[Robyndx]

Hey everyone. Ever since I started taking different psychiatric medications, my eyesight seems to have been getting worse and worse. Also a dry eye feeling, grittiness and stickiness. Sometimes they’re so irritating and itchy - I’ve tried multiple eye drops but it never goes away apart from momentarily. Just wondering if anyone has similar experiences and what they did as it’s a bother

[185329]

I'm sorry to hear about your discomfort. I used to get a weird feeling in my eyes. It felt like they were itchy or gritty, like you mentioned, and that I had to rub them to make them feel better. But I noticed that after I rubbed them, my vision was worse or "altered" in some way. I think it may have had something to do with my medicine. Recently, it appears to have subsided/normalized. I hope you feel better soon.

[MuddyBoots]

Tell your doc, he might have some recommendations. As for the dry eyes, don't use something like Visine because they contain vasoconstrictors which are known to worsen eye redness and the things that go along with it after a bit. There are eye drops out there without vasoconstrictors that you might want to look into.

I get double vision from benzos but I need valium for haldol side effects (it's the only thing that works for the akathisia) so I went to the eye doctor and got glasses with prisms and they work like a charm.

[*Beth*]

Psych meds cause my eyes to be dry and extremely irritated. Some meds cause blurred vision, too. No treatment I've tried is amazingly helpful, but Systane drops (they have a couple of types) do help somewhat. I have an appointment with an eye doctor this week & am going to ask if there are prescription drops that help with dry eyes.

[Robyndx]

Originally Posted by 185329

I'm sorry to hear about your discomfort. I used to get a weird feeling in my eyes. It felt like they were itchy or gritty, like you mentioned, and that I had to rub them to make them feel better. But I noticed that after I rubbed them, my vision was worse or "altered" in some way. I think it may have had something to do with my medicine. Recently, it appears to have subsided/normalized. I hope you feel better soon.

Yeah they always have that gritty sensation, sometimes itchy too. They have seemed blurry sometimes out of nowhere so I’m guessing it is meds, especially as I’ve been on a lot and don’t know which could have affected them. Glad yours got back to normal and thank you!

[Robyndx]

Originally Posted by MuddyBoots

Tell your doc, he might have some recommendations. As for the dry eyes, don't use something like Visine because they contain vasoconstrictors which are known to worsen eye redness and the things that go along with it after a bit. There are eye drops out there without vasoconstrictors that you might want to look into.

I get double vision from benzos but I need valium for haldol side effects (it's the only thing that works for the akathisia) so I went to the eye doctor and got glasses with prisms and they work like a charm.

Yeah I’m hoping to get the chance to mention my eyes when I see my doc next. Thanks because I didn’t know that! I’ve been using eye drops but definitely wasn’t sure if I could be using the wrong ones. Happy you found something that worked for you!

[Robyndx]

Originally Posted by *Beth*

Psych meds cause my eyes to be dry and extremely irritated. Some meds cause blurred vision, too. No treatment I've tried is amazingly helpful, but Systane drops (they have a couple of types) do help somewhat. I have an appointment with an eye doctor this week & am going to ask if there are prescription drops that help with dry eyes.

Hi, thanks for commenting. I’m 90% sure the meds have done this even though I already had dry eyes, they just made them worse. I don’t think I’ve tried the systane drops. Let me know what the eye doctor said if you can, hope you got more advice!

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Robyndx

Hi, thanks for commenting. I’m 90% sure the meds have done this even though I already had dry eyes, they just made them worse. I don’t think I’ve tried the systane drops. Let me know what the eye doctor said if you can, hope you got more advice!

I ended up changing my optometrist appointment to late February, but I will still be asking about prescription drops when I see the doctor. Systane gel drops are definitely helpful, the most helpful otc I've found, anyway. I buy them on Amazon.

[PsychoPhil]

Nothing anti-depressant specific, just general dry eye advice. Instead of eye drops, it may help using baby shampoo on a q-tip. Apply a tiny drop of soap to the cotton batting, add water and carefully roll the tip over the edge of the lower eye lid. Afterwards, use the tip to massage the eye lid to open up lacrimal passages. Takes a bit of practice but works very well.

The baby shampoo is essential, as otherwise soap will burn in the eye.

[Rose76]

A lot of psych drugs dry out the eye. I take amitriptyline, which does that. Causes a little blurring also.

I use "Refresh Plus" eye drops. They come in little unit dose vials, so no preservative is put in there.