Ocular Rosacea?

[Guest AutumnE]

I have rosacea, its always been limited to my face only. I dont get acne from it just red splotches on my cheeks and nose a little. It only has acne when Im on bcp so I dont take them.

Over the past year I have not been able to wear contacts. My eyes feel like sand is in them and are so dry all the time. They have started twitching once in a while for an hour or so because they are dry.

Im planning on seeing my dermatologist for it. What treatment was used for your ocular rosacea? Im also having another weird problem with my eyes, they go blurry once in a while and I blink it away. Is this part of rosacea also? I have floaters and had them for years but not like this. If it can be treated by a dermatologist I would rather go that way since I have no optical insurance and dont have the money with my daughters surgery copays Im paying for now, over $ 500 this month when we were already tight. But I dont want to do damage if there is a problem that shouldnt wait.

Also is this common with celiac disease or just another issue?

Thanks

Autumn

[jenvan]

Have you been officially diagnosed with ocular rosacea? It does sound that like, but I wondered if sjogren's could also be possible. Are you diabetic by chance? I'm sure there is someone here who would have more info on the floaters etc. I don't get those, but I do have rosacea and a pretty persistent dry, irritated eyes. It sounds like you have some issues that definitely need attention, and I would definitely get your eyes checked out, as yes, not going could put you at risk for some long-term damage. Plugs help some folks....you could ask about that. For more of a short-term dry eye relief I use Similasan drops (scroll down here to see the dry eye formula: Open Original Shared Link. They are so much for sensitive and soothing than any of the main drops like visine etc. Like I said, my experience in this area is limited, so hopefully someone else will have more to share. Hope your eyes get better...

[Guest AutumnE]

thank you

I havent been diagnosed with ocular rosacea just regular rosacea on my face. I just noticed my splotches became worse on my face when the eye problems developed although it could be a complete coincidence.

I dont have diabetes but I do have insulin resistance related to polycystic ovarian syndrome. Did you see a dermatologist or an opthamologist? I'll try the drops. I need some help desperately, my eye twitched for over 4 hours last night because I believe it was so dry.

[mouse]

I have very dry eyes and use a RX in them twice daily. If I stop taking the drops for a couple of days, my vision gets very blurry, which I assume is because of the dry eyes. My dermatologist sent me to a neuro-optamologist because I have Celiac. I also on occasion get the floaters. But not as often since I started the drops. The drops are called Restasis and are prescribed by a doctor.

[Guest AutumnE]

Holy cow I just looked up sjogren's! Its good to know about it but kinda scary for me since I have the lupus gene, insulin resistance (prediabetic state), reflux, arthritis (osteo) and I have hashimoto's. I hope I dont have it I do need to get this checked out. My husband doesnt want me driving the car since I have been having the big floater type thing and it makes it blurry for a second, he is afraid I will get in an accidnet or worse with my daughter in the car.

Well I'm going to make the appt with my dermatologist tomorrow. I hope it wont be too long to get in.

My husband told me the other day how my body seemed to be falling apart, and unfortunately it kinda feels like it lately.

Thanks Mouse thats encouraging to me that drops may take care of it. I'll mention the medicine you brought up in case it is that.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

AutumnE, I have the same eye problems you have, but my recent tests for lupus and Sjogren's were negative.

I've noticed the eye problems (dryness and twitching) are much, much worse when I am simply tired. I also get hiccups when I'm very tired, and so do all my kids. If I take out my lenses and soak them for 5 minutes, I am fine for the rest of the day (don't know if this would work for you). Also, I have a wonder optometrist who has tried all kinds of different lenses to see what works. Turns out, lenses with a very HIGH water content tend to dry out in the eye much more than lenses with a LOW water content. Optix seem to work well for me. I also notice much more eye dryness when I don't drink enough.

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with gluten or not. But, MAN, we are all so RELATED on this board!

Oh--double check with your insurance--most HMO's actually include a visit to an optometrist or opthalmologist every 2 years, even though it's not an actual optical plan (it doesn't include glasses, if you need them, but it does pay for the doctor visit).

You also might be better off with a visit to a rheumatologist or an endocrinologist than a dermatologist, but it all depends on the individual, I suppose.

[Guest AutumnE]

Thanks fiddle-faddle

I dont have hmo, we have a ppo. I just had my eyes checked about a year ago and nothing was covered with the optometrist, I havent been to an opthamologist since I was under my dad's insurance before I was married I havent been in contacts for about a year. It was unbearable, I wore temp ones and I would rub out my contacts in my sleep which became quite costly because when I woke up they would be dried up in my bed.

Im always tired lately, after my daughter goes to bed I get on the net, clean my house up a bit so it can be ready for showing since we are selling it. We have been up at the hospital also quite a bit. Plus my darn nora roberts book is keeping me up;) Im also knitting up a storm for winter with my daughter's hat, scarf, slippers, and mittens. She also needs a new sweater made. There isnt enough hours in the day.

I cant remember the name of the contacts I had but they did have a high water content in them. Thanks for the info, I will check and see if its covered at least for the appointment with the opthalmologist.

I had my lupus gene checked out about three years ago and it was inactive then, I havent had it tested since. My mom has it also and my sister but their's so far isnt active either. Their is only two endo's in this area. One is a regular endo and is a jerk, He really is clueless and out of date. The other one is strictly reproductive.

I'll call my insurance company tomorrow before making an appointment with the derm about an opthalmologist. He is really good, my dad has been seeing him for years.

I better get to bed, tomorrow is a full day schedule as it is before calling around

Good night

[jenvan]

Thanks fiddle-faddle

I dont have hmo, we have a ppo. I just had my eyes checked about a year ago and nothing was covered with the optometrist, I havent been to an opthamologist since I was under my dad's insurance before I was married I havent been in contacts for about a year. It was unbearable, I wore temp ones and I would rub out my contacts in my sleep which became quite costly because when I woke up they would be dried up in my bed.

