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Do you have dry eyes? I was reading something in the million pages I looked at trying to learn about Celiac that said you can have vision problems. They did not really specify what kind of problems though and just suggested a eye exam if your vision changes.

I have very dry eyes and when I wake up I have to either put in the artifical tears or just put some water in my eyes. The eye doc said tears are better but it is much easier to splash water in the general area of my eyes. My eyes don't like light when I get up. The moisture helps some and it does calm down.

I think it's fairly common if you're light eyed (green or blue, particularly). So my optomologist has told me.

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I so get that!!! I am new to this whole thing, but I totally get the eye problems. I used to think that it was because of my contacts, because I have the 30 day and night wear kind, so I sleep in them alot, but I still get it even when they are not in. Thanks for sharing that! I feel a tad more normal (at least in the celiac world!). TiffJake

I get that too, my eyes are REALLY sensitive upon waking and take about 5 minutes to completely adjust.

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I am sensitive to light, too, but it affects me after coming inside after being out in the sun. Not only sensitive, but a little fuzzy. Like I have to take a few minutes and "get my bearings" or something. Maybe its more of a sun sensitive problem?

I tend to have the hardest time during sunrise and sunset.It feels like the world is setting on me and I am going to just "fade out" into a dark tunnel.Flourescent lighting is bad as well..

I used to be very sensitive to light, but now, after taking methylcobalamin (sublingual B12), I don't have much of that at all. My eyes actually adjust fairly quickly, instead of taking several minutes.

Vitamin A deficiency causes cornea problems such as dry eye.
Once the tear film gets situated in the mornings my eyes get better.
I also see halos around lights now. Been to many eye doctors and they were no help.

I agree with the B12. It could also be related to adrenal fatigue or a vit A deficiency (which is fairly common among Celiac folks).

Adrenal fatigue can cause light sensitivity, night blindness, and after images (like seeing the light from a flash longer than other folks).

Again, this is another symptom and common problem for people with Sjogren's Syndrome. My eyes were so light sensitive pre-gluten-free that I had to wear my Rx sunglasses inside. They are still light sensitive but it has improved dramatically after going gluten-free and allowing my body to re-balance and heal. As I have stated before, you can never get rid of an autoimmune problem but you can become almost asymptomatic if you do not cheat on the diet and take care of your eyes. Many people with celiac disease have Sjogren's.....it's almost guaranteed!

Just a note of caution for those of you who wear the Night/Day contacts. I work for a contact lens specialist and he is adamant with our patients--ABSOLUTELY NEVER SLEEP IN CONTACTS!!!!! Even if the companies tell you it is safe, it isn't. If you think about it, truly think about it, why would it be safe for your eyes to sleep in contacts? Blinking is what keeps your eyes moist, and you never blink while sleeping. Some people, many people sleep with their eyes open a crack, or even more, and that allows even more drying. It's never good to sleep in contacts and more people get eye infections because they sleep in contacts. We have patients who get their contacts stuck on their eyes because of sleeping in them--never good. So, please, think about removing them before going to bed, for the safety of your eyes, they are the windows to your world.

Also, for dry eyes, the best product I have found is Refresh Liquigel, it is over the counter, so anyone can get it. My doc recommends using it at bedtime because it does blur your vision a little for a few minutes, only because it is a gel, but it does relieve the eyes so much. There is a Refresh that is not a gel that works very well too, I just love the gel. He also highly recommends Systane, also over the counter. He doesn't recommend any other product on the market, says they are not as good as these 2. I do know both of these, they work very well, I have been diagnosed with dry eye, so I have them on hand at all times. The patients love Dr. Z., so he must know what he is talking about!

Deb

Yes, I definitely get this. It seems like if I'm feeling sick from something it's much worse too. I especially have problems this time of the year when it's winter so the sun doesn't rise til about 9 am. Then i get up and even turning my light on low basically gives me a headache and it's all fuzzy.
This morning though I woke up at 7 am, and i dont know why it affected me so much but when I got into the gym to write my exam at 9 i had quite blurry vision by the time i was done at 12. For some reason the hallogen lights REALLY bother me!! More today than normal...
Or like one of you said I will tend to see spots after a flash of light, especially from a camera.

