red eye veins

[niteyorkie]

I have many red veins in the white part of my eyes. They seem to be getting more numerous. I no longer wear my contacts, use artifical tears, and Restasis.
Has anyone else had experience with this? I know that ocular rosacea can lead to vision loss. Has anyone had vision loss with rosacea? What is the best way to prevent this? I am very nervous as I seem to be getting more of these veins. I am also confused about doing warm compresses as it seems to make my rosacea worse.
Any suggestions?

[IowaDavid]

I REALLY hate my ocular rosacea. You can do laser for your face, RLT for your face, etc.

Have you used eyelid scrubs? Those help quite a bit.

I'm annoyed that I've tried to go off of antibiotics, because my face can handle it, but my eyes can't due to the anti-inflammatory systemic effect of antibiotics on ocular rosacea.

I'm trying to work out using Evening Primrose Oil (High gamma linolienic acid content) that brings down ocular inflammation, with a combination of RLT and lid scrubs, but I haven't quite found it.

I may try out Patanol, just as I really don't want to be on antibiotics long term.

[jennfran]

I thought antibiotics are for ocular rosacea? I went to my new Derm, which again was not very good but he said he wanted me to see a eye Dr. for the ocular rosacea. He said that they treat ocular rosacea with antibiotics which he said is very treatable. Of course I do understand that Dr.'s do not have a clue about this disease. My eyes are not red at all but my eyelids do get red, my eyeballs are only get dry at times. He feels I have mild rosacea but do not want this to get worse, as I do not have any redness to eyeballs. I do lid scrubs daily and take flax seed and borage oil which I hear is good for rosacea. I only use wetting drops for the dry eyes and been taking zyrtec which has kept inflammation of eyelids down, although my rosacea is very good now but feel that is because I do not have my heat on inside due to summer.

Can we do laser on our eyes if they get bad? I only say this because people get laser on their eyes for eye correction and glaucoma? Sorry if silly question...Jenn

[niteyorkie]

My eye doc has talked about doing doxycycline. I took minocycline a long time ago and had a small rash from it. So I have been a little scared to try doxycycline. I told my derm about the rash to mino, so he recommended erythromycin. I didn't tell my eye doc about the rash, because I knew he wouldn't write for doxy and I don't want to never get to try it.
I am going to try to get a little more compliant with the lid scrubs.

[PA Dancer]

My eyes have been as you described, mostly during allergy season, and if I wore my contacts too long.

From what I understand, the vessells in your eyes are there to get oxygen. If your eyes are getting red when wearing contacts, maybe ask your doc for a different for a different type of lens. (I only wear my for a few hours at a time)

I think vision loss only happens when you don't take care of your eyes. Keep up with your eye doc and regular checkups.

I got scared a few weeks ago driving in my car. I was seeing double vision out of one eye. I went right to my eye doc, and he didn't see anything wrong with my eye. We figured it was from dry eye.

Good luck,
Ann

[Sdavis]

I know this post is old but I took doxycycline
and the whites of my eyes were the most white they had ever been! However I do not want to take that stuff for very long so I only took the one prescription and did not get a free fill.

[namfr]

Hi there,

I am curious to know what dosage of doxycycline you take to clear eyes that have red veins.
My eyes conditions have worsened since a few weeks while I am already on a long term 50mg/day doxycycline routine.
I am getting a lot of red veins in my eyes, and the interior bottom corner of my eyes display flesh rather than my actual eye. (sorry for the description)

I wonder if going to 100mg/day for a few weeks could help or not.

[bentherebefore]

Hi there,

I am curious to know what dosage of doxycycline you take to clear eyes that have red veins.
My eyes conditions have worsened since a few weeks while I am already on a long term 50mg/day doxycycline routine.
I am getting a lot of red veins in my eyes, and the interior bottom corner of my eyes display flesh rather than my actual eye. (sorry for the description)

I wonder if going to 100mg/day for a few weeks could help or not.

Possible. Low dose has been shown to be just as effective for P&Ps, but for ocular, it is possible that high dose might be better. There have been no studies regarding this, but try higher dose to see if it works.

I, too, have had ocular symptoms of late. I have been on Restasis for over a month.

[LavenderVA]

I am wondering - anybody still feel dryness on eyes after taking Restasis for 1-2 month? What your eye doctor told you about bloodshot in the eye?

This my history,

Jan 08 - I did not feel dry eye at all but just the soreness bothered me on the left eye. Went to see eye dr and told her that I was suspecting this was related to skin rosacea).
diagnosis: dye eyes caused by MDG and she saw excess oil sticking on my eyelids.
treatment: steroid eye drop for 5 days; and then started Restasis in the middle of Jan + Warm compressing.

follow up visit on the 1st week of Restasis – felt sore on right eye and started to see some bloodshot on eyes which worried me
diagnosis: dry eye casued by MDG. Bloodshot are caused by irritation, bloodshot are not dilated vessels in eyes.
treatment: continue on Restasis + Warm compressing

follow up visit on the 3rd week of Restasis - still felt sore from time to time during the day; sometime left eye and sometime the right one. Bloodshot remained the same
diagnosis: situation is being improved and less oil were sticky on eyelids
treatment: continue on Restasis + Warm compressing

I have been on Restasis for 7 weeks by now. However, I started to feel dry on eyes on the 4th week and I saw more veins on the eyes last night after shower.

I am not sure if I am on the right track. I trust my eye dr but want to see what you guys experience on the Restasis.

BTW, I am on erythromycin and maybe it is because of its poor efficienciness on calming down the inflammation on the eye surface that's why I got more red eyes????

Crystal

[Melissa W]

Hi Crystal,

Why don't you add preservative free rewetting drops to the mix with your restasis and warm compresses? Every hour or two instill some preserv-free drops to help with your dry eye. You might just need a little extra help. It does take restasis at least a month to start working and maybe a little longer with some people.

I would also suggest you begin using lid scrubs at night to gently cleanse your lid margins. That will help clear up your lid glands that may be adding to your problem. You could buy pre-moistened lid scrubs like Theralid or Ocusoft. Quick and easy and as an added benefit it removes eye makeup like a charm!

Also, not sure if I mentioned this to you but try to get some healthy oils in your diet like fish oil, omega 3. Best to get from the fish itself vs supplements.

Lastly, you may want to consider using a humidifier in the winter to add some moisture to the air. It is a very low humidity usually in winter especially when compared to the summer months.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Best wishes,
Melissa