# Has anyone else had this medical condition? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 30, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-else-had-this-medical-condition/306112 "2005-05-30T17:32:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-else-had-this-medical-condition/306112/1 "2005-05-30T17:32:14Z")
My optometrist said it was called keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or “dry eye” (pretty severe at one point, though.) I’ve never had this problem before, and he said he didn’t really know what caused it. I was under awful stress, though, and working weird hours, not drinking enough water, not eating well, had been sick with flu, etc… Anyway, I’m on Restasis now (as eye drops.) Has anyone else had this? Is anyone else taking this medication? Advice? Thoughts? Remarks? ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-else-had-this-medical-condition/306112/2 "2005-05-30T17:55:34Z")
> [@Anise](#): > > My optometrist said it was called keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or “dry eye” (pretty severe at one point, though.) I’ve never had this problem before, and he said he didn’t really know what caused it. I was under awful stress, though, and working weird hours, not drinking enough water, not eating well, had been sick with flu, etc… > Anyway, I’m on Restasis now (as eye drops.) Has anyone else had this? Is anyone else taking this medication? Advice? Thoughts? Remarks? Have you seen an opthamologist? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-else-had-this-medical-condition/306112/3 "2005-05-30T18:46:16Z")
I had never heard of keratoconjunctivitis, but I have, and have always had what the eye doctor calls “dry eyes.” In my case it seems to run in the family, as my brother has it too. It’s something I’ve always just dealt with. The only time it really bothers me is when people innocently wonder wether I’ve been smoking pot or drinking, because of the blood shot eyes. _That_ pisses me off. I asked the doctor about it when I was in the Army, and he said it’s correctable, but involves a very uncomfortable procedure where they basically roto-root your tear ducts. Anything that involves my eyes, and “uncomfortable procedure” I say forget it. I’ll use eye drops. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-else-had-this-medical-condition/306112/4 "2005-05-30T18:51:42Z")
I don’t know if that’s what mine is called. But I have a troublesome problem with dry eyes. Dr (optometrist) installed plugs in my tear ducts. These did help quite a bit. Apparently, the “tear ducts” on your lower lids are actually drains. Doc installed some tiny little plugs (roughly like rice grains, only a little smaller) and it prevents the tears from draining away so quickly. Works great with only one drawback. Any situation which makes you tear-up, will make you look like you’re crying (any extra tears spill over the sides). PS. Didn’t hurt at all. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-else-had-this-medical-condition/306112/5 "2005-05-30T18:55:32Z")
Oh yeah. I thought of something else. Apparently, one’s tears normally drain to the back of your throat (like sinuses). Same optometrist pointed out that’s part of the reason allergic reactions occur to stuff in the air (gets in your eyes, extra tears wash it down your throat). He gave me some allergy-medicine eye drops. These work better than any of the nose-sprays, claritins, etc. that my regular MD prescribes. Something else I discovered when he was fixing my tear ducts. ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-else-had-this-medical-condition/306112/6 "2005-05-30T20:09:21Z")
I had to find an emergency optometrist who did tests and prescribed Restasis (cyclosporine.) I’m a LOT better now, but is it REALLY NECESSARY to get new contacts??? My old ones are working so well now, and I’ve gone through a lot of attempts to find ones that worked this well. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-else-had-this-medical-condition/306112/7 "2005-05-30T21:13:17Z")
My wife was just diagnosed with a more severe disease called Sjogen’s Syndrome. It can effect the tear ducts and/or the salivary glands. The immune system attacks and destroys them. My wife’s mouth gets very dry as do her eyes. This is a good reason to go to a doctor and find out exactly what is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![gruver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/57b2e6/32.png) [@gruver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gruver)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-else-had-this-medical-condition/306112/8 "2005-05-30T21:19:45Z")
my mom has sjogren’s disease as well and spent a long time putting eye drops in every hour on the hour. eventually she started on the [maker’s diet](http://www.makersdiet.com/) and the change has been incredible.