hey all long time no post, hope you’re all good.

I’m having a major problem with my eyes tearing up from air flow in them. Not great for a cyclist! Even when it’s not dangerous it spoils the fun of singletrack, to the point I’m wondering if I can continue riding. My mates at the bottom ofd the trail likely think I’ve stopped for a cuppa when actually I’m drying my eyes.

It’s worse in the cold but happens in warm weather too. Even walking on a windy day is enough.

Optician said it’s probably “blepharitis”.

I wear prescription glasses. If I get tight fitting ones to reduce airflow then steam up so no net benefit. (& don’t stop the tearing anyway).

Anyone managed to overcome this and how? I know it’s not rare in those of us with a few years under the belt. Ta.

There are options, look at Edgar Davids, managed to play footy at the highest levels with what were effectively goggles on, without them steaming up.

I get ridiculously teary eyes too. I never knew there was a name for it! I don’t wear glasses though. Goggles work for me and stop the streaming. Looking like a ‘duro gnarpoon doesn’t bother me, I’m just happy that I can see again!
Can you not get goggles with prescription inserts?

I get that. I often walk to the train station on the way to work with my eyes leaking on a cold day.

Wearing contacts and proper biking shades when riding helps me, but I do find it clears in 10 mins or so.

I never even realised it was a thing!

Close fitting glasses and take them off as soon as you stop so they don’t get the chance to steam up (moving should be fine – you can pull them down your nose a little on climbs so there’s a little more air movement to keep them clear). Rain-X on both sides of the lenses helps too.

Yes. Had a dose of Bleph last year, fkn horrible, especially for contact lens wearers. Saw my Contact Lens dude and he said something along the lines of “tears are made from various different fluids and when you have blepharitis you lose the lubricating part of the tear so your eyes over produce the other stuff to make up for it.” Sorry recollection of this is a bit hazy.

I cured it with a combination of Blephaclean and regular cleaning with baby shampoo as Blephaclean is quite expensive.

Lots of ways to manage it.
Heat pad, blephaclean, then a decent eye drop.
Done every day.
Baby shampoo can increSe the dryness, some think it’s a bad idea.

Doesn’t sound like blepharitis to me. I’ve had that and for me it caused irritated eyelids which ended up in a sort of crusty build up around the edges of my eyelids when I woke up each day. I wear contacts too so it made them a bit of a pain as they never sat properly on the eye.

To get rid of it, and this may or may not help you, I made sure my eyes were cleaned with a warm compress flannel and some soothing eye drops. Optrex that sort of thing. Hycosan eye drops are a worthy investment too as they help keep the eyes lubricated so might help prevent the tearing you’re having. Opticians sell those and they last for 6 months unlike most others.

You could always go “full enduro” and wear goggles?!

I’ve suffered with posterior blepharitis for years and do get a bit teary in wind, though it’s usually more to do with light levels and cold in my case (my eyes are very light sensitive which is apparently more common the lighter your irises are). The issue is the eyes drying so producing too much from your tear ducts to compensate for the lack of oil from your lids.

For treatment: Regular massaging of the lids, warming (i expect your optician will sell microwaveable eye pack things) and cleaning (again your optician will sell wipe things but iirc i was originally recommend warm water with a bit of bicarb – it was a long time ago so check this before you go dunking the stuff in your eyes)

I find the massaging and warming keeps mine from getting worse but cleaning didn’t make any odds really, in part becuase a few of my glands are completely blocked beyond fixing.

What it is and treatment etc is all stuff a vaguely competent optician should have explained (and tried to sell you) though. If it’s a long term thing (as in my case) they should also have picked up on it during your regular exams rather than (as i read your post) telling you that’s probably what it is when you complained of symptoms.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/blepharitis/

Oh and I’d strongly suggest try another optician.

I get it on really cold or windy days when walking and also on quick descents.
Also never knew there was a medical word for it!
I just wear goggles/glasses when riding which has made a massive difference.

I used to suffer from this and an optician friend pointed out (as mentioned above) its a lack of lubrication fluid on the eye ball.

So although it seems the wrong thing to do, get some Hypromellose eye drops (or equivalent) from the chemist and put a few drops in before you ride. Worked a treat for me and the problem actually went away entirely after a few months

thanks all.

looking at search images of blepharitis, I don’t have all that visible gunky eye stuff now (tho have had the stringy bits at times in the past) so I suspect it’s currently eye dryness as an affect of my general auto-immune stuff (aka snowflakiness!).

a few things to think about in your replies thanks.

I used to suffer from this and an optician friend pointed out (as mentioned above) its a lack of lubrication fluid on the eye ball.

yeah I think that’s where to start in my case.

