The Visine, it does nothing!

January 31, 2008 12:03 PM

I'm sick as heck, need to do a metric buttload of work involving typing and reading, my eyes are burning so badly that doing the work is painful, and I can't fix it. Help?

Visine only works for around 15 minutes, and it says it should only be used "4 times daily." (Why?)

Any suggestions? I really, really need to be able to type without my eyes watering so badly I can't see.

(I did search, but most of the burning eyes question were 'OHGODOHGOD I GOT SOMETHING IN MY EYE,' whereas I just always get the burny-eyes whenever I'm sick.)

posted by flibbertigibbet to health & fitness (16 comments total)

Depending on your situation.... you could try speech recognition. It's built in (free) in MS Office, takes maybe 10 minutes to train (or you could just take your chances) and is actually pretty good.

Good luck.
posted by powpow at 12:10 PM on January 31, 2008

My burny eyes come from inflammation in the sinuses/nose.

Two psuedoephedrine and you're good to go for 4-6 hours.

Note: You need the real stuff, possibly from behind the counter in many states (US), not the wimpy, do-nothing replacements they've rolled out. Settle for nothing less.
posted by unixrat at 12:14 PM on January 31, 2008

the decongestant in visine is habit forming, which is why you shouldn't over use it.

you can try using a humidifier to decrease the rate at which tears are evaporating from your eyes, thus keeping them more comfortably lubricated.

switch to glare free glasses if you wear contacts. and try to take breaks from staring at the computer every half hour and get a glare screen filter for your monitor. you can also try dimming the lights in the room where your computer is.
posted by flaneuse at 12:14 PM on January 31, 2008

if you think it's a sinus issue as suggested by unixrat, the neti pot works wonders (youtube a video demo). you can make one yourself with a sports waterbottle or large straw.
posted by flaneuse at 12:16 PM on January 31, 2008

Are you writing/composing something or just typing/copying it? If the latter, you can find typing or transciption services in the yellow pages.
posted by winston at 12:21 PM on January 31, 2008

What kind of Visine are you using? I have eye-monitor issues and regular Visine helps not at all while these Advanced Eye Relief Environmental (Glycerin 1.0%, Benzalkonium Chloride 0.01%) eye drops I have work wonders. They don't have any daily usage limit printed on them either.
posted by moift at 12:34 PM on January 31, 2008

I get this constantly from lack of sleep and staring at a monitor too long. It's very important to look away and blink often. Rest your eyes often, there's not much else that will help other than anesthetic eye drops and that's prescription only for good reason.
posted by IronLizard at 12:37 PM on January 31, 2008

Try decreasing your monitor resolution and/or increasing the size of the text you're reading?
posted by PercussivePaul at 12:39 PM on January 31, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Visine sells something called "Visine Tears" which contains no drug. It's sterile water plus sliming agents. There's no limit on how often you can use it.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 12:40 PM on January 31, 2008

When I have burning tired eyes (and can't take a long break) I use a couple of black teabags that have been wet in hot water (i.e. used to make tea) and then placed in the freezer until they are good and cold--maybe 30 mins. Take five minutes and lay down with them on your closed eyes. Something about the tannins released by the tea is very soothing (not to mention having your eyes closed for five minutes). Wring out the bags so they are just moist, but have a towel handy to catch stray drips. This is also supposed to be a cure for under eye bags.
posted by agatha_magatha at 12:56 PM on January 31, 2008

Here's a handy eye-relaxing trick I learned from an opthalmologist: close your eyes, and imagine that you've just put black velvet over them. That is, just imagine deepest black - no colors, no other images. After a minute or so, you should feel your eyes relaxing.

Another handy exercise to strengthen your eye muscles (this is more for prevention purposes) is to take a break every hour or so, and to choose two objects you can focus on - one very close to your face (1-2"), one very far (10-15'), and alternate between looking at the closer one for a second or two, and at the farther one for a second or two...

hope that helps!
posted by jdruk at 1:09 PM on January 31, 2008

I would try the Bausch and Lomb or Alcon antihistamine eye drops, rather than the Visiine, if you are having itching, burning eyes as the result of sickness. They will be much more effective.

Good luck!
posted by misha at 2:04 PM on January 31, 2008

My dad used Visine several times a day for over a week, and his eyelid swelled up. He went to the doctor who said he effectively sterilized his eye and the swollen eyelid was permanent. Yes, to this day several years later, one eyelid is slightly lower than the other due to the swelling.
posted by IndigoRain at 2:14 PM on January 31, 2008

Cup your hands over your eyes shutting out all light. Relax your eyes with the lids open (as though you've let your eyes lose focus). Like jdruk, I was taught this by my opthamologist.

Also, all of the above -- drink lots of fluids, humidifier, rest when able, teabags.
posted by Felicity Rilke at 2:31 PM on January 31, 2008

My eyes use to feel like this allthetime until I started a nightly regimen of a blob of castor oil in each eye before bed.
posted by zippity at 3:58 PM on January 31, 2008

Zippity- interesting...

Yes- humidity, internal and external.
posted by gjc at 6:13 PM on January 31, 2008