DEAR DR. GOTT: I am writing in response to the woman who complained of the watery eye. I suffered with bouts of watery eyes for a number of years. I first noticed it while visiting Las Vegas. After trying everything and having my eyes checked (the exam yielded nothing), and checking with my allergist, it was my sister who finally diagnosed it. I have dry eyes. Apparently one of the symptoms of dry eyes is watering, as unbelievable as that sounds. I immediately started using preservative-free artificial tears (at least two or three times a day) and haven’t had a problem since. It seems the dry hot air in Las Vegas escalated the problem, which continued when I came back home to Pennsylvania. The drops certainly are an easy solution.
DEAR DR. GOTT: I enjoy your column and appreciate your common-sense approach. In regards to the woman who wrote about a watery eye, it sounds exactly like the problem I had last year. Fortunately, the surgeon I was referred to recognized the real problem immediately — lost elasticity in my lower eyelid. The lower lid sagged so much that tears overflowed instead of draining into the tear duct. I hope this helps.
DEAR DR. GOTT: I read the column regarding the lady bothered by dry eyes. I have found a great product. I was getting up several times a night to use eyedrops. Maybe she should try Refresh PM for Sensitive Eyes. It is a simple nighttime lubricant, easy to use, and does not irritate. It has no preservatives and is made by Allergan. It costs about $8 a tube and lasts about two months. I hope it might help her.
DEAR DR. GOTT: I have had dry eyes for years. I use Restasis, compresses and drops, but the pain didn’t become manageable until I started taking Eyebright each morning and night. I gave it three months to make a difference and have now been using it for three years. Hopefully, someone else will have success, too.
DEAR READERS: Thank you for all your suggestions. I did briefly mention that dry eye was a potential cause of excessive eye watering. Other symptoms include sensitivity to light, eye fatigue after a short period of reading, stringy mucus around or in the eyes, excessive eye irritation due to wind or smoke, difficulty wearing contacts, blurred vision that often worsens as the day progresses, and stinging, burning or scratching sensations in the eyes.
Eyebright is an herbal supplement. It has not been proven in the treatment of eye disorders and is not FDA approved, and there is little scientific proof that it works. It is typically used as a compress on the eye. I do not feel comfortable suggesting this option.
Refresh PM is an ointment that is applied to the affected eye(s) at night. It is longer lasting than drops. Anyone interested in using this should first speak to his or her eye doctor.
Artificial tears are a common over-the-counter dry-eye treatment and are often recommended by physicians. The product is an excellent first step in the treatment of dry eye.
Lost eyelid elasticity can cause dry eye, as you experienced. In other cases, it may simply represent a cosmetic annoyance. To the best of my knowledge, surgical repair is the best and the only permanent solution.
Anyone with dry eyes should be under the care of an ophthalmologist, who can offer the greatest number of treatment options and determine whether there is an underlying cause, such as Sjogren’s syndrome.
