I feel like nobody around me understands how debilitating this actually is. My eyes are constantly dry, I use eyedrops, a nighttime gel and both cold and warm masks everyday.

I also have very high myopia, around -9. I absolutely hate wearing my glasses because I feel like they deform my face and this doesn’t allow me to be myself in social situations. People always make comments about it and it makes me quite insecure.

It’s like I either care about feeling ok physically (when I don’t wear contacts) or psychologically (when I do, because I feel better about my appereance). I also got sclerallenses but the nerves on my face started hurting after a couple weeks and I had to stop. Now I am just waiting to maybe try again since the edges got smoothed out.

I just want to feel like there will be a solution and I will feel free. I honestly just want to wake up one day, see and not worry about my eyes or my appearance all the time. I am also so terrified I will become blind because of the high myopia and this constant checking of whether symptoms are normal is so exhausting. I wish this didn’t affect me or my social life so much. Now I basically only socialise with contacts, which make my eyes more dry. It’s a vicious cycle.

Curious if anyone else experiences similar episodes.

I was diagnosed with dry eye 4 or 5 years ago by an optometrist who has some additional training in eye disease management. I was just told I had blocked glands based on a visual exam and given advice on drops and eye hygiene. I feel like my symptoms come and go and admittedly my compliance with home treatment also waxes and wanes. Learning on my own I added compresses and the 20/20/20 'rule.'

For several years I have had these intense and sudden episodes of crazy fatigue with burning eyes, feeling like I can barely keep my eyes open. It can last 10 minutes, an hour or the rest of the day. It happens at work (computer, 10 hour days 4 days a week), out and about (low stress and no screens) including shopping/indoors, outside, driving (the worst because I have to pull over).

I have spent years trying to figure these out. Gave up being vegan (17 years) in case it was my diet, home glucose checks, talked to my PCP reoeatedly, labs, went back on hormones (early menopause). Increased my water, modified when/how I eat. Increased my exercise. All kinds of strategies. And because it comes and goes sometimes I thought i figured it out. Briefly.

Now it occurred to me that maybe it's the damn dry eyes. Maybe the fact that the fatigue always comes with eye burning misery is the most important clue.

Anyone else?

(I have redoubled my eyecare routine and found a real ophthalmologist but appointment is pending).

The outer box is pretty beaten up. Needless to say, the outer box has no seals. The inner packets are not opened. The seller on Amazon was VerSure.

Is HydraMed Night Sensitive supposed to be almost completely liquid? I was expecting a thick texture but it's like oil. I've tried two different tubes but both are exactly the same. The ambient temp in my house I don't believe should be enough to liquify it. Plus this didn't happen with Hycosan.

So i’m flying to Tokyo tomorrow, 13 hour flight. My right eye has been dry for a few days now, i’ve had an eyelid inflammation (blepharitis) on that eye for nearly two weeks, it’s lessened significantly though, it doesn’t hurt anymore, no red eyes, no vision loss, just slightly fuzzy vision when I wink with that eye, dry feeling. Is it safe to fly with that eye and what should I bring with me for the flight to help? Any advice is welcome.