Dry your eyes mate

VincentHanna · 12 Feb 2020 at 17:31

Hopefully this isn't classed as a medical thread.

I have an ongoing issue that reared it's head about 18 months ago....I started to suffer with severely dry eyes when I'm asleep and I want to get to the bottom of it.

This morning I woke at 4 a.m. and needed to put some eye drops in as they were so bad.

At first I assumed it was something to do with the humidity in the room, so I got something to monitor humidity, but it's exactly where it should be for comfort - broadly around 50%

Then I assumed it was an allergy, as it doesn't affect my wife who sleeps right next to me in the same bedroom. I take Loratadine (antihistamine) every night but it doesn't seem to help.

I figured that perhaps it might be pollution-related as I live near a busy city road, so I ended up with a Dyson purifying heater/cooler and that didn't report much in the way of bad air quality and didn't solve the issue either.

The reason for the thread now is that I just spent a week in Gran Canaria and didn't suffer from any dry eyes at all whilst I was asleep in the hotel room there - And that was with air-conditioning on all night, which tends to dry a room out considerably.

What on earth could be causing this? It's not very pleasant and I worry about the long-term effect on my eyes.

koolpc · 12 Feb 2020 at 17:38

Maybe air quality in your home or surrounding area is not good for your eyes? Or, something you allergic too regarding washing? Pillows etc?

Rroff · 12 Feb 2020 at 17:39

I think this is going to end up very much a medical thread - best seeing a doctor - it could be something like pre-diabetes, etc.

Deleted member 77746 · 12 Feb 2020 at 17:43

See a doctor, if you want I can get 5 years of qualifications then you can come back to me then?

jsmoke · 12 Feb 2020 at 17:44

I dunno if it's dry eyes but I also wake up to very heavy eyes, way different than normal sleepiness. I thought maybe heat/humidity also or maybe lack of fluids/dehydration. I'm sure it's some chemical imbalance though.

R.P.L · 12 Feb 2020 at 17:56

Just move to Gran Canaria.

koolpc · 12 Feb 2020 at 17:56

Is it the sand man using too much sand in the night?

Quartz · 12 Feb 2020 at 17:59

VincentHanna said:
I have an ongoing issue that reared it's head about 18 months ago....I started to suffer with severely dry eyes when I'm asleep and I want to get to the bottom of it.

So, what happened to your sleeping environment 18 months ago? New pillowcases, perhaps? New detergent?

200sols · 12 Feb 2020 at 18:06

Your allergic to the UK.

Puzzled · 12 Feb 2020 at 18:09

Allergic to the wife?

As a fellow sufferer of dry eyes I can understand, mine is partly due to the low humidity in the room though over winter. Currently 17% and that's with the window open, something in this house just sucks all the moisture out of the air.

Skillmister · 12 Feb 2020 at 18:09

Quartz said:
So, what happened to your sleeping environment 18 months ago? New pillowcases, perhaps? New detergent?

Doesn't need to be something new he could have developed an allergy. I started getting blocked nose /sinuses, sore throats and coughs 6 months ago and after 3 rounds of blood tests doctors finally think its allergies. Waiting for another round of tests to see what type of allergy but common ones are dust mites or certain grasses/pollens. My mum developed bad hay-fever at age 40!

Malevolence · 12 Feb 2020 at 18:13

Go see your Doctor and ask them about Hylo-Forte eye drops. Due to my terminal eczema my eyeballs were too dry for some tests to be carried out at the hospital, so they prescribed me those eye drops and it was sorted by my next appointment.

shadow_boxer · 12 Feb 2020 at 18:43

Malevolence said:
... terminal eczema...

How much time have you got left?

Op. Sounds like you done a few reasonable steps. See your optician for routine check up then see your GP. Drying out of eye as night implies failure if eyelids to close fully. What about daytime symptoms? I would keep a diary for a few weeks, note on there screen time/potential allergens/daytime vs nighttime symptoms, dry mouth etc then see your GP thereafter.

Minstadave · 12 Feb 2020 at 18:46

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sjogrens-syndrome/

Quartz · 12 Feb 2020 at 18:48

Skillmister said:
Doesn't need to be something new he could have developed an allergy.

True, but as in IT checking for changes is a good way to start.

Skillmister · 12 Feb 2020 at 18:55

Quartz said:
True, but as in IT checking for changes is a good way to start.

Good luck remembering if you changed washing powder 18 months ago

oneilldo · 12 Feb 2020 at 19:21

You can buy those eye drops from amazon (hylo forte). My advice drink a bit more water before bed, if your eye lids are saw as well then using blephasol helps, try a thicker eye drop before bed.

I had real problems with dry eye after a course of antibiotics but thankfully its getting better now. A trip to the opticians is probably worthwhile. I can ended up with two different sets of eye drops and a microwaveable eye mask which might have help (or the passage of time)

Thekwango · 12 Feb 2020 at 19:24

as the poster above says, drink a bit more water before bed and make sure you're drinking enough fluids in general. but ultimately a trip to the docs/opticians is the only way to be sure.

Feek · 12 Feb 2020 at 19:42

VincentHanna said:
Hopefully this isn't classed as a medical thread.

VincentHanna said:
What on earth could be causing this?

That's made it a medical thread, you're asking what could be the cause. The answer is simple, consult your doctor.