Dry Eye Syndrome

[Shelley (MLC)]

Has anyone out there had any experience with this and more importantly, anything that helped. My mom has been having problems with her eyes for the past few months (chemo/steroid related) They are sore, dry, itchy and air movement bothers her. The eye Dr. has given her drops, but that doesn't help with the problem with air movement. The best relief she gets is with a cloth over her eyes at home, but it's a little difficult to function in the real world walking around with a cloth over your eyes! I have done some reading and a tighter wrap around glasses may be of some help....does anyone else have any ideas? Thanks so much! Shelley

[recce101]

Hi, Shelley:

I had the dry eye problem in late 2006 while on Taxol/Carboplatin -- used lubricating drops which gave some relief, but not much. But I do remember a number of years ago I had a similar problem, though not related to chemo, and used drops that were much thicker and provided a lot more relief (don't recall the name, but it came in little individual pop-open plastic vials). The down-side was they caused blurry vision and sometimes the eyelids would stick together in the corner.

I'm on Tarceva now, and recently I thought that was happening again, but it turned out to be a common Tarceva side effect known informally as out-of-control eyelashes. They grow long, then curl in and touch the eyeball. I haven't heard of that happening with Alimta, but you might take a close look at her eyelashes and see if that could be happening, perhaps in addition to the dry eye effect. By the way, I'm delighted to see the Alimta is working! Aloha,

Ned

[SandraL]

Hi Shelley. I don't have much to add other than the good news is that it does end. I had similar and was concerned that my eyesight was affected from chemo. But it turned out not...and the dry eye stuff has gone away. Like we don't already have enough to deal with!!