the Schirmer

> test. I was supposed to keep my eyes open and blink normally. I

would

> have done this if I had been told to.

>

> Sue

>

[Guest guest]

When fighting my Sjogrens last year, my wife bought a bottle of nasal

moisturizer to help my sinuses. Well, dummy me, I used it in my eyes because

of the sandpaper feeling, not thinking what it was for. Since then, I use it

in my eyes when I need it and it works well for me. It's the Equate brand

from WalMart and will spray holding it upright, a stream horizontally, and

drops up side down. I have a hard time hitting my eyes with drops and can't

keep my eye open long enough for my wife to do it for me. I haven't seen any

problem with it and can spray my eyes easily. Chewing gum and lots of water

are my other defenses to the Sjogrens. There's no cure or treatment that I

know of so I just suffer along like I do with most of my RA pains.

Dennis in eastexas

Re: [ ] Sjogren's & dry eyes - Response to Sue

> Thanks, . I'm going to ask for another Schirmer's test the next

> time that I go to an ophthalmologist and see what results that gives. I

> also plan to ask my rheumatologist about the possibility of Sjogren's

> when I see him again. The last time I saw him, he asked if I had dry

> eyes or dry mouth, and I said that I didn't think so. That was before

> the Schirmer's test that was attempted on me. Since I have Fuchs'

> corneal dystrophy, some map dot dystrophy, and cataracts, plus my

> myopia and astigmatism, it's hard sometimes to know what's going on

> with my eyes.

>

> Sue

>

> On Thursday, February 21, 2008, at 03:01 PM, Pou wrote:

>

>> Sue:

>>

>> When I complained of dry eyes and mouth, my rheumy said that I

>> probably also had Sjogren's and that I needed to follow up with my eye

>> doctor (and dentist). My optometrist did the Schirmer's test (the

>> little paper in your eyes that measures your tear production). He

>> also could visibly see that my tear film was almost completely gone

>> and observed tear production while I blinked my eyes. I have since

>> had plugs installed in the punctums (the drain holes on the top and

>> bottom eyelids to keep more of my tears on my eyes longer and also use

>> Restasis to help increase my tear production. I also use Refresh

>> Liquigel when necessary, also per my optometrist.

[Guest guest]

Gracious, Dennis, I hope there's nothing harmful in that nasal

moisturizer, LOL. Maybe it's salt water, like the Muro 128 drops I'm

supposed to put into my eyes four times a day for the Fuchs' corneal

dystrophy; it's very expensive salt water.

I have to look in a mirror to put drops in; otherwise, my eye sees the

drop coming and closes itself. There's more than one way to skin a cat,

and we find a way that works for us.

Sue

On Thursday, February 21, 2008, at 05:28 PM, <betnden@...>

wrote:

> When fighting my Sjogrens last year, my wife bought a bottle of nasal

> moisturizer to help my sinuses. Well, dummy me, I used it in my eyes

> because

> of the sandpaper feeling, not thinking what it was for. Since then, I

> use it

> in my eyes when I need it and it works well for me. It's the Equate

> brand

> from WalMart and will spray holding it upright, a stream horizontally,

> and

> drops up side down. I have a hard time hitting my eyes with drops and

> can't

> keep my eye open long enough for my wife to do it for me. I haven't

> seen any

> problem with it and can spray my eyes easily. Chewing gum and lots of

> water

> are my other defenses to the Sjogrens. There's no cure or treatment

> that I

> know of so I just suffer along like I do with most of my RA pains.

>

> Dennis in eastexas

>