i got lasik done january of 2002. the doctor told me that i can’t use visine for my dry eyes. instead i have to use other types of eye drops.
does any one know why i can’t use visine? i vaguely remember him saying something about one of the active ingredients. which one is it and what exactly does it do to harm my eyes? when can i start using it again without any harm being done?
Visine’s active ingredient, IIRC, is tetrahydazoline, which is a vasoconstrictor; it shrinks the blood vessels in your eyes so that they look less red. It doesn’t do a damn thing for dry eye. The reason your doctor doesn’t want you to use it is that vasoconstrictors starve your tissues for oxygen and nutrients, which ain’t the greatest thing for healing. I imagine the healing is over, but Visine is, was, always has been, and always will be THE WRONG THING for treating dry eye.
There are a hundred different dry-eye drops, lubricant drops, and saline drops out there. Why use crap like Visine? (I recommend AquaSite. Not that it’s the greatest eyedrop out there, but my company invented it, and Jesus, we could really use the money.)
If I can find AquaSite, I’ll buy some. I’ve been in the market anyways, and that was some damn good marketing.
Visine doesn’t do anything particularly beneficial for your eyes.
Stick to plain saline drops if you just need some occasional moisture, or the “heavy artillery” of something like Tears Naturale Forte.
I’ve had good results with Walgreens’ house-brand lubricant eye drops, and I’m just over one year post-op.