Doxycycline for eyes

[Sharon]

Has anyone here had relief using low dose Doxycycline for their eye symptoms?
I suffer from severe allergic reactions in my eyes due to the dryness from SS
and NOTHING helps with it besides Prednisone. Antihistamines whether topical or oral just make
the dryness worse and Restasis, plugs and every drop on the market has not helped.
I was told Doxycycline has an anti-inflammatory effect on the eyes and was given a prescription for it
that I have not yet filled. I'm really suffering with this and need a solution.
Could this help?
What do you all think?
 

[Sooki]

I take doxycycline for rosacea, both skin and ocular.  The Doxy really helps keep my eyes (and skin) from being so red and irritated.  I'm not sure what the mechanism is; it might be that it's killing mites.  My eyes are probably less dry now, although dryness hasn't been much of a problem as I also take Xiidra.  Too many variables.

I've had no negative effects from the doxycycline.

I also get irritation from environmental causes and the Similisan Eye Allergy drops help, but your reaction sounds much more severe. 

[Sharon]

Thanks Sooki, what dose are you on? Do you take it continually or in breaks?

[Maria3667]

Hi Sharon,

For me almost immediate relief comes from 2.5 mg Dhea - but ONLY if I apply it using the intervaginal route. Oral or dermal application are useless. Have you tried this route yet?

I don't know if this is a safer option than doxycycline, but it sure is a cheap one. Besides that, Dhea brings me other benefits such as sounder sleep.

Whatever you choose, good luck!

[susanep]

Sharon, my eyes stay so dry too. I have had the humidifier going full blast, and use the Restasis, and over the counter drops, and also have the punctal plugs. I recently had my eyes examined and needed stronger glasses so I got them, but I still have the dry eyes. They will feel infected at times and I will wipe them like when you first get up in the morning and the stuff that comes out is almost greenish as that bit of morning yuck.

I have not taken any of this antibiotics for it, but I am curious if it could work. I have mostly taken it in the past for the H-pylori thing in my stomach.

I hope it helps you. I would wonder too if you take a small dose ongoing or just a treatment of it.

susanep

[Sharon]

Maria- I tried the DHEA in the past in the way you suggested, but no matter what I get an allergic reaction to it of horrible itching.
I really wish I could tolerate it.

Susanep- I'm trying to work up the bravery to try it right now. It's an ongoing treatment supposedly to combat the ongoing inflammation.

[jazzlover]

One of my friends takes doxy for her eyes. She can barely see without it. She also suspects that she has mites.

If you take doxy, I would suggest taking it in the MIDDLE of a full meal or your stomach will take a big hit. Also be sure to take probiotics every day, at least two hours away from the doxy.

[Sharon]

Thanks Jazz, is it such a threat to the stomach even at the low dose of 100mg?

[Sooki]

I take 50 mg of doxycycline a day orally, continually.  Once I took a break for a couple of weeks when I wasn't feeling well and trying to figure out why.  My eyes got red again and then better when I resumed it. 

[jazzlover]

Thanks Jazz, is it such a threat to the stomach even at the low dose of 100mg?

I know it would be to MINE! Just be careful.

[Sharon]

Sooki- Thanks, how long did it take for you to notice an improvement when you first began?

Jazz- Thanks, I'm so sensitive it might happen to me as well...hate to ruin my stomach. Actually probiotics give me digestion issues
all on their own for some reason.

[Sooki]

I think I noticed improvement within a week or so. 

[irish]

Doxycycline does have an anti-inflammatory effect orally also. I have noticed this when I have taken it for infection. I am so allergic to antibiotics that doxy is the one they use for years. When it doesn't work anymore I will have to go to the more expensive oral ones(of which there are not many), or IV antibiotics which have a few more I could take.

The word of caution I have is that I would not use the Doxy eyedrop for any length of time. It is not a strong anti-inflammatory but it is, first of all, an antibiotic and taking it more than a couple weeks or so could put you at high risk for a secondary infection that could be hard to clear up. Long term use of steroid eye drops also puts one at risk for secondary infections in the eyes plus it can cause thinning of the tissues of the eyes which isn't good.

Have you looked into the googles that are made for dry eyes to be worn at night. People used to use these a few years back but I don't hear them mentioned lately.  People found them to work well. They used the lubricant eyedrops and the googles and would have improvement in eyes because of the ability of the eyes to have a chance to heal some at night.

Also, if the Restasis was irritating your eyes, they have come out with a lower strength dose that the doc can order. This might help. Do you put your eye drops in the refrig?? Some people do this and the cool temp soothes the eyes. I would let them warm up 10 minutes or so to prevent eye tissue from being subjected to too much cold.

Also, eye docs often have people use artificial tears 20 minutes prior to Restasis and 20 minutes after the Restasis. This cuts down on the burning. Sometimes it takes a very long time to decrease the inflammation in the eyes because it is so bad. When the inflammation becomes less the burning is usually less. Good luck. Irish

[Maria3667]

Thanks Irish,

Very informative piece about doxycycline, usage and eye dryness!

[Sharon]

Hi Irish- I was prescribed oral Doxycyline at 100mg, not drops. The idea is to take it continuously to damper down the eye inflammation. It was also suggested I might take Azitromycin oral antibiotic 5 days a month for this same reason instead of the Doxy.
My main issue is during the day when my eyes are exposed to all the elements and allergens which I have no tears to protect against.
When I sleep it's usually okay since my eyes are closed shut.
Restasis simply does not help me enough and its been over 2 years on them. I don't mind the stinging, just wish it would help more.
What's your take given these 2 options I'm now down to (after trying everything else!)?
Azitromycin (oral) 5 days every month
Doxyxyclin (oral) 100mg every day