# cronic dry eyes



## jess (Nov 14, 2007)

Hi all, hope everyone a s GREAT thanksgiving. :smhelp: 
I need some of your expertise. Mickie one of the rescue dogs I work with has very chronic dry eyes, she needs eye drops about four times a day. And the dry eyes it results in her getting ulcers on her eyes sometimes. 
I'm hoping with everyone wealth of knowledge some one will be able to point me in the right direction to get information as to if there is anything permanent that can be done to help her. She only about a year old, and was surrendered by her breeder because they didn't want to spend $70 a month on her drops and I guessing here but I don't think they wanted to spend that much time making sure her eyes were ok.
she is an absolute lover and I would love to be able to go to the rescue groups director to tell them about a permanent fix for her. cause I think the eye issue may be what's keeping her from being adopted.
thank you SSOOOOOOO much for any help you can give.
Jes

P.S. sorry if some of this doesn't make the best sense, I've had way TO MUCH caffeine in to short a time.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

My Lady has dry eye from neuropathy due to her diabetes. I have taken her to an opthamologist my vet recommended. There is a surgery that can be done to correct dry eye. They take a salivary gland and reroute it up to the eye. The procedure takes several hours, though. The opthamologist said it is one of their longest procedures. At twelve and with her health history, Lady is not a candidate for the surgery.

Since Mickie is so young, it might be worth it to take her to an optalmologist and find out about the surgery. I know there are downsides - some dogs are actually allergic to their saliva and sometimes the gland will overwork and the eye will run constantly. It's also really, really expensive.

Have they tried Cyclosporin (Restasis)? Or the new one Tear Stimulator II? Sometimes that can get them to start producing some tears again. It didn't in Lady's case, but hers is due to diabetic neuropathy.

Thanks heavens Lady hasn't a problem with eye ulcers since she was diagnosed. I am a fanatic about using her artificial tears, though. Her opthamologist said to put them in every couple of hours, that you can't overuse them. What artificial tears are they using? _Genteal Severe Eye Gel_ is the best. It has to be the gel because it stays in longer. I also use Collyrium eye wash to clean the white gunk that forms on her eye off before I put the gel in. 

As I said, ulcers haven't been a problem, but irritated eyelids are from the gunk crusting on Lady's eyelids while she sleeps. I use OCuSoft lid scrub to clean her eyelids several times a day, plus I wash her face daily with Absolutely Natural shampoo so I can wash around her eye area. I find the CC Buttercomb for faces really helps comb the dried gunk out of her eyelashes, too.

Since Mickie is so young, I'd find out about the surgery. Maybe they would give the rescue group a break. 

I can see why Mickie hasn't been adopted. Dry eye is very unslightly. Even with everything I do for Lady, it still always looks like she's got an eye infection. 

I can't imagine how painful constant eye ulcers are. I think Mickie needs better artificial tears and more often. Obviously that would make her hard to adopt because you have to become a slave to their eye. She couldn't be adopted by someone who is gone 10 hours a day. It also gets expensive. The gel alone costs about $10 a tube and I go through about three a month. Tear stimulators are expensive, too, as are all the eye washes and scrubs.


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## jess (Nov 14, 2007)

I'm not sure what kind of drops she gets, I'll have to check tomorrow when we have adoption day. I'm going to check out the Cyclosporin (Restasis) and Tear Stimulator II and Genteal Severe Eye Gel. I can't remember what causes her tear generating problem I'll have to write it down. thank you


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Instate of cyclosporin, we now use Tacrolimus drops. Lubrithal is the ointment we use which is a gel like the genteal. I like that combination.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

> Instate of cyclosporin, we now use Tacrolimus drops. Lubrithal is the ointment we use which is a gel like the genteal. I like that combination.[/B]


Tacrolimus is FK-506 and what Lady's vet calls Tear Stimulator II. In Lady's case it didn't work, but her dry eye is from nerve damage. 

He prescribed Lubrithal the first time we saw him, but I didn't like it as much as the tried and true Genteal Severe Eye I've always used. I told him I preferred Genteal and he said that was fine to use.

Jackie, do you know anything about the cost of the surgery I mentioned? As I said, Lady isn't a candidate so I didn't ask. 

I find it so sad to think this young dog was turned into rescue because his former owners wouldn't pay for his eye drops.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Marj, I've never heard of that surgery recommended to any of our clients...so none of the 3 ophtho's up there are pushing it.


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## jess (Nov 14, 2007)

I talked to the directors about Mickie's dry eye's to try and find out if it's a tear duct issue or what and it sounds like it's a tear duct issue. so I'm thinking I'm going to see if I can bring her to the university and have them check her out. I think I have read about a surgery to fix tear ducts.
On a high note it's starting to sound like my anti-dog father might be ok with me getting Mickie now. YIP YIP YIPPY. I might hold my breath and cross my fingers.
I'll be sure to let you all know what I find out as things progress.
Jes


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

> Marj, I've never heard of that surgery recommended to any of our clients...so none of the 3 ophtho's up there are pushing it.[/B]


That's good to know as I did feel badly about Lady not being able to have it. From what I read, there can be problems with it so maybe that's why they aren't pushing it.

Jess, that's wonderful news if it's only a tear duct issue!


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