About 7-8 years ago I started using Visine Workplace because I was using a
medication for Acne (Accutane) that was drying out my eyes and making them
red. My mother recommended that I use it, as it helped with her eyes when
they were red. She used it almost daily. I couldn't believe how well it
worked and I assumed that anything that made your eyes this white must be
pretty good for them (16 years old). I kept using it for 3 years daily until
I heard or read something that Visine was not good for your eyes. Upon
hearing this, I tried many times to stop using it, but my eyes would become
so red off the visine that I couldn't do it. I was a very self concious
person in general, and I couldn't deal with having my eyes this red...even
if it was for a few weeks.

It was a year before I was able to get the courage to stop using Visine cold
turkey and face people with completely bloodshot eyes. For 2-3 weeks the
rebound was at it's worst. After this period my eyes become a bit better,
and I was hoping in time they would go back to normal. This did not happen.
It has been about 2.5-3 years since I have stopped using Visine, and every
day my eyes are sore and red. I have been to a couple of different doctors
who both tell me they can't see anything wrong with my eyes to cause the
soreness and redness. I have taken almost every drop out there to try to
help with this, and almost nothing has worked. Using BION tears seems to
help slightly with the soreness, but not the redness. I have told the
doctors about my Visine use but they tell me that the rebound only lasts 2
weeks. I am almost positive that Visine has done this to my eyes. There are
other side effects as well. After I stopped using Visine I have developed
huge undereye bags, I believe because my eyes have a permanent sore/tired
feeling, and it tricks my body into thinking it's tired all the time.
Needless to say, for a self concious person like myself...looking this way
has dropped my self confidence to below rock bottom.

Anyways, that is my story..and I guess the point of this post is to ask any
doctors out there if there is anything that can be done to ease the symptoms
of my eyes at this point. Have many cases of permanent visine/restricting
drop damage been seen?  Could this possibly get better long term?

Thanks,

Ian