I wear contacts and have year round dry allergy eyes. I've tried all otc drops and 3 presc, what can do?

Question

This new job has me staring at 10 font parcel #'s in spreadsheets and software and the blurriness and dryness is unbearable. I put in new contacts every 2 weeks or less.

And don't tell me to wear my coke bottle glasses that are too dangerous to drive in or get lasik (unless you have the $3,300 for me to borrow).

Answer 1

Have you discussed this with your optometrist? You can see if switching to a different brand of contact lenses could help. Each lens acts differently with each person's eyes so what works for one may not be the best for you. I wear proclears which are approved for use for dry eyes - but there are other brands that also work well for patients who suffer from dry eyes.
Sometimes the contact lens solution can cause problems for patients as well. Talk to your optometrist about using a solution with hydrogen peroxide. There is one solution (I can't recall the name) where you put the contact lenses in a special case and it soaks overnight in the solution. This really cleans the lenses very well and seems to help some patients, even if done just once a week.
I'm assuming you have used gels but they are constantly improving eye drops. Gels are great to use at night or first thing in the morning before you get in the shower or sometime that seeing crystal clear is not a priority. Systane recently made a more viscous drop - more similar to a gel but one that does not cause such blurry vision. I tried it and really liked it.
One option we have been told that seems to really help patients is flushing the eye out with the drop. I sometimes suffer from dry eye and this seemed to provide the most relief. You basically just drench the eye with the drops and it really seemed to help me.
Have you tried taking omega-3 pills or any supplements with omega-3? This can help thicken the lipid layer of the eye - which prevents your tears from drying so quickly.
Have you discussed punctal plugs with your doctor? These prevent your tears from draining as fast and the doctor can do a trial for about a week that will disinegrate on their own to see if this is a helpful option. If they work they will insert permanent plugs.
Keep an eye out - they are always trying to come up with new treatments for dry eye! Good luck!

Answer 2

Concentrated focus, such as working with a spreadsheet, slows down blinking.

Spend a week training yourself to lubricate your eyes:
Possible strategies:
... Make every fifth cell blue - when you work on a blue cell, blink ten times.
... Blink softly ten times every ten minutes
... Avoid dry moving air from the AC system
... Put a humidifier in your area

Answer 3

I use Equate All Purpose Solution (found in Walmart, it is their brand) to rinse my eyes out and to keep them moist when they feel dry. That has solved all of my problems.

It would probably be worse without the contacts.

Answer 4

Go back to glasses, at least for working. Or get the laser surgery.