RB (Somewhere in Europe) on 03/29/2024
Kerri (Fl) on 02/14/2024
Annie (MA) on 01/16/2023
Since thyroid medication for low thyroid can also cause dryness, especially if you're an elder, and since coffee and most herbs are dehydrating (some herbs more than others), hydrating foods like cucumbers and watermelons can help. When my eyes were at their worst, I put cucumber slices on my closed eyelids for about 20 minutes several times a day and on the first day there was real improvement.
On the second and third day I also ate half a cucumber and continued with the slices. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), hot and dry is associated with yang and cold and damp with yin. Not only is apartment air mostly too hot and dry in winter, chemicals in our air and water are very drying. Dry eye is an inflammatory condition with redness, heat and not enough yin fluids. So "strengthening yin" is recommended for convalescing, chronically ill or frail people. Some foods that strengthen yin are cooked string beans and beets, many whole grains, sardines, eggs, seaweed, and certain beans. Eyes are considered skin and in TCM skin conditions are linked to the liver.
Also associated with the liver are irritability and anger-- hot emotions. They resolve when the liver energy is flowing. Liver thrives on movement and dance---even moving in place when cooped up inside! Reading on EC that aloe can cure dry eye makes sense to me from a TCM perspective: aloe is cooling and mercifully soothing for inflammation, burns and severe itching. I don't use liquid aloe b/c all brands preserve it with citric acid, which I can't tolerate. So I keep aloe plants and snip off a small bit of branch when needed. I'm grateful to this plant!
HisJewel (New York) on 12/03/2022
If you have had to deal with any of the COVD colds these past few years check with the doctor to find out if your potassium level is up to par. Besides Vitamin C and Melatonin, Potassium was one of the earlier supplements that helped people recover from COVD. From what I understood that condition used up or drained the body's potassium.
I am adding this thought on potassium because lately I have been trying keep up with the daily recommendation for Potassium. Articles say 3,500–4,700 mg of potassium daily and that it is safer when taken in foods. This really is not hard if you love banana, spinach, prunes etc. . However, knowing that I do not have enough potassium rich foods on hand, I take potassium supplements. I noticed that when I wake up in the morning, my eyes feel much more normal. In fact, sometimes I forget it has been sticking.
I could not find much information to verify this, but what I did come up with is in this post. I found a post from PubMed that incudes what tears are made of in this statement"
"Methods: The model is based on mass balances of water and solutes such as glucose, sodium, potassium, and chloride."
Check it out the PubMed Article:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17453939/
Here is an article about potassium Deficiency and dry eyes:
https://healthfully.com/347415-potassium-deficiency-and-dry-eyes.html
I have always been concerned about seniors, and now that I am one, I see and feel what they are saying.
HisJewel
Island girl (GC) on 05/17/2022
Just curious, has anyone used pharmacy drops during the day and castor oil at night? Is it ok to put all these in the eyes on the same day with a few hours gap? I can skip the Visco tear gel.
mastershay (Albuquerque, NM) on 03/29/2022
TMG (Trimethyl glycine)
Sinus rinse with three drops of emulsified vitamin A (along with the salt and baking soda)
Dextrose (no other form of sugar)
Castile soap, fragrance-free for shampoo and everything (regular soaps irritate my eyes)
The following make my eyes feel worse:
Straight Sugar and foods with it (all other forms other than dextrose... however, a certain clear soda would temporarily make my eyes better)
Diets too low in starchy foods, such as G.A.P.S. (starches are needed to convert to glucose)
Rob (Cape Hatteraas, NC) on 03/20/2022
Vaxine (Bainbridge, Ny) on 03/12/2022
HISJEWEL (New York) on 02/09/2022
Ted was right on point with the L Carnosine for dry eyes. L-Carnosine or Carnosine is expensive, but it works hilariously. I used 1000mg a day (two capsules) the first 2 weeks then went down to 500mgs a day because of the cost, my eyes are still loving it. I no longer have to rub castor oil on my eyelids at night. May the cures continue to be revealed.
HisJewel
Liz (OH) on 03/16/2021
Devine (Seattle) on 11/13/2019
Iowamom (NY) on 08/09/2019
Sasha (Santa Barbara) on 04/28/2019
Anyhow at that same time I started the inversion table, I had also started adding two to three teaspoons of Lecithin Granules, to my smoothies I noticed that it made the whites of my eyes super white and clear. So, perhaps it is the combination of the two that worked.
Mary (Utica, New York) on 12/28/2020
One thing has helped tremendously. Castor oil, at night. My condition is very bad. Here’s what I do:
So much better, cheaper and comfortable than moisture googles. The plastic wrap stays on all night. Most of the castor oil is absorbed in the skin. In the morning, I use the hot washcloth method on my eyes and use my xiidra drops.
If it hurts bad enough you will try this, and will be happy you did! I promise.
Enzo (Fl) on 10/06/2020
Viola (Sparks, Nv) on 10/06/2020
After 20 years of post-lasik dry eyes and trying many remedies, none of which provided satisfactory results and most of which were a real nuisance, I tried Maqui berry extract and experienced same day and ongoing relief with just one dose in the morning.
The second day I happened to yawn and actually produced tears.
This is nothing less than miraculous for me. I highly recommend you check it out.
Beth (Palmyra, Nj) on 09/15/2020
Beth (Palmyra, Nj) on 09/14/2020
Cindy (California) on 09/12/2020
Kwee Ping (Turkey ) on 08/16/2020
I then did looked up on the internet about this gland and chance upon a website whereby a Dr Mckellar has produced a short video to show patients how to express their own Meibomian gland. I tried it right away, true and behold, I found immediate release. Please try it for yourselves and I hope it will work for you like it has worked for me. Very simple to do, too!
Here is the link
https://drmalcolmmckellar.co.nz/for-patients/treatments/meibomian-gland-disease/