Im always tired lately, after my daughter goes to bed I get on the net, clean my house up a bit so it can be ready for showing since we are selling it. We have been up at the hospital also quite a bit. Plus my darn nora roberts book is keeping me up;) Im also knitting up a storm for winter with my daughter's hat, scarf, slippers, and mittens. She also needs a new sweater made. There isnt enough hours in the day.

I cant remember the name of the contacts I had but they did have a high water content in them. Thanks for the info, I will check and see if its covered at least for the appointment with the opthalmologist.

I had my lupus gene checked out about three years ago and it was inactive then, I havent had it tested since. My mom has it also and my sister but their's so far isnt active either. Their is only two endo's in this area. One is a regular endo and is a jerk, He really is clueless and out of date. The other one is strictly reproductive.

I'll call my insurance company tomorrow before making an appointment with the derm about an opthalmologist. He is really good, my dad has been seeing him for years.

I better get to bed, tomorrow is a full day schedule as it is before calling around

Good night

I feel for you Autumn...its frustrating. My tests for sjogren's came back negative too. Mine also get worse when I'm tired. Let us know what you find... Oh, now I haven't been to an opthamologist. I do go to a dermo, but I addressed my eye issues with my internist.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I was never able to sleep in contact lenses. I only trieed for a week, and every time I dozed off, I would jump awake and think, "I have PLASTIC in my eye!" Then I would have to take them out. The one time I did manage to sleep in them, when I woke up, I did what I've done every morning since I was 4--I reached for my glasses and put them on.

I decided that I actually LIKE taking out my lenses at the end of the day--the world goes away and I feel much less stressed!

Maybe you could wear the low-water-content ones and just take them out every night? They last a lot longer that way, too, and it's probably bettter for your eyes not to sleep in them, anyway. I can't help wondering why my immune system doesn't decide that contact lenses aren't a foreign pathogen to be destroyed! (Probably because they're not in the bloodstream--no leaky eye syndrome!)

[Guest AutumnE]

Thanks so much

Sorry I havent been online in a while. Dh's grandma passed away (family out of state stayed with us) and my daughter is recovering from surgery.

I have an eye appointment with the opthalmologist a week from wednesday. I might try just not sleeping in them. My eyes did need a rest, I have been wearing contacts for almost 22 years and they needed a break.

Take Care and hopefully I will have an answer for this next week

[jenvan]

Thanks so much

Sorry I havent been online in a while. Dh's grandma passed away (family out of state stayed with us) and my daughter is recovering from surgery.

I have an eye appointment with the opthalmologist a week from wednesday. I might try just not sleeping in them. My eyes did need a rest, I have been wearing contacts for almost 22 years and they needed a break.

Take Care and hopefully I will have an answer for this next week

Sorry to hear about your husband's grandma Autumn... Let us know how your appt goes !

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Hope your daughter is recovering easily from surgery--sorryto hear about your grandma-in-law.

My optometrist says he tells ALL his patients not to sleep in extended-wear contact lenses. Just because the manufacturer claims it's safe to do so does not mean that there are no risks and/or discomforts to be expected! He did say he didn't think there were likely to be any problems with taking short naps in them, but that he had seen way too many problems (he mentioned scratched corneas, dry eyes, blurred vision, and infections) that he felt were caused by sleeping all night in them.

[Bonsy]

In response to AutumnE, I too have Celiac Disease, facial rosacea and dry, itchy eyes. Recently it seems to me that taking Omega-3 in fish oil form twice a day (I bought a big cheap bottle at Costco) has really helped with the dry eye, to the point where I don't have to use drops much unless I've really strained my eyes. I'm mentioning this because I just found on the web someone who wants to study the effects of celiac disease on Omegas in Celiacs. Sorry but I've been all over and don't remember where. I had also read that dry eye might be helped by Omega-3 because there is tear film oil layer. Anyway, it does seem like it could all be related. I've "lurked" but never posted to this board before so I hope this works!

[Guest AutumnE]

Thanks my daughter is doing well behaving like a normal two year old now and getting into everything. my dh's grandma had alzheimer's so it was sad but a relief to not see her suffer anymore after 5 years of it. She couldnt handle it since her husband died and was lost without him. He was the only one able to calm her down. He died three years ago. They were married for 62 years and never spent more than a month total apart during their lifetime (other than work).

Thanks for the suggestions on the omega three oils. Im on glucophage for insulin resistance and the last time I tried flax seed oil I wasnt off the throne much at all that day. The medicine has a nasty effect on fatty diets. What others besides fish oil (nervous about mercury) and flax seed are out there?

[jenvan]

Thanks my daughter is doing well behaving like a normal two year old now and getting into everything. my dh's grandma had alzheimer's so it was sad but a relief to not see her suffer anymore after 5 years of it. She couldnt handle it since her husband died and was lost without him. He was the only one able to calm her down. He died three years ago. They were married for 62 years and never spent more than a month total apart during their lifetime (other than work).

Thanks for the suggestions on the omega three oils. Im on glucophage for insulin resistance and the last time I tried flax seed oil I wasnt off the throne much at all that day. The medicine has a nasty effect on fatty diets. What others besides fish oil (nervous about mercury) and flax seed are out there?

Autumn- My grandma had alzheimer's...such a hard disease. She had been so active, vibrant, intelligent, witty, independent...was quite a woman. She knew what was happening and it was hard to watch. She could have had it even worse than she did though, so I'm grateful for all the time we had and that it didn't progress even faster.

[Guest AutumnE]

Well, I went to the dr and found out whats been going on. Not really good news Im starting a new post.