What do you do for dry eyes?

Pappy

Pappy

Living the Dream
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Moved back to NY from Florida. 🤓 2025
Wife and I both have dry eyes. I use Sustain preservative free drops three or four times daily. My wife uses Refresh Advanced drops three times a day, plus a prescription gel at night. We both have plugs in our tear duct s to help keep moisture in our eyes. Anymore ideas out there…Pappy
 

I've had severe dry eyes since my early 40's (now 75). Eye drops are expensive. And, I noticed when using them daily that at the end of the day my eyes burned. The formula of eye drops often includes salt or sodium chloride. Throughout the day the eye drops would evaporate leaving only the salt remaining in the eyes. As it accumulated it built up causing my eyes to burn.

Before going to bed each night I had to wash out my eyes. It was a repetitive, inconvenient, and sometimes not very effective method which prevented me from getting to sleep right away. Then I discovered a 'treatment' that was both effective and inexpensive.

As you probably know the reason for the evaporation of moisture from the eye is because the production of the oily substance that lubricates the eye has stopped working. Without the oily substance eye drops quickly evaporate. But, if you replace the oily factor, you need eye drops a lot less. What would work? I found that each morning by putting a drop of light mineral oil in my eyes my eyes remained moist and comfortable all day. I did not even need the eye drops anymore.

At first it feels a bit strange. And, for a short while your vision blurs because the oil covers your eyes (as it is supposed to), but soon (about 20 minutes) they eye absorbs the oil. And, then you are good to go. Don't rub your eyes. Repeat the next morning. Eventually your eyes will get used to the process and it will feel less strange with passing time.

The pharmaceutical industry hates it when you discover a homeopathic remedy and replacement for their expensive products.
 
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Both my husband and myself just had our annual eye checkup recently, and they told my husband that he should use warm eye patches for his dry eye condition. They wanted to sell him some that was about a two week supply for over $40, so he didn’t get them, but we came home and looked on Amazon instead.
Apparently, the ducts can get clogged, and the warm mask softens the oil so that it drains out like it is supposed to do.

Amazon has a variety of eye masks that are for dry eyes, and we ended up getting one that uses usb charging and has several heat levels. It cost about the same as the two week supply if eye pads, and this will last for years most likely.
They have some that you can charge up and use anywhere, some that even play music or ocean waves while you relax and some that gently give you an eye massage, depending on what you want and how much you want to spend.
we are happy with this one, and my husband says that it helps his eyes a lot.
 

I used Refresh drops twice a day. Now, I just use warm water on cotton pads twice a day and get better results. I hope that can help you.
 
Rossana said:
I used Refresh drops twice a day. Now, I just use warm water on cotton pads twice a day and get better results. I hope that can help you.
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The problem with using water and an applicator is that you risk eye infection. Anything touching the eye or going into the eye should be sterile. I hope you don't reuse the cotton pads and that the water is sterile. Chlorine is often used to treat drinking water, but it also is an irritant to eyes.
 
Robb.hisself said:
The problem with using water and an applicator is that you risk eye infection. Anything touching the eye or going into the eye should be sterile. I hope you don't reuse the cotton pads and that the water is sterile. Chlorine is often used to treat drinking water, but it also is an irritant to eyes.
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I am not applying water in my eye with an applicator. I am using a cotton pad wet with warm water over the exterior of my eye. . No chemical involved either. I also never reuse a cotton pad. I am afraid you might have misunderstood me.
 
Hydrasense Ultra, preservative free, every 2 hours. I tried a gel at night. It didn’t help and sure didn’t help when I had to stagger blindly to get to the washroom in the middle of the night.

I take 2200 mg of Omega 3 capsules.

A couple of months ago I started Areds 2, twice a day. Also Restasis, which is by prescription.

I also use prescription drops for other reasons.

A Bruder eye mask that is warmed in the microwave. It has to be a specific mask designed for eyes, not generic ones which will dry your eyes out more.

Now that it’s winter, my eyes water incessantly while walking and it’s worse when in big stores. People think that I’m crying. These are considered bad tears that are being produced.

You’d think with all these drops, I don’t use eye makeup and you’d be right. I miss it.
 
Knight said:
hat brand do you use? Can you post a web site showing what you use. What do you use to put the drops in?
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I use a generic brand of oil (actually it is baby oil; baby oil is light mineral oil and it is sterile) I bought it a few years ago at a dollar store. I bought two 16 ounce bottles and am down to the last quarter of the first bottle. I don't use much. Only two drops per day. As for what I use to apply it - I ordered two small empty medicine bottles with eye droppers from Amazon several years ago. One I have as back up should the other break. All inexpensive generic stuff. With respect to a web site? I don't have nor know why I should need a web site. I am not selling anything.
 
Happyflowerlady said:
Both my husband and myself just had our annual eye checkup recently, and they told my husband that he should use warm eye patches for his dry eye condition. They wanted to sell him some that was about a two week supply for over $40, so he didn’t get them, but we came home and looked on Amazon instead.
Apparently, the ducts can get clogged, and the warm mask softens the oil so that it drains out like it is supposed to do.

Amazon has a variety of eye masks that are for dry eyes, and we ended up getting one that uses usb charging and has several heat levels. It cost about the same as the two week supply if eye pads, and this will last for years most likely.
They have some that you can charge up and use anywhere, some that even play music or ocean waves while you relax and some that gently give you an eye massage, depending on what you want and how much you want to spend.
we are happy with this one, and my husband says that it helps his eyes a lot.
Click to expand...
do you have a link for that?
 
Robb.hisself said:
With respect to a web site? I don't have nor know why I should need a web site. I am not selling anything.
Click to expand...
With your explanation of what you use & how you use it, a website isn't needed to provide info like you just posted.
Thanks for the info.
 
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