Sjogren's syndrome and riding.

Hi I have a question. How do people deal with dry eyes while riding? I wear glasses and in winter they tend to fog up quickly so I opt for contacts and they irritate my eyes. I can’t really put drops in while riding so I was wondering how people delt with this

Thanks :slight_smile:

The only thing I think of that might help is goggles as then the wind wouldn’t be adding to the dry eye problems. You’ll probably need to carry eye drops . Contacts will make it worse.

-Onion goggles are an option
-Carry a few vials of tears with you - stash them in your pockets, or stick em in your half chaps like me

Might have to go with the drops in the half chaps that sounds like a great idea :slight_smile: and I’ll have a look into the goggles.

Thanks for the sugestions :smiley:

Perhaps changing what you use might give you longer-lasting moisture. Regular saline does nothing for me, but gel drops last long enough for me to do things outside. If you’re already using gel drops, then you might want to talk to your eye doctor for further suggestions.

Rebecca

I have been using saline and find they don’t last very long at all. I might give the gel ones a go then :slight_smile: thanks

I have been trying to keep the drops with me while riding but am finding they are getting very cold and uncomfortable to apply, I think I’ll have to keep them closer to my body to try keep them warm haha

I have sjogrens too. I use to wear contacts before I knew I had sjogrens. I constantly had issues with my eyes being dry and the contacts would scratch my eye or they would fall out. I had the eye surgery so I don’t need glasses or contacts anymore which really helps. But the eyes are still dry and I just keep saline close by.

Try Refresh Plus eye drops. They come sterile single use dropperettes. It’s a very small plastic dropperette with a twist off cap. Single use only. Sterile, easy to use, can’t get the solution contaminated. can fit in your pocket. They come in boxes of 70 dropperettes for about $15 at Walmart for one. You can then just wear your glasses when you ride. If your eyes get dry, just pull one out of your pocket, twist off the cap, instill a few drops into each eye and on you go. You can touch the corner of your eye with the dropper if you have to for a good aim (I do) but it is a single use container so no contamination like with a dropper bottle. Neat, effective, cheap and easy.

I can’t wear contacts anymore either - I just suffer with foggy glasses…

Like a lot of the others, I use the rePHresh drops in the little travel vials, for at the barn, and I use the gel drops the rest of the time.

My docs haven’t figured out if I have Sjogren’s or not yet but they have said I can’t wear contacts and I struggle with dryness and eye inflamation like none other. I just wear my glasses. I haven’t found a fabulous solution to fogginess and slipping yet but maybe anti fog drops like they have for goggles?

I ride in jockey goggles. They come in clear and tinted. They can fog up sometimes - but the moisture feels good. I just wipe off the fog or hold the goggles away from my eyes to let them clear. They are made by Kroop. ???sp.
I think the thin band has the best fit.

Do you take fish oil capsules? They help my eyes a lot. If they bother your stomach freeze them and take them frozen and by the time they defrost they will be past your stomach where they are absorbed better anyway. You can take 3 a day with meals. (maybe more, I don’t know, the Dr. told me 3). I’d also go with goggles and taking the drops with you.

I have Sjogren’s as well. Using Lacri-lube eye lubricant at night makes a huge difference for me. Ditto the Omega 3-6-9. Be careful about using allergy meds because those can dry out your eyes.

Good luck. Dry eyes are no fun.

summerhorse - that is really true about freezing the caps - thereby no nausea?
did you discover that yourself - or how? what is best to take? i will try again.

If you’re stuck wearing glasses, spraying rubbing alcohol on the lenses before you ride helps tremendously with them fogging less…

I show in the Equitation and Hunters and Jumpers, and especially at Indoors and when it’s colder in Fl, etc, my glasses (I can’t wear contacts either) get really foggy, and I obviously can’t just pull up mid-course or mid-flat and wipe them, nor can I wear other eyewear (even glasses are pushing it at finals), but my trainer told me about rubbing alcohol when we were concerned I couldn’t see and it makes a HUGE difference.

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I was at that point where I had no idea what to do next and you guys have come up with so many great ideas :slight_smile: thank you. The meds I am on make me very hot so when I stop moving the glasses fog up very easily since it is so cold here atm.

The contacts are going in the bin cos they are more trouble than they are worth! I do like the individual eye drops they seem to be working well and I can keep them close when I am riding :slight_smile:

Rubbing alcohol wow I think I’ll try that one :slight_smile: or that anti fog goggle spray, I’ll have to see what I can get hold of.

I have gone out and got some gel eye drops but find this particular one stings my eyes :frowning: I even got the preservative free individual vials too! I think I’ll have to try another brand and see how I go with that.

Freezing fish oil tablets, I would have never thought of that one but if it works I’ll give it a go! Everything upsets my stomach cos I am on some strong pain meds but I’ll have to give the fish oil a go again :slight_smile:

I know you and your doctors have probably thought of this, but is there a possibility that your meds are contributing to the dry eyes? I have had this problem on certain meds, just drying out the eyes, mouth, and body in general. Another medication I was on, even though it didn’t say it in the warnings, gave me terrible migraine headaches that stopped as soon as I went off the medication. I do feel for you, I know what a problem it is when your eyes are always dry and irritated…really sucks!

Wow, I’m amazed by how many riders here have Sjogren’s. i don’t have any great suggestions on the dry eyes–I just carry a strip of preservative free drops with me wherever I go, including riding. i just thought I’d add that one of my symptoms for Sjogrens had also been joint pain. That one has been helped A LOT by riding.

Not a rider with Sjogren’s but my mother has it and WOW, I am surprised there are so many people here who have it!