Hi everyone!
I am SUPER excited today!!! A wonderful new friend on Facebook let me know about a local Sjogren's walk! I've been very busy the past half hour, signing up, creating a fundraising page (it's attached here), and even working on getting my firm to get involved (if you remember, I've mentioned our Disability Network and that our firm is frequently involved in such activities). I'm practically shaking I'm so excited (ok, the 40 degree temps w/wind and rain probably add to that but let's stay focused), and I can't seem to act on each idea I have fast enough! Well anyway, PLEASE check it out! Also, the foundation is hosting walks in many other cities around the country, so if you aren't local to Philadelphia, see if there'll be another one near you!!!
THANKS!
OH, and look later today or tomorrow (HOPEFULLY) for another VERY EXCITING post....
March 30, 2010
March 17, 2010
Dry Eye Solutions
Ok dearies, here's a fast one for you.
(Julia, of "Reasonably Well" fame, I thought I remembered you doing a post about moisture goggles and tried to find it to comment on with this link, but I couldn't, so I had to resort to doing my own post.)
My eyes have been getting worse (drier, more sensitive, blurrier, yada yada yada...I'm sure staring at a computer screen for 16 hours a day and doing multi-hour long drives in bright morning sun and middle-of-the night darkness have NOTHING to do with it, of course). So, I've been doing research. I appologize for the down and dirty style of this post but I should really force myself to sleep soon.
1. Fish Oil - Ok don't laugh. My great grandmother (Julie, ironically) came to my mom in a dream to tell her to remind me to take fish oil. Ok not like that word-for-word, but that was clearly the message. In my family we have butt-in-sky (or butt-in-ski, we are Polish afterall) family members who feel the need to come correct us even after they've passed on and if you don't believe me, well, won't you be surprised when Babci Julie comes and tells you how wrong you are tonight! (But seriously, I respect if you disagree with me, just please respect me and don't leave nasty comments about it.)
Anyway, I got sidetracked. So I started taking fish oil for the Omega 3's, which on top of everything else we hear about them, can help with occular health in general and even dry eyes specifically. Did a lot of research on types of oils and here's what I can pass on - Good: oil from small fish (less risk of mercury), flax or other plant sources aren't bad if you can't take the fish, I take one with an 'enteric' coating which has completely avoided the "fishy burp" problem and is supposed to help the ingredients make it far enough through your digestive tract to be worthwhile. Bad: oil from most larger fish but especially sharks, watch out for concentration (it's worth looking for 'extra strength' ones because the amount of oil itself is useless, it's the amount of Omega 3's that counts, and it can be perhaps half the total volume in average pills), possible side effects such as 'fishy burps' or looser bowels (I haven't had either of these symptoms, personally). Also be careful about self-dosing, more than a certain amount without doctor supervision isn't a good idea (and it never hurts to ask even for lesser amounts).
2. 7Eye Sunglass - This got me VERY excited...this company originally made glasses for extreme sports such as skiing or hiking. Somewhere along the line, they modified a style and created a line SPECIFICALLY FOR SJOGREN'S (and other dry eye conditions)!!! Floored me. And they're attractive styles. They do it with an "eyecup", which is a bit of foam around the frame to create a seal and keep out dust and wind, but also lets the eye breathe. The foam is removable to clean or replace. Buuuut, they are really expensive. $140-$250. And if you're like me and prefer gray lenses to amber/copper ones, the price will definitely be at the higher end. So far internet searches for cheaper resalers hasn't gotten me anywhere but we'll see.
3. The Dry Eye Shop - Ok this is very cool. The people who maintain this site research all kinds of dry eye stuff and only offer the ones they liked. They have special drops I've never heard of (and provide reviews by people who understand what we're looking to know...for example, one review for a thick drop explained if it blurs, how long, how they apply it, and so on), CHEAP versions of the above sunglasses (obviously not as fantastic but might do a good job, and if you're like me you lose your sunglasses WAY too much to warrant those prices), eyelid cleansers (for people with chronic eye infections), and more...including (TADA) moisture googles! I saw a starter kit (I think it had the goggles and some gel or drop or something) for $40!!! I remember someone talking about a pair they considered for $120! Ok now I sound like a bad infomercial, but you get my drift.