I don’t have all that visible gunky eye stuff now

thats the anterior bit, commonly you get both anterior and posterior (which *you* generally won’t see as it’s tiny glands on the edge & inside of your lid) together but not always.

Posterior:

Like others, I never knew there was a term for this, I suffer this short term phenomenon on the way to work in the winter months while descending the hill from home in my glasses. But wearing my expensive £5 Aldi (? or was it Lidl?) wraparound cycling glasses, which still allow some air circulation, I can descend cat4 hills and be absolutely fine.

You sound like you have dry eyes, which can be related to blepharitis.
Dry eyes usually relates to lack of the oily part of the tear film being produced , so the watery part doesn’t stay on the eyeball and streams. It can relate to blepharitis if the oily glands are not functioning well , but not everyone with tear film deficiency will have blepharitis. Hot compress and cleaning as per other suggestions may help, but you may need drops like viscotears or Hylo-forte, any optician or GP could advise. Goggle/ wrap round glasses will help as well

Some good advice here

https://patient.info/health/eye-problems/dry-eyes

X2 on the optician explaining all this!

I’ve had it for years, I frequently tear up at bright light and have dry bits around my lashes. As said bathing with cotton buds to remove the dry flakes and such will alleviate it but it’s a chronic condition so you won’t get rid of it completely. I got a leaflet marked from the Royal College of Opticians IIRC so no doubt they will have it on their website.

The Blephaclear didn’t work for me. Washing me eyes when I was showering with shampoo helped a lot more. If it’s cold and windy out then I’ll put glasses on but I don’t wear them normally. Always glasses when riding.

Some good advice here

https://patient.info/health/eye-problems/dry-eyes

Informative link ta.

I dont think this has anything to do with blepharitis directly as mentioned above, sounds more like dry eye.

I suffer with both and find that after the first 10-15 minutes out on the bike my eyes adjust and dont tear up as much making it easier to see.

The blepharitis I use drops and wipes to help with it but its a mild issue for me.

I had blepharitis for most of my adult life on and of and could never get rid of it. It tends to cause soreness, redness, crusty deposits and dry eyes. About 5 years ago an optician I saw was an expert on it, she prescribed Blephasol lotion which you can buy in boots applied once a day to the eyelids with a cotton wool pad.

I have not had it since.

You still have it duir – you just have it under control with your cleaning regime.
You can’t “get rid” of it.

You still have it duir – you just have it under control with your cleaning regime.
You can’t “get rid” of it.

Which is exactly what I was told when I was diagnosed. You carry it round forever & it can flare up anytime. I use this,..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007X47MZW/ref=asc_df_B007X47MZW57855491/?tag=googshopuk-21&creative=22146&creativeASIN=B007X47MZW&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310665800531&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10136312398999309728&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046306&hvtargid=pla-425192944478

& am so pleased I get it on free prescriptions cos I’m over 60!

am so pleased I get it on free prescriptions cos I’m over 60!

TBH other than always wondered why Scotland and Wales have free prescriptions seems unfair if your under 60.

You can get a prepayment season ticket for £8.60 a month if you’ve got to pay thou.

I use the dual version of optive and it’s very good.

I’ve had severe blephartis in the past and was given steroid drops which brought it back to being manageable.

it’s grim if you get it bad.

Seems the treatment might be worse than the problem

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46793916

Massaging along the seam of my closed eyelids in the shower helped mine significantly.

Massaging along the seam of my closed japseye in the shower helped mine significantly

Wrong thread……

ive had this all my adult life, i thought it was just me, good info, thanks

Another sufferer here and as above I never knew there was a name for it.

I look like I’m having a nervous breakdown after about 30 seconds of cycling in the cold. Goggles work a treat on the MTB, but commuting on the road-bike they may appear a little OTT and if spotted would probably result in a thread on here “Saw a prick with Goggles riding a road bike today” 🙂

Update – hypromellose drops aren’t a fix (for me) but do seem to help.

This is interesting. I have something like this. Some useful information here.

Interesting stuff. I’ve been getting something like this in my right eye when riding. Doesn’t have to be windy though cold affects it and wind affects it more.

However I’ve been putting it down to wearing contacts but then I don’t wear my glasses when riding to prove that. I don’t get it at home wearing glasses but I’m in the warm and not moving about much.

Oddly it’s only been in recent couple of years it’s been doing this, but been wearing contacts for way longer and likewise riding.

Out of interest my right contact is a toric lens and may be different water content and air permeability. Optician did say a while back I’m on old ones and newer are easier wearing but at the time said as I wasn’t having problems I may as well stick with what I’ve got. I’ll bring it up next time I’m there.