[Anonymous]

#1020241

I went to the eye doctor today because my vision has been getting very blurry and painful. I also wanted to have them looked at before RAI. Good news – my eyes are just extremely dry because of the thyroid issue. Right now I am just to use the Liquid Tears 3-4 times a day and see if that improves it. If I continue having trouble with using a computer, he can give me special computer glasses. He checked my eyes for TED and found no signs of it beginning.

My question is: should I use the regular stuff that has preservatives or the kind without preservatives. She said I could use the kind without preservatives more often. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

#1076472

I was told to use the kind without preservatives. They come in “single use” containers, but I can typically get two or three sets of drops from one container. I’m not sure that this is advisable, but I hate to waste things, so if there is ample fluid for another “dose” I save it for a day. I carry one with perservatives in it, as a back-up in the car. Actually, the description of the one “with preservatives” says that it is “preservative free in the eye.” Isn’t “ad-speak” wonderfully confusing! I suspect what that means is that is contains preservatives that do not persist but I haven’t been able to get anyone to give me a reasonable explanation.

If your doctor told you that it was OK to use the kind with preservatives, but not as frequently, you need to judge just how frequently you need to put the drops in, and then decide. It’s not something that you can determine by someone else’s condition. If you need the drops 5 times a day — go preservative free. If you need them once, or twice, it sounds like your doctor thought that might be OK. The important thing is that you keep those eyes well lubricated.

Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1076473

Do you need a prescription for this or can I find it at the Drug Store?
I work at a computer all day long and have been to an eye doctor recently to make sure there weren’t any problems but my eyes are difinitely dry. Thanks

[Anonymous]

#1076474

No prescription is needed for what most of us use. There are a variety of brands in grocery stores and pharmacies. The key factor is to buy one that is preservative free (at least according to my doctor) and that is an “artificial tears,” not a “get the red out” or anti-allergy type eye drop.

It has been suggested that when we work at a computer, we do not blink as frequently as when we are not at the computer. So you might pay attention to that, as well. But thyroid disease causes the quality of our tears to change, becoming less of a lubricant, so supplementation with artificial tears is quite often necessary.

Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator

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