Please can you answer the following question. I had Lasik surgery 10 months ago last June. My eyes are still dry, mostly in one eye with a sticky uncomfortable feeling with occasional grittiness and some blurred vision. My concern is that I work is a very dry office, due to over air conditioning and frequently used forced dry air units, with humidity between 20 – 30%. My eyes feel more dry when at work compared to my home (which is 60% humidity). I have stopped using eye drops because they make my eye feel worse(have tried many different brands). My surgeon has said I could have my tear ducts blocked but I do not want that as outside of work I think my eyes are better. I have heard that it takes for up to one year for the eyes to completely heal. I am worried working in such a dry office may have interfered with the healing of my eyes and that’s why they are still dry, I want to give my eyes the best chance to completely heal so that I am not left with permanent dry eye syndrome, I am wandering if I should be off work for a couple of months. I am trying to find another job but in the mean time can you please tell me if I am risk of poor eye healing if I am working in a very dry office or would my eyes have to be really painful for there them to be at risk of poor healing.

I sympathize with you. I have a problem with dry eyes all winter after having lasix in 1999. I agree with you. I think the eye drops are a waste of time with the exception of a prescription eye drop called Dakrina (Dr. Holly's) that I order through Apothecure pharmacy. They are great!! I also bought an ultrasonic humidifier that I keep by my desk that adds some extra moisture to the air. This seems to really help. Also, I have started with Hydro-eyes vitamins but they upset my stomach so I haven't been real faithful in taking them. It's worth a try though. Hope this helps you.

thanks Jill, I will try and get hold of Dr Holly's tears. Also I'm trying to persuade my firm to allow me to use a humidifier at work at the moment. You may want to taking flax seed oil everyday as a supplement of the Omega3 and 6 oils if you can't stomach the other supplement.

The importance of proper treatment for dry eyes cannot be overemphasized.

Dry eyes can cause many problems to an eye healing from LASIK. The lack of lubrication can cause each blink to disrupt the epithelial cells that provide the outermost layer of the cornea. These cells are responsible for protection of the underlying cornea, and smoothing the surface for good vision clarity. Dry eyes can cause or exacerbate astigmatism that would provide poor vision quality. Continued abuse of the epithelial cells due to dry eyes can cause more serious problems that require somewhat invasive medical responses for treatment. You need to keep your eyes moist.

It is surprising that after a few days of use your preservative-free eye drops cause discomfort. You noted that there are many brands, and just about everyone can find a brand that works well.

Punctal plugs are a temporary technique that can help hold moisture at the eye. Even if you were in a humid environment, the added moisture would not cause harm to your eyes. It is better to have eyes that are too lubricated than not lubricated enough.

We have a detailed article about dry eye treatment at http://www.complicatedeyes.org/dry_eye_treatment.htm that may be helpful.

Glenn Hagele
http://www.USAEyes.org

I am not a doctor.

i'm 1 year post Lasik. My eyes felt okay 4,5,6 and 7 months after Lasik and then got worse. i think it was to do with the cold weather in the UK because this makes the atmosphere very dry. Throughout Feb and March the heating etc can drop the humidity down by 20% easily. Also my work place was over heating the air in my office through a faulty air conditioning unit as my firm failed to pay for proper maintenance until i didn't stop complaining. Unfortunatley it took 6 months for them to agree to investigate it and for me this made me have to use a gel in my eye in order to keep it moist for 2 months. It was recommended to me by my Laser company- visotears- they failed however to tell me to use a preservative free gel so my eyes were getting worse and worse. I didn't know what to do, had horrible gritty dry eye. In the end I have plugged my right eye and only accasionly use preservative free visotears, which are expensive but the only drops that have a lasting effect. I think i'm going to be extra careful next winter. I have changed my job so i'm no longer working in a horrible air condiotioned office and I will keep this plug in for another year. Also will get a humidifier for my home for the winter.