Growing up, I rarely ever experienced any serious health issues. I have indoor/dust allergies and that was it. So, in 2013 when my eyes became swollen, I really thought I was dealing with my usual allergy. I was so wrong. 

For one year (2013-2014) I grappled with increasingly swollen eyes because the available ophthalmologists were baffled with the cause. It was a dark time for me. I was very self-conscious of my appearance and withdrawn. More so, I was concerned that the three doctors I visited were unable to diagnose me. 

Thankfully, another eye specialist became available in the latter part of 2013 who informed me that I had Dry Eye Syndrome. Unfortunately, with my eyes being swollen for so many months without proper treatment, it required me to do operations on both eyes under local anesthesia as my sebum ducts were blocked with fluid. Fast forward to 2020, I am thankful that since my surgery I have never had swollen eyes again but for the rest of my life, I must pay close attention to my eye health to avoid future complications. 

‍

‍What is Dry Eye Syndrome (DES)

The Mayo Clinic describes Dry Eye as a “common condition that occurs when your tears aren't able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes. Tears can be inadequate and unstable for many reasons. For example, dry eyes may occur if you don't produce enough tears or if you produce poor-quality tears. This tear instability leads to inflammation and damage of the eye's surface”.

As the name suggests, it is no surprise that this disease is very uncomfortable. Some of my symptoms included eye redness, the sensation of having something in my eyes, difficulty wearing contact lenses, difficulty with nighttime driving and watery eyes, which is the body's response to the irritation of dry eyes. All of these I continue to experience (on a mild level) and manage. 

When I learnt the lack of adequate tears to cleanse my eyes were an issue I looked into changing my diet to include more Vitamin A and Omega 3 fatty acids. My doctor also recommended using eye drops that were specific to Dry Eye patients. This is so important as other eye drops have the potential to worsen the issue or do nothing at all. (While these treatments work for me please do not self-diagnose! Find a specialist who can recommend what is best for you)

‍

When to see a doctor

The fact that my symptoms were prolonged is the reason I had to do two surgeries. I would always recommend visiting a specialist as soon as possible when symptoms last more than a few days.