Xildra vs Restasis

[Lauranyc]

Hello,

I have severe dry eye to the point it has been life changing for me.  I used to be active...enjoy theater, dinners, nights out with friends.  Now I run home after work to the sofa and warm compresses on my eyes.  I can barely get through work, I am divorced and don't even want to go on dates.  I always feel extremely uncomfortable. Like I have dry leaves and wind in my eyes.  I have lost all my confidence and have a lot of anxiety about this.

I've used Restasis for about 6 months now---no help!  Now I hear of this new EyeLove Xildra.  I also have read that some people are using both???  What would be the point?  Does anyone have a good story to report?  I really for the first time in my life feel depressed and despondent.  I hope always for tomorrow to be better....but it never is.   Thanks in advance for any replies.

[AnneNeville]

I use both. I understand they work somewhat differently. I have noticed more relief from the xiidra, but I suspect the restasis has also been helping more subtlety.

Have you looked into punctal plugs?

I just got my lower tear ducts cauterized today. I'm not sure yet how much it will help, but I hope it will make a big difference.

[Lauranyc]

Hi--Thanks for your reply.  I know myself--a plug in my eye would not go over well.
Maybe I will give restasis another 2 months (I hear people often give up before it kicks in).
Could just be a marketing ploy.  Imagine!  Having to use something 6 months to a year for it to kick in!

I hope perhaps the Xildra can help.

I hope the cauterization helps you.  Please let me know.

Thanks

[eye2dry]

hi lauranyc

I tried Restasis back in 2010, used it for 4 months...
did not help me. I tried temporary plugs after that and I
really noticed improvement. So, I had my lower tear ducts
cauterized closed.

I started on Xiidra nearly 6 months ago and it has helped
in the following ways.

less OTC eye drops during the day...today I did not use any
eye drops after putting in Xiidra this morning.

sleep through the night without using OTC drops.

my eyes look brighter and shiny...redness nearly gone

so.....dry gritty burning eyes no more.


shelly

[ohiolady]

Wow, Shelley that is amazing!  So happy for you.  Did you experience metallic taste.  My eye doctor said his staff tried it and experienced a bad  metallic taste.

Annak

[eye2dry]

Hi ohiolady



No, I have not experienced metallic taste. I have a minute of stinging,
followed by blurriness for a minute or two...then it's over.

I know it is not recommended, nor do I advocate it but I open the
vial put one drop in each eye. Stand it back up in the foil envelope
and stand it in a cup. Later at bedtime I use the remaining solution
then throw the empty vial out.

Makes it stretch further.

shelly

[Pete0211]

Wow, Shelley that is amazing!  So happy for you.  Did you experience metallic taste.  My eye doctor said his staff tried it and experienced a bad  metallic taste.

Annak

I tried Xiidra briefly (3 weeks), and found it to help, with minimal stinging (seemed to depend on how dry my eyes felt - the dryer, the more sting), and the blurry vision for a few minutes.

I never had the taste problem as my eye doc recommended pressing against the tear ducts (press inward on the inside (nose side) corner of the eyelids) for sixty seconds after applying the drop. This prevents the drop from draining into your sinuses/throat, which seems to prevent the taste issue.

[AnneNeville]

Hi--Thanks for your reply.  I know myself--a plug in my eye would not go over well.
Maybe I will give restasis another 2 months (I hear people often give up before it kicks in).
Could just be a marketing ploy.  Imagine!  Having to use something 6 months to a year for it to kick in!

I hope perhaps the Xildra can help.

I hope the cauterization helps you.  Please let me know.

Thanks

The plugs were not noticeable, but my first set (which I got as a teen) lasted decades, while the second set came out in about six months. I expect I rub my eyes more now that they are drier.

The cauterization was easy as can be. It stung a little, but nothing more. My eyes do feel moister, and I slept through the night. I did still wake up with dryish eyes, but it wasn't as bad last night as it has been recently (I've been waking up uncomfortable at 2 or 3 in the morning, this time I slept through the night).

[lorigacc]

   I used Restasis for about a year, it hurt a lot each time I used it, and never did make any difference in how my eyes felt.  I started Xiidra about 2 months ago, and it helped me within days of using it.  I know through my eye doctor, that they both serve different purposes.  I don't feel a need to use the Restasis as it never really helped anyway. My eyes were at their worse when I started the Xiidra, to where I would also have to sit with my eyes closed cause the blepharitis (not sure I spelled this correctly) was so bad. For me, the Xiidra has been a miracle drug.  Not a fan of using newer drugs, but for now, it has given me my eyes back...so I will take one day at a time and continue to use it.

[jazzlover]

Laura .. the plugs really helped me!

[Lesley L]

I've been using Restasis for nearly 4 years. My ophthamologist added Xiidra last fall. I was SO allergic to it that I only used one dose. It took Benadryl, Prednisone and a topical cream to settle things down. We ended up cautarizing my upper tear ducts and continuing with the Restasis instead.

[Sooki]

I found Xiidra to help a lot with both dryness and redness.  Last time I tried to refill it, it seems the Xiidra assistance card no longer works with Medicare.  My insurance company agreed to cover it, but my copay is $150 per month.  Sigh.  Back to the drawing board.