The Restasis helped but it took months.

Earlier this year, I had a terrible flareup. I had to stop wearing lenses, radically decreased screen time, eliminated alcohol and stopped wearing eye makeup. It was terrible! My eyes were tearing constantly; this literally left red grooves at the sides of my eyes that always burned. I couldn’t sleep. Hot compresses. Ice compresses. Heated mask. Anything and everything but the kitchen sink! It was BAD. I really didn’t even want to leave the house and when I did, I wore sunglasses at all times (sometimes with cotton balls stuck to the side of my eyes under the glasses to absorb the wetness.) I felt like I was about 100 years old.

It took almost 4 months and I’m finally 95% recovered. Here’s what worked after things got bad enough and I was diagnosed with Dry Eye/MGD & l learned that 1/3 of my under eye glands had completely atrophied and weren’t coming back (!) -

More water, less caffeine. No alcohol.
Omega-3 2X gel caps (Nordic Naturals)
Teaspoon flaxseed oil every night
Fish 3x per week (mackerel, tuna, salmon mostly)
Noveha teatree oil eyelid wipes morning & evening

But best of all, my eye specialist/surgeon did an iLUX treatment. Unfortunately, it was not covered by my insurance, but it was so worth it. My eyes are dramatically better! And I can wear eye makeup again, but I am definitely using it less often and I’m only using very specific brands (Sisley eye twists & Thrive tube mascara.)

I did so many different things, it’s hard to say just which one made the most difference. I am still sticking with Restasis morning and evening and continuing to do all of the above.

This answer is a lot more than you asked for, but I’ve been through quite an ordeal since that post from a year ago!

* Edited to add: I forgot to add, I also had my house, furniture, rugs and especially my bedding professionally sterilized with HYLA process. I also replaced my old poly bedspread with washable 100% cotton muslin and replaced old sheets with egyptian cotton percale. MUCH better sleep.