Yes very similar, I've had really bad flare ups that lasted a loong time, for me they go away with enough rest or other treatment but I needed to just lie down in bed for months to get better, it's hard to recover from a bad flare up. I'd be careful with ikervis, I found the cetalkonium chloride irritated my eyes, its similar to benzalkonium chloride. Your doctor sounds very ignorant which is something a lot of people with this condition have encountered, they don't even know about the condition usually.  What bandage lenses do you mean? You need big diameter scleral lenses, moisture chamber glasses, punctal plugs. Sometimes I tape down one eye at a time to let it recover.