Leaky eyes down the face

Hi Stacy! We can't really figure out if Claritin is going to help with this problem. Some pain medications also can cause eye problems. Best thing would be asking your doctor if you can get an appointment. Until then, here is some information from our main site on Vision and Eye Problems and how to manage them. We hope this helps!

Best,

The Mods

Oh Stacy, I hear your loneliness and I am sorry. You know, the watering eyes make me feel more tired and old and sick. I've had this problem from the beginning of treatment. But I can give you hope that you can make it much better. I went to the ophthalmologist. He said he saw a combination of dryness and inflammation. Also the skin under my eyes is loose (anti-estrogen = loss of collagen). Here are the options he gave me:

--Lubricating eye drops, as often as needed. Systane Ultra, Refresh Optive. But you should get the single-use vials that are preservative-free if you are going to use these long-term. The last thing we need is irritation from the preservative. Can use ointment overnight.

--Punctal plugs. He put a small plug in the inner tear duct to keep the tears in my eyes longer so they could do their job. This must be the cones you mention. The thought does give one the heebie-jeebies, but it was quick and just a little weird, not painful.

--Temporary steroid eye drops to calm down the inflammation that makes them feel so irritated. You can't use these long term, but they are great for occasional use.

--Prescription Restatsis which treats both the inflammation and the dryness. This is what I use now and it has worked the best for me. My eyes still tear, but they are not tearing so constantly any more! I really encourage you to look into this! But you do need an ophthalmologist to prescribe it.

I was afraid to go to the ophthalmologist, too. I called to make sure all staff wear masks, etc. I got a morning appointment to be there before the air in the building could accumulate a lot of virus aerosols. And they ask people to wait in their car until it is their turn. Now that I am vaccinated I feel better about going for a recheck. For the drops, your ophthalmologist may have free samples to get you started. Good luck!

I'm not on facebook.

I remembered one more thing the ophthalmologist recommended: fish oil capsules. If you want to use them, run it by your oncologist and look for a brand that tests low for heavy metals. I like Nordic Naturals. Fish oil capsules are sold for omega 3 fatty acids etc.

Please post with an update if you can. I hope you can get a prescription for Restasis.