Dr. Michael J Kutryb

[hsum4]

Dear Dr. Michale J Kutryb:
I had cataract surgery to both eyes and a vitrectomy in the right eye only.  The surgeries to my right eye were performed in Jan. 2008 and the cataract surgery only to my left eye was done July 2008.  I still have pain in my left eye, especially at night when I go to sleep.  I also had an infection in the left eye which cleared up with an antibiotic/antiflammatory drug and the Ophthalmalogist then started me on Restasis.  The left eye still has pain.  Can you still have dry eye with Restasis?  Maybe this is the cause of the pain.  Also the floaters are still in the left eye.  Can the floaters cause pain also?

Thank you
hsum4

[hsum4]

Dear Dr. Michael Kutryb:

Thank you for these recommendations.  You are very concise with your answers.  I will try the artificial tears more often and use the gel at bedtime.

hsum4

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

A few points to take home.  Floaters are painless.  Restasis definitely doesn't cure dry eyes and even when it does help it usually takes many months.  Patients with severe dry eye on Restasis still have to use artificial tears several times a day and often have punctum plugs put in as well as oral flax and fish oil supplements.  I would make sure there is not co-existing lid margin disease which is common.  Make sure you continue to use good artificial tears 4-6 times a day and a lubricant gel or ointment at bedtime.  Each patient is different but there are only about 5 or 6 things total that can be done for these dry painful eyes - assuming that is what you have.  Sometimes there is a real corneal disorder like recurrent erosion syndrome or basement membrane dystropy or a lid problem like ocular rosacea, demodex, blepharitis or irritating eyelashes or even an old surgical incision that didn't heal well.

MJK MD

MJK MD