What is your diagnosis (or diagnoses if you have more than one)?
MGD both lids, Occular Roscea, benign Spasms, tear deficiency, eye pain
How long have you had it?
around 5 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?
The discomfort is always there. It can be painful and get in the way of everyday functions such as going outdoors, I am sensitive to sun and wind and it gets depressing.
What has helped you the most?
Using a lot of drops. Steroids drops help quite a bit but not something that can always be used. Botox for spasms which can cause its own issues. Miebo has helped. IPL treatments but not sure if they provide relief. Moisture goggles are life savers and struggle to use scleral lens due to dryness and lid droop.
Are there any dry eye resources you'd like to recommend?
The facebook groups can feel overwhelming. The dry eye foundation has made me not feel isolated. My eye doctor at Duke has been great.