UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Ok I am making another thread about these dreaded red eyes! I wear hard contacts. The red eyes make me look absolutely ugly and I almost always get them ONLY when I'm out. Its actually making my life less enjoyable and becoming a real nuisance. I am trying to figure out why I almost always get it ONLY when i go out and here is what I think could be factors -

1) Anxiety - I have social anxiety so Im always anxious when I'm in public)
2) Un-restful sleep - I sleep more than 8 hours a day but its always broken sleep.
3) Too much sleep.
4) Dry eyes - I use eye drops once/twice a day though so I don't think it is this.
5) Dry environments - nightclubs have smoke machines/shopping centres I go to usually have AC which seems to make my eyes burn a little.
6) Not breathing properly - when im anxious i tend to hold my breath in a lot and not breath properly.

Take into consideration that a lot if not ALL of these may be the cause. Is there a solution? Is ther other things that may be causing it? i.e food?

If anyone has any suggestions please tell me.

Thanks

Dry eyes, if you have a bad case then once or twice a day for eye drops wont be sufficient - I know when i was wearing CL i was putting drops in every hour, pain in the proverbial when wearing makeup and in meetings but it was required.

Hayfever - are you taking any anti-histamine tablets as well? if not try and find one that suits you and doesnt have a side effect of increasing dry eyes.

Not enough sleep - definitely increase my red "vampire" eyes, got them this morning again

Pollution - I was in london last weekend and my sisters kept telling me that i had my vampire eyes again

Dehyrdration - again if i dont drink enough water/juise/fruit tea and drink too much alcohol/caffeine i get my vampire eyes

Air conditioning and dry ice in large quanties is another problem i have, though i do find that if i know in advance and drinks lots of water etc it has left impact on me.

Dehrydration/too much caffeine or alcohol does seem to be a common theme in most of my problems, so have you looked into these problems.

I am so sorry to hear that you still struggle with a mixture of social and medical problems.

I have dry eye and use preservative free drops more than twice a day. It may also be that you have an infection causing your eyes to be red. In your place I'd go back to my ophthalmology clinic to have my eyse checked. It may be that you will be given a course of drops to address that problem.

I have apnoea and have broken sleep. This is managed by my using a CPAP machine. Is this possibly an issue for you?

With everything else that is going on it would probably make sense to pop along to your GP and explain that you are having trouble with your sleep. Take along the list you have posted here and ask if there is a connection between your various symptoms.

Every good wish.

Andrew

Andrew - I am thinking of getting a humidifier to hopefully give me a more humid environment an d a more comfortable environment to sleep in. I am going to my GP and going to tell them my sleep issues.

Lizb - I have tried drinking loads of water bu that doesn't have an effect on me. I still get the red eyes. What I will do next is take a bottle of water with me when I go out to them dry conditions. Also when Im on a night out I will try one night sober to see if alcohol has any effect.

I NEED to find a solution!