~ Lisa ~

I tried Systane for awhile, on the advice of my eye doctor, but stopped using it. I noticed it blurred my vision after use for a few minutes and did not like that effect. The reason it does that is because I believe it said they use glycerin or a like substance in the mix and I do not want that in my eye. It would explain the blurred vision effect....it's an oily substance. I use any of the ones advertised that simulate your natural tears and they do not blur my vision but alleviate the dryness. I guess it's all personal preference but I really didn't like the Systane.

The very best thing I did was to go on Restasis. If you have Sjogren's and have inflammation in the eye, it helps immeasurably! Night and day, the difference! Once the inflammation is down, you'll notice the light sensitivity isn't that bad anymore.

Gemini, the difference there is, Restasis is by prescription only and many doctor's will not give that out for simple dry eye, as they call it. I work for a very good eye doctor, but he is stubborn as h***. He refuses to say my dry eye is from celiac disease. He went as far as to tell me dry eyes are caused by usually 3 different things, autoimmune diseases, allergies, or hormonal issues and he told me, my dry eyes are because of my age. He refuses to believe I have an autoimmune disease. Sometimes, I want to take him by the shoulders and shake him. To be honest, my dry eyes are probably a combination of all three of the above!!! He hasn't even offered to let me try Restasis.

My advice was for those who are using over the counter drops. Refresh is my choice of drops, I prefer it over Systane any day.

I asked Kal about a vitamin once and he looked me in the eye and said, "No one needs to take additional vitamins, they can get what they need from a proper diet!" So I looked him right back in the eye and I said, "Kal, I can not get the vitamins I need from a proper diet because I can not eat a proper diet!" Then I walked out of his office and I have never asked him a question again because honestly, all I feel he knows is eyes, beyond that, his medical expertise is less than what I know already. He can't help me beyond what I have found out on the net on my own.

I feel like I have some serious eye issues. I've been dx'd with blepharitis, posterior blepharitis, dry eye, corneal infections, conjunctivitis and some kind of dystrophy, and the cornea specialist would not let me have restasis. His main reasoning was it was expensive. So who cares as long as it's paid for.
They also said that my dry eyes were caused by menopause, but I was 29 yrs old when my eyes started hurting, so I know that's not it. My aunt who is 83 and healthier than me, lost her vision to macular degeneration, and her vision could have been saved if she had been taking the right vitamins. They knew when she had the beginning stages of it and the optometrist didn't even bother telling her.

Restasis may not work for simple dry eye....it's basically used to help with inflammation in the eye, which in turn shuts down tear production. My eyes were so inflamed from allergies and Sjogren's, my vision was impacted in a big way. The type of dry eye that occurs with aging may not be helped by Restasis but my theory is it doesn't hurt to try.

I am surprised that many doctors will not prescribe it because around here, anyone complaining of dry eye can get a script. I have never had a problem getting whatever I have needed from a doctor but that doesn't mean anything to those that can't. What I find weird is that this doctor you work for is saying dry eye can be caused by an autoimmune issue and Celiac IS an autoimmune issue. Duh! Let's face it, most really good doctor's are as arrogant as they come.
Maybe you could see another doctor and have them prescribe Restasis? It really makes a huge difference with Sjogren's....my eyes were like red, hell-hound eyes and I couldn't see in the sunlight as it nearly blinded me and now things have vastly improved. They still bother me when the mold count is high but overall, I am much happier with things.

This honey--says it all!!!!! You are right, I should go to our sister office, Suffolk Ophthalmology with my medical insurance and see one of those doctors, they would probably give me prescription for it, then he would be angry huh?

You are so right about doctors, they are very arrogant, so many of them any way. He is one of them. He will not admit that I have an autoimmune disease. He will say, "Now why can't you have this or that?" Yet never really listens! Yet several years ago, his wife was tested for celiac disease and she is lactose intolerant and uses soy products. Intolerance's are not a secret to him, it's lifestyle he lives with his wife. It's just his arrogance showing through.

