Allergic to dry eye drops.....

[Abbey]

Hi, I started a topic earlier about eye pain, turns out it was an allergic reaction to dry eye drops.I'm having a kind of catch 22 problem now as dry eye drops give me allergic conjunctivitis, the doctor then gives me allergy drops which irritates my eyes and I get alot of discharge. What to do? Either way I've got discharge. Am taking oral medication for allergies as well but it doesn't seem to do anything for the eyes.
I've tried about 5 of the dry eye drops available in NZ trying to find one I'm not allergic to and still no luck.
Also how do people get on wearing contacts with allergies? I read somewhere not to wear contacts with allergic conjunctivitis and as I have that most of the time I was curious as to how it would work.
Any suggestions on dry eye relief without drops would be greatly appreciated as I am currently not using anything and my eyes are dry, sore and irritated and I'm sick of cold compresses.

Thanks
Abbey

[BusyLizzy]

Dear Abbey,
Welcome!

I have had a similar problem to yours for a few years.
I am prone to allergic conjunctivitis and cannot use the Rapitil (generic name nedocromil sodium) drops which are a mast cell stabiliser needed to calm the allergy. It's the preservative, benzalkonium chloride, in them that I cannot tolerate.
I've had the same problem with steroid eye drops containing that preservative, as well as dry eye drops such as Gel Tears, Liquifilm, etc.
While I was in Queensland in March this year I ended up at the doctor. I'll cut a long story short but ended up being given a list of supposedly preservative-free drops. None ot them was suitable!

Finally I discovered that I can obtain preservative-free sodium cromoglycate for the allergy from the GP. It has to be ordered from a hospital in London, and this takes two weeks, so if this is the case for you in NZ, be sure to ask the GP for two bottles so you have a spare to hand. They only last 10 days once opened.

For dry eye my ophthalmologist prescribes me preservative-free Celluvisc in individual dose containers. This is made by Allergan .(Carmellose Sodium). It's available in Queensland without presciption, I noticed. Perhaps you have it in NZ too.
Also, Liquifilm Tears comes in individual doses containers, preservative-free. You might get that in a pharmacy. In the UK you need a prescription.
The other option is something called Hyco-San (also preservative-free) which comes in a large bottle. I haven't bought any yet as it's quite expensive.
Also, do you have Systane drops for dry eyes in NZ? These now come in individual dose containers, too, preservative-free.

Hope some of this is helpful!

[Andrew MacLean]

Hi Abbey

I was wondering whether your allergy was to the preservative in the dry eye drops, or to the main component of the drops themselves.

If you, like me, are allergic to the preservative, then it may be that you can source a preservative free artificial tear. If your allergy is to a particular sort of artificial tear then you ought to ba ble to source another sort that contains different ingredients.

All the best

Andrew

[GarethB]

Most people I have met within the group it is the preservatives which are a problem and this extends to saline too. Usually because the same preservatives are used.

I know whe i was hunting for the best eye drops for me, it was a case of noting all the ingredients and if I had a reaction, moving onto another that was slightly different. Very much a case of trial and error intially, but after I had tried a few I could then see what was common between the problem drops and start to avoid certain ingredients.

[Kirsten]

Abbey - if you don't mind me asking.. what kind of discharge is it you get?
I seem to constantly have white gooey stuff in the corners of my eyes (sorry if that's too much info for anyone!). Not sure whether it's also a form of conjunctivitis. My eyes are constantly red and inflamed - something my optometrist and I have been working on fixing but with no luck.
I've also had issues with the drops. Anything with preservatives stings really badly and all the other ones i've tried feel nice to put in but create a thin film over the lens so my vision becomes blurred.

[GarethB]

Kirsten,

The white goey stuff is what I get and is due to a lack of one of the tear components so the gui just sits on the tear duct and does not flow as it should. There is supposed to be a surfactant that makes this goe flow nice and clear in the watery saline tears.

To overcoe this I use Systane by Alcon and in the UK I can now get the single use ampopules which might be preservative free.

I do react to some preservatives in contact solutions and the Boston range is the only ones I can tolerate. The Systane be it in ampoules or the bottle with preservative gives no allergic reaction like some of the drops with preservatives.

[Kirsten]

Thanks for the reply Gareth.
That makes sense about the white stuff as it is generally in the corner of my eye.
I find the boston drops to be the worst.. they sting really badly!
I was using systane, plus a couple of others but I find they create a funny film on the lens and I need to take them out and clean them afterwards.. which as you can imagine becomes impractical.
I'm seeing a surgeon on Thursday about the possibility of intacs. My eyes have been permanently red for over a year now so i'm hoping it might be a good option. Even if I could switch to soft lenses afterwards that would be a huge relief

[GarethB]

Kirsten,

Know what you mean about Systane.
It is a common problem with the more viscous eye drops that you have to remove the lens first.

Found the inconvenience worth it because it forced to to take a break from the pc plus I would have a half hour lunch lens free. Now only use the drops morning and night. Before the full effect of the drops kicked in I was using them about 6 times per day but after two months started to back off and now the past six months twice per day except when it is exceptionally hot.