Again, I'm VERY sorry for the horrible lack of style and lack of concern for grammar in this post. I'm in a big hurry but HAD to share this information (pass it along!). I'll defnitely be posting soon, though...I have a sad one in the pipeline (what my doctor said when I saw her at the end of my first 'busy season' in auditing), and a happy one about (ironically) my latest ventures with the disability diversity network with my employer (you will LOVE this one, it's VERY exciting). And I'll try to write them with more care:) Oh and I'll fill you in on my FIRST CRUISE, when I get a chance:) Thanks everyone!!!
(Julia, of "Reasonably Well" fame, I thought I remembered you doing a post about moisture goggles and tried to find it to comment on with this link, but I couldn't, so I had to resort to doing my own post.)
My eyes have been getting worse (drier, more sensitive, blurrier, yada yada yada...I'm sure staring at a computer screen for 16 hours a day and doing multi-hour long drives in bright morning sun and middle-of-the night darkness have NOTHING to do with it, of course). So, I've been doing research. I appologize for the down and dirty style of this post but I should really force myself to sleep soon.
1. Fish Oil - Ok don't laugh. My great grandmother (Julie, ironically) came to my mom in a dream to tell her to remind me to take fish oil. Ok not like that word-for-word, but that was clearly the message. In my family we have butt-in-sky (or butt-in-ski, we are Polish afterall) family members who feel the need to come correct us even after they've passed on and if you don't believe me, well, won't you be surprised when Babci Julie comes and tells you how wrong you are tonight! (But seriously, I respect if you disagree with me, just please respect me and don't leave nasty comments about it.)
Anyway, I got sidetracked. So I started taking fish oil for the Omega 3's, which on top of everything else we hear about them, can help with occular health in general and even dry eyes specifically. Did a lot of research on types of oils and here's what I can pass on - Good: oil from small fish (less risk of mercury), flax or other plant sources aren't bad if you can't take the fish, I take one with an 'enteric' coating which has completely avoided the "fishy burp" problem and is supposed to help the ingredients make it far enough through your digestive tract to be worthwhile. Bad: oil from most larger fish but especially sharks, watch out for concentration (it's worth looking for 'extra strength' ones because the amount of oil itself is useless, it's the amount of Omega 3's that counts, and it can be perhaps half the total volume in average pills), possible side effects such as 'fishy burps' or looser bowels (I haven't had either of these symptoms, personally). Also be careful about self-dosing, more than a certain amount without doctor supervision isn't a good idea (and it never hurts to ask even for lesser amounts).
2. 7Eye Sunglass - This got me VERY excited...this company originally made glasses for extreme sports such as skiing or hiking. Somewhere along the line, they modified a style and created a line SPECIFICALLY FOR SJOGREN'S (and other dry eye conditions)!!! Floored me. And they're attractive styles. They do it with an "eyecup", which is a bit of foam around the frame to create a seal and keep out dust and wind, but also lets the eye breathe. The foam is removable to clean or replace. Buuuut, they are really expensive. $140-$250. And if you're like me and prefer gray lenses to amber/copper ones, the price will definitely be at the higher end. So far internet searches for cheaper resalers hasn't gotten me anywhere but we'll see.
3. The Dry Eye Shop - Ok this is very cool. The people who maintain this site research all kinds of dry eye stuff and only offer the ones they liked. They have special drops I've never heard of (and provide reviews by people who understand what we're looking to know...for example, one review for a thick drop explained if it blurs, how long, how they apply it, and so on), CHEAP versions of the above sunglasses (obviously not as fantastic but might do a good job, and if you're like me you lose your sunglasses WAY too much to warrant those prices), eyelid cleansers (for people with chronic eye infections), and more...including (TADA) moisture googles! I saw a starter kit (I think it had the goggles and some gel or drop or something) for $40!!! I remember someone talking about a pair they considered for $120! Ok now I sound like a bad infomercial, but you get my drift.
Again, I'm VERY sorry for the horrible lack of style and lack of concern for grammar in this post. I'm in a big hurry but HAD to share this information (pass it along!). I'll defnitely be posting soon, though...I have a sad one in the pipeline (what my doctor said when I saw her at the end of my first 'busy season' in auditing), and a happy one about (ironically) my latest ventures with the disability diversity network with my employer (you will LOVE this one, it's VERY exciting). And I'll try to write them with more care:) Oh and I'll fill you in on my FIRST CRUISE, when I get a chance:) Thanks everyone!!!
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