Restasis stop working?

[Cindy]

In January I stared using restasis. It was working just fine and out of the sudden my eyes are bothering me more than ever. Can restasis stop working this soon?

[jessiblah]

I have found that my eyes have gotten used to the restasis but if i stop it for a few days to a week and start up again it helps. It is like tricking the eye. I use a holistic eye drop on this week off of restasis.

[Meld256]

Hi Cindy,

I'm not sure if the Restasis stopped working for you, or if something else may be bothering your eyes.

This is only my opinion, based on my own experience and what I've heard from others.  Sometimes we have more inflammation happening, or a case of more dryness in the air, possible allergies or all the pollen that's in the air this time of year.

I've had boughts where I've needed a second prescription eye drop to moisturize them for a few days or a week-then the eyes feel better.
If your eyes are bothering you a lot, you may want to speak with your eye professional to see what their ideas may be.
Take care,

Melinda

[Cindy]

This sensation is non-stop, I just called to make app for this coming Thursday at 3:30. This is so frustrating..... I thought I didnt had to worry about my eyes at least for a few months.

[Jellyb]

Hi Cindy,
I was on restasis for about a year and it started working at aout the 4 month mark, but after a year I started noticing the burning was getting worse and worse after putting the drops in, to the point where I had to use my artificial tears to rinse the restasis out. And the skin around my eyes was getting red and irritated. So I stopped using it. My eye doc said there is probably an ingredient I have become sensitive to.

Like Meld recommended. Call your eye doc and get an opinion. It coukd be seasonal allergies or anything.

Good luck to you.

[powderpuff]

I've only been on Restasis for a week or so but found that it worked well for my dry eye after a few days. On Saturday I woke up with dry, gritty eyes after applying Restasis before bed. I was in a flare and apparently Restasis does nothing for me when I'm having a flare.

[LonghairWolfe]

I've been on Restasis for about 9 months and just the last couple of weeks I have been having stinging pain in both eyes.  So I went back to the opthamologist and she is referring me to another opthamologist that deals more with dry eye and those who want to remain in contacts.  But the funny thing is I have only been wearing 1 contact for months but both eyes are burning. Before Restasis I never hand burning but I really blinked a lot.  So now I have been wearing glasses only for the first full week since needing glasses in college and I don't like it one bit.

The weirdest thing happened while at the doctor's office.  She asked did "we" do this to you?  Weird, right?  I said well at last visit you were impressed with the improvements after Restasis for 6 months, and now out of the blue I am having eye pain in both eyes so I really don't know.  She was adamant about my not wearing contacts but I said I had to wear it to drive home!  I didn't have any glasses with me.

Anyone have a similar experience?

[Meld256]

Cindy,

I'm glad to hear you have an appointment this Thursday. Hopefully, they'll be able to help you get whatever is going on under control.

Just as a little FYI, everyone may already know this but even though Restasis can be very helpful; it's not a cure-all.

We may still have times our eyes sting or feel extra dry. As you say, powderpuff, if we are flaring our eyes may need some extra TLC.
Even if Restasis is increasing the natural tears, sometimes we can have other eye issues that can't be blamed on the med. Or, some people can't use Restasis for a variety of reasons. 

LonghairWolfe,
Yes, that was a little odd of them to ask I think. I really have no good info. about wearing contacts with very dry eyes. Maybe someone with some experience will post and help out.

take care,
Melinda

[Styx]

She was adamant about my not wearing contacts but I said I had to wear it to drive home! 

Please share your secret on how you are still wearing contacts

Styx

[slccom]

I lost my big toe to infection the same day that I got the infection that cost me the use of my contact lenses. I cried over the contacts. Not the toe.

That said, I strongly recommend that people listen to these eye doctors and switch to glasses. The risk of ulceration and other really, really bad things happening to your vision is simply too high.

Sharon

[LonghairWolfe]

[/quote]

Please share your secret on how you are still wearing contacts

Styx
[/quote]

My optomotrist(sp.?) recognized my dry eyes probably 10 years ago and he made sure I had the moistest eye contacts available.  He also encouraged me to take vitamins for my eyes and use drops frequently.

I am only wearing one contact right now! For distance since I am near sighted.  It has been a real adjustment without them!  So don't be jealous ... I am right where you guys are right now...no contacts!

[Carolina]

I had to give up contacts in 2002, when Sjogren's/Sicca came to stay.

I KNOW I can't wear them, but I am sad every day.

Especially since my eyes developed astigmatism in 2010.

Until then I had the lenses INSIDE my eyes, put there when the early cataract surgery was done.

And I didn't need glasses or 'contacts' cause the corrective lenses were inside, where it wasn't dry.

However, with astigmatism came distortion of my vision, and since then I've worn glasses which I HATE SO MUCH it is hard to be rational about it.

I lose them, smudge them, break them, lose them some more.  Of course I had to give up my fun sunglasses and get RX sunglasses too.  Of course, lose, break, smudge and lose.

On the topic of Restasis, it never bothered me, but after 8 years, I just stopped and noticed nary a bit of difference.

I did take Tramadol for years, and stopped and noticed no difference either.  Then when I tried it again, I was ALLERGIC to it:  at least it made me itch all over.

Things work, stop working, and make us crazy.

It's always something.

Hugs

Elaine

ps, did I say I hate glasses. 

[kellyk]

Yesterday at the Canadian Sjogrens patient conference.. there was a discussion about this very thing at one of the round tables.

A woman complained that she was using Restasis for while then it started to burn when she used it. The leading Eye Dr here.. said to her.. actually this means that your eyes are getting better and you should keep using it. He explained that when are eyes are really bad it damages the nerves and we don't feel the symptoms as much...  and that the fact that she was feeling burning meant she was getting the feeling back in her eyes and that meant the eye was in better shape.

the burning sensation isn't going to hurt the eye.. the restasis isn't meant to comfort the eye but make the eye surface healthier and prevent further progression of the disease... I think this is part of the confusion. So this is why you need to use both kinds of drops.

I hope this helps

[sassytoo]

I have been using restatsis for years and I don't think it helps anymore, but a couple of years ago I stopped and then told DR. and he got so mad at me that I started using again.
My eyes have been so bad lately that everything is blurry. I try to keep them extra moist by using Thera Tears or Blink constanstly with the restasis in the morning and again the evening. Not sure but nothing right now seems to be working.  I used to enjoy reading, but now I don't.

[slccom]

The blurryness can also be cataracts. If you needed steroids at any point you can get cataracts really fast.
Sharon