It's just this attitude that kept me from a diagnosis for over 20 years. Now I have a host of autoimmune problems that are a direct result of gluten poisoning for years. Honestly, sometimes I feel like suing the medical profession for sheer ignorance on the subject.

Restasis costs 125.00 per month but with insurance, I pay 25.00 per month. It is important that you get it covered for this reason. I would go elsewhere for a second opinion and try to get a Rx for it.....just don't tell "O Arrogant One!" I was skeptical at first about using it but now I panic if I don't have some in the house to use. It worked that good for me. It just can't hurt to try it!

I'd just like to humiliate them the same way they humiliated me when I told them I was sick and they snickered.

I wonder if the gluten free diet fixes so many things, does it not fix the other autoimmune things that are going on, such as the eyes? Since the eye doctors are not going to help me, I was hoping the diet would keep my eyes from getting worse and maybe to get better once they started getting some nutrition in them.

A gluten free diet can help reduce symptoms and make it possible to manage autoimmune problems well BUT once an autoimmune problem develops, you cannot cure the problem or make it go away completely. Once the immune system has found something else to attack, the goal is to calm the reaction down by strict gluten-free diet and maybe some meds to help with symptoms.

I have Sjogren's and autoimmune Hashimoto's low thyroid. The year before I was diagnosed with celiac disease, my doctor tested my thyroid antibodies, which for the lab used, normal range was under 40. Mine was 1200.....not good.
She switched me from Armour thyroid, which is a good med but it was no longer cutting it for me. I couldn't get my numbers in range because my immune system was totally wonky from the undiagnosed celiac disease. One trick used by the medical profession is to switch medication and sometimes that helps to bring down the autoimmune response a bit.
I was switched to Levoxyl and a compounded form of T3 thyroid hormone. A year later, I went down with full blown celiac disease and was diagnosed. Now, 2 1/2 years after going gluten-free and switching meds, my thyroid antibody is down to 70....still higher than normal but I'm getting there. Ditto for the Sjogren's.....my eyes have improved greatly by the diet and the Restasis. I will always have these problems but am managing them really well at the moment. I still have problems with my eyes when the mold count is high in summer. My eyes get extremely red and irritated so I have to stay in air conditioning but it's a small price to pay for improved eye health.

By the way, I also take flaxseed oil capsules because it's supposed to be excellent at helping to keep the eyes lubricated. Supposedly, it's better than fish oil caps and it has something to do with the way it's metabolized.

A person can reach pretty good health status with celiac disease and all it's problems but it is work. Still better than having some of the other diseases out there. Keep trying....it's worth it but don't let a doctor jerk you around. I have avoided some major complications with my health by not doing what the doctor ordered!

Unfortunately after gluten free stuff still can come out. I had three autoimmune disorders come out after going gluten free and I believe its the damage from 32 years of gluten. Its kind of a sore spot with me since Im suppose to be healthier now and Im losing my sight and my hearing at 35.

Flaxseed works great for me for eye dryness even with my glaucoma drops.

Oh, I understand that aspect alright and know what you mean about a sorepoint! I went 20 years with active symptoms so I sometimes wonder if I might fall apart as I age. However, I am totally asymptomatic of anything right now and am managing things well. I can only hope that this lasts by being very strict about the diet. I consider myself very lucky at this point.

Sad, but true! Unfortunately, I think the damage is done while we are trying to figure out what's going on, going gluten free helps stop further damage, but once other autoimmune conditions get in, they are there. Hypothyroidism is not reversible, you can try to handle it, keep it under control, but you will be on meds forever--once you have Raynauds, you have it, it may go in remission for a time, but it's always there, just as Parkinson's is always there. Neuropathy is always there, although, sometimes nerves can repair themselves, some of us have too much damage, like me.

As for the dry eyes, this week, I may ask him for something else, they are driving me nuts and the Refresh or Systane just are not cutting it. Feeling like there is sand in your eyes all the time just sucks, especially when your boss can fix the problem for you!

