Severely dry eyes on Tamoxifen

I consulted an ophthalmologist about my dry, tearing eyes. He recommended lubricant eye drops such as Refresh Optive and Systane Ultra. (Not get-the-red-out drops!) For long-term use we need the preservative-free drops that come in single-use vials, rather than the dropper bottle that has preservatives. You can ask for an eye ointment to use overnight. For a while, I had the ophthalmologist insert punctal plugs in the ducts at the inner corners of my eyes. They kept the natural tears or the drops on the eyes longer, so I had fewer times when tears were just running down my face. Wearing glasses can help protect your eyes from getting dried out in stores with fans blowing, outside when it is breezy, etc. I avoid all fans that blow on my face. You may indeed need to give up those contact lenses. I am not familiar with Xinia and did not find it on a brief internet search. Good luck. Cancer treatment — it’s the “little things”, right?

Oh, that’s a good point. I was advised to try fish oil capsules, but I did not because I didn’t know if it was ok with the chemo I was on at the time.

Although I don’t wear contacts, I really struggled with dry eyes for a while. I have several things to suggest:

Big thumbs up to fish oil, using a humidifier when it gets drier, eye masks that can be warmed up. I also tried multiple versions of eye drops but the relief was temporary. I also think that my body adjusted and the dry eyes lessened about 4-5 months after they began. Hoping you find relief, because I understand how miserable it is