What is your diagnosis (or diagnoses if you have more than one)?
Sjogren's disease
How long have you had it?
26 years
What do you wish more people understood about dry eye (or eye pain if that's your main issue) and how it affects people's lives?
It is a 24/7 issue for me. I wear dry eye wear all day and goggles all night. I use 2 prescription drugs, 2 non-prescription eyedrops, and an eye spray every day. My meds for Sjogren's help out also. Even with all of these steps, my tears evaporate quickly and my eyes become dry. I must monitor my eyes closely when reading, when in windy places, etc. They are a constant management challenge. First thing in the morning I clean solidified tears from my eyes, and do so often during the day. At night, I re-insert eye gel to sleep comfortably. Over the 26 years I've had dry eyes, I've had 5 eye doctors, including a dry eye specialist. They retired or moved away, but my dry eye condition stayed. I am lucky that I can afford all of the products that I need and that I am not usually in pain, just discomfort that is managed with all of the eye products.
What has helped you the most?
Moisture goggles, dietary modifications (avoiding sugar is a big help, also avoid grains and other foods that make eyes red), thicker gel-like eye drops.
Are there any dry eye resources you'd like to recommend?
Dry Eye Foundation, Dry Eye Foundation Guide book