You quoted me when you replied to this, so I wasn't sure if you were directing your comment to me, but I don't have dry eyes, and from what I understand, Sjogren's is a drying-disease, right? Dry skin, dry eyes, etc?

I am light sensitive, but after talking with my doctor, I found out that is is (more) common in people with light eyes, which I have. But they are not dry.

I just noticed that the original post was deleted and replaced with a "-" mark (???) but you can see on Post #5 (my post) where I quoted mssillyackscrewed and she was asking about light sensitivity, not dry eyes, so I don't know what happened with the thread but it looks like it took a turn to dry eyes, now I understand why the last post I saw was talking about dry eyes!

And about sleeping in contacts, I have worn the 30 day Focus Night & Day contacts for 2 years, usually for 30 days straight (all day and all night) and sometime for 6 weeks if I forget to take them out, and I have never had any problem with them. I have had my eyes checked yearly, and no problems. And I work with two D.O.'s now, as an optician, so I know they would have said something if they didn't want me to do that. We sell a LOT of the Night & Days and I have never heard of someone coming back with complaints (while I am sure that some do, I just haven't heard them first hand). So...I totally understand what you are saying darlindeb, I think it is a personal thing, because I have not had any problems with wearing my contacts for 30 days (and nights) straight.

Well Tiffany, that's great for you, but I still stick with my original post and what Dr. Z says. I truly believe that for the safety of your eyes, you should not leave contacts on them for 24 hours a day and absolutely NEVER for 30 days at a time. I have a son that wears contacts and a nephew and we have talked about this often. My nephew had a contact stuck on his eye and it was very scary for him, we have had people do damage to their eyes by leaving contacts in while sleeping. You have been very lucky Tiffany. We see patients every week who have major infections going on because of sleeping in their contacts and we too, sell a lot of the night/days--I wonder if it depends on the climate in the area you live in too--who knows, BUT, it stands to reason, it's not a good thing.

Sorry mssillyackscrewed, that we ran away with your thread, I guess we thought we were helping you out and it became an eye discussion. My eyes are light sensitive too, very much so. Some people are more light sensitive than others, if it is a very severe problem, ask your doctor. I know we do not have a lot of faith in doctors here, but sometimes light sensitivity is an adrenal problem. I have an adrenal problem and I have major problems with light.

I hope my post didn't sound snippy, because that was not my intention, and it is not my intention here, but I just want to say that this is NOT about my OPINION, BUT THE FACT that Focus Night and Day contacts were approved by the FDA to be worn for 30 days and nights straight. The vast majority of people can and do wear those for that 30 days.

You work in a doctors office, so naturally the people you see will be people who have a PROBLEM with their eye or contacts, not the millions of people who wear them with NO problems at all, like me. I understand your concerns, I just think it is an inapproperate jump to conclude that wearing contacts at night is dangerous for ALL people when the FDA and governing agencies have tested the contacts and the people to make sure it is safe, and most people do not have a problem with it.

Again, my intention is not at all to argue with you or to continue a conversation about something we will not agree. I just don't want other people who read this thread to fall under the impression that you can not wear contacts at night, when you obviously can, as millions of people do. Companies like Vistakon (Ciba Vision) and Johnson & Johnson would not be allowed, by the FDA, to promote and market products for night wear if they were not found to be safe for the majority of patients that wear them.

BUT, I agree with you that sleeping in your contacts is not good for your eyes (,unless you are in a contact lens that is made for night wear.)

Hope I didn't ruffle any feathers.

That statement is not quite true.....the big pharmaceutical companies have long promoted many drugs that, after a short time, were pulled from the market for life threatening side effects. We are constantly barraged on TV with these ridiculous ads and many of these drugs are not safe for many people. The FDA sometimes pushes through a drug quickly with bad results.

You would have to have a pretty healthy eye to not have problems from wearing contacts all night. If you do have any eye problems, the majority of physicians will tell you not to do that but everyone has the right to assume their own risk level.

On a different note, light sensitivity is common and a side effect of Sjogren's Syndrome, so that was the reason I originally stated that. The only way to tell if a person has it is to do the blood test.....it can't be diagnosed by looking at the eye only.

I spoke with my doc today (as I actually needed a new eye exam to renew my contacts Rx) and he agreed that wearing contacts at night can increase the changes of an eye infection, but that these contacts are high oxygen silicone-based contacts, and that is why they are approved for night wear. While they need to be removed to be cleaned, they are not dangerous to wear at night. Everyone has their own opinion, and their own doctors instructions. As long as I take them out weekly to clean them with Aeosept, then I am good to go. I don't feel like I am taking a risk at all, based on what I have read, seen, and been told by my doc. To each his own.

And on the different note, I thought that Sjogrens was a "drying" disease? I did not know that it had anything to do with light. Interesting. Wouldn't the initial symptoms be dry skin, dry hair, dry nailbeds, things of this nature? Just wondering. Thanks for the info!

And on the different note, I thought that Sjogrens was a "drying" disease? I did not know that it had anything to do with light. Interesting. Wouldn't the initial symptoms be dry skin, dry hair, dry nailbeds, things of this nature? Just wondering. Thanks for the info!
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Sjogren's is a dry eye problem but having little moisture in the eye can make the eye more light sensitive. Mine were so bad the year before I was diagnosed, I would wear my Rx sunglasses inside because the fluorescent lights almost blinded me. Just from going gluten-free and using the Restasis, the light sensitivity and dryness of my eyes improved dramatically and now are nowhere near as bad as they were. Sjogren's can become quite bad if untreated.....not fun!

Well Tiffany--I stick to my original warning--wearing contacts while sleeping is dangerous. Yes, I work for an eye doctor, an optometrist, who is a contact lens specialist, one who comes highly recommended by many other doctors. We do fit many patients with the Focus Night/Days and we always recommend they do not wear them to bed, absolutely never. Dr. Z is adamant with all patients on that fact! Just because a company says it is ok, does not mean you have to do it. Just as my mom always used to say, "Just because someone tells you to jump off a bridge, does not mean you have to jump off a bridge!!!" If you honestly wear your contacts for 6 weeks at a time, you are very lucky that you have not damaged your eyes, very lucky in deed. Please do not tell others it is ok to do the same thing!

I don't believe that I have, here, or anywhere else. I tell people to do what their Dr suggested they do, and for me, that was to take them out weekly to clean them. I never suggested anyone wear them for 6 weeks. I simply said that I had, in the past, forgot to take them out, and wore them for longer than the 30 days suggested by the contact lens company.

And I don't equate following the FDA and Contact Lens manufacturer's recomendations to "jumping off a bridge"......especially when confirmed with MY doctor.

I don't want to "fight" with you, and I don't really understand what the hostility is all about. You have your (and your Doctors) opinion, and I have my (and my Doctors) opinion. No harm, no foul, as far as I can see, right?

PS- I apologize if I have done ANYTHING to piss you off...that was never my intention. Just trying to share another point of view, which I think it always a good thing, even if we disagree.

Tiffany, I am not insulted by you or pissed off, simply stating a fact. I'm sorry that you are insulted by the opinion of the doctor I work for--he is a specialist and does not receive any kickbacks from any of these companies. So, he has no reason to argue one way or the other, his opinion is based strictly on the health of the eye and if my son was wearing Focus Night/Day, I would absolutely advice he take them out every night and not sleep in them. Your eyes are the windows to your world--their safety is of the utmost importance! What benefit do your eyes get from wearing a contact to bed???

I am not, and I didn't say that I was.

And I am not sure that they benefit (?) at all, but it is easier for me, and since I was told that it was ok with this brand, I don't worry about it. But that is like asking if I benefit from eating gluten-free chocolate. No, I don't benefit really, but it is ok, so I do. I am sure some people see harm in it, with all of the sugar and chemicals. And some people and doctors are very passionate about not eating so much sugar, and they are not wrong, and I am not right, we just have different opinions.