New Lacrisert User...please help

[Almondiyz]

I have moderate MGD 20+ years. I just started Lacriset August 28, 2013. 2.5 mg per eye is way too much. I've cut them in half, still after 3.5-4 hours, they swell & migrate from the pocket to the lid margin area.

Is that supposed to happen? Am i supposed to feel them in my eyes? Are they supposed to move out of the pocket when they swell?

After insertion into the pocket, they disappear, I can't feel them, & they help relieve dryness. The problem is I'm only able to tolerate them for a maximum of 4 hours before FBS & discomfort enough to remove them. I've even cut them into 3 pieces, same problem!

I'm 50 years old & have been able to wear contacts all my life. So, it's not as if something in my eyes is a new sensation. I can't wear contacts right now, stopped March, 2013. Even Air Optix Night & Day only for a few hours with constantly adding rewetting drops became too much of a problem.

My doctor is pushing for me to try Lipiflow. $1500.00 for something that MAY work isn't an option since insurance doesn't cover the cost. After my follow-up, I 'll be looking for a new doctor. I was seeing a different doctor who referred me to her because she was one of the creators of Lipiflow.

Lacrisert is VERY expensive even with insurance. However, I want to hear if anyone else has the short wear time after insertion. I want to be someone who wears Lacrisert & forgets to remove the leftover goo-blob.

Thanks.

[farmgirl]

According to my Dr. you don't just 'try' lipiflow without first doing a lipiview test. The lipiview test costs $100 per eye and tells you if the meibomian glands are functioning properly or not and are a good indicator of whether or not the lipiview procedure will help. If she hasn't suggested that you do the lipiview procedure first then I would guess that she is shooting in the dark or God forbid just trying to 'sell' the lipiview procedure to make the machine pay for itself....F/G

[NotADryEye]

Does the lipiview test determine if the meibomian glands are blocked with fibrous tissue?

[Almondiyz]

Yes, she wants to test my eyes. She says she has seen enough MGD patients to believe that I'm a great candidate for Lipiflow. She sure sounds like she is trying to sell Lipiflow. Even if I do one day decide i want to try Lipiflow, I won't be paying her. Thanks for your reply.

[sighthound]

I tried lacrisert, and it felt OK for about 2 hrs and then it felt like there was something in my eye. The thing never really dissolved and it always ended up scratching my eye. I think you have to have a decent amount of tears for it to work.

[Almondiyz]

I tried lacrisert, and it felt OK for about 2 hrs and then it felt like there was something in my eye. The thing never really dissolved and it always ended up scratching my eye. I think you have to have a decent amount of tears for it to work.

I can only got maximum of 4 hours wear if I forced myself (which I stopped!).
Around 3 hours, the gel blob swells & it migrates from the pocket to mid-section of my eye, right under the lid margin. Now, I remove them as soon as the discomfort starts at 3 hours.

I have to cut them in 3 pieces, still can only get max of 3 hours of wear. If I push to 3.5 hours it begins to hurt.
Maybe my eyes can't handle Lacrisert. It has only been about two weeks. I know there is adjustment time. Seriously, how do I adjust to the gel blob migrating out of the socket?

I do apply single use preservative free eye lubricant prior to insertion. Still doing the usual warm compresses & lid hygiene. I really wanted Lacrisert to work! I know this sounds whiny because it's only MGD but I swear the frustration from 20+ years is literally bringing me to tears!

I'm sorry about hijacking your post, you are the only other person I've heard with similar mico-wear time. It is so upsetting to know that it is supposed to give 10+ hours relief. May I ask how long you have been using Lacrisert & how long you have had dry eye issues?

[Almondiyz]

According to my Dr. you don't just 'try' lipiflow without first doing a lipiview test. The lipiview test costs $100 per eye and tells you if the meibomian glands are functioning properly or not and are a good indicator of whether or not the lipiview procedure will help. If she hasn't suggested that you do the lipiview procedure first then I would guess that she is shooting in the dark or God forbid just trying to 'sell' the lipiview procedure to make the machine pay for itself....F/G

Sorry, I posted without your quote: Yes, she wants to test my eyes. She says she has seen enough MGD patients to believe that I'm a great candidate for Lipiflow. She sure sounds like she is trying to sell Lipiflow. Even if I do one day decide i want to try Lipiflow, I won't be paying her. Thanks for your reply.

[patrick]

Hi,

Not trying to hijack this thread either,but does anyone here know how i can get me some of these lacriserts?
Do there exist trial samples? Can i buy them somewhere on the net? Can you really only get them by doctors prescription?
Where i live these are totally unknown and therefore also unobtainable.
At this point i am willing to try just about anything and i thought lets give the lacriserts a try. Why not. Everything else has failed anyway. Maybe it works,maybe not at all. You don't know if you haven't tried it i guess...

[Almondiyz]

Hi,

Not trying to hijack this thread either,but does anyone here know how i can get me some of these lacriserts?
Do there exist trial samples? Can i buy them somewhere on the net? Can you really only get them by doctors prescription?
Where i live these are totally unknown and therefore also unobtainable.
At this point i am willing to try just about anything and i thought lets give the lacriserts a try. Why not. Everything else has failed anyway. Maybe it works,maybe not at all. You don't know if you haven't tried it i guess...

I had to ask my opthamologist to prescribe Lacrisert 5 mg Inserts. Her office didn't have a sample pack. When I took it to my pharmacy, they had to special order Lacrisert. Currently, I'm the ONLY patient on Lacrisert at the CVS pharmacy. I asked a pharmacist at a Super Target store & they only have ONE patient using Lacrisert.

I have no idea WHY doctors don't mention Lacrisert. It has helped me, I'm still learning what works for me. I'm only able to get about 3 hours of discomfort/pain free wear. the problem is that the pellet once it swells to a goo-blob, it migrates out of the pocket to mid-lower lid margin. I also *LOST* the goo-blob the other day in the upper eye lid which was so painful! I had to use a irrigating cup to get the goo-blob out.

It is VERY expensive even with insurance. Lacrisert is just like a slow release eye lubricant drop, which was relief for me even if it was only for around 3 hours. I would at least try Lacrisert. Since it's so expensive, & rarely prescribed where I live, optometrists & ophthalmologist just don't have a one week sample kit or even an educational sample kit to teach you how to properly insert Lacrisert.

I'm self-taught, & when I went back for a two week follow-up, I brought my one month prescription supply/applicator & demonstrated placing them in my eye, which I did correctly. I have no idea why the goo-blob always migrates. I have meibomian gland dysfunction & it helped me. I'm hoping that the migration issue stops so that I get longer wear.

P.S. when i called the first pharmacy about Lacrisert, he had NO IDEA what I was talking about so I spelled it for him. He still didn't know! I didn't mean to sound rude to him but I had to ask if I was speaking to a tech or a pharmacist. He was a pharmacist & told me that the store had NEVER had anyone prescribed Lacrisert at that store. Lacrisert has been around probably over 20 years.

[farmgirl]

Does the lipiview test determine if the meibomian glands are blocked with fibrous tissue?

I don't believe that it tells you why the meibomian glands are blocked it just tells you if they are producing oils and how much. It can also determine if you have a complete blink, that is why it is so important to practice blinking normally before yo ugo for the test because I believe that I exaggerated my blink so my blinking was slow and complete which I am not sure it is. Were I to do it again I would try to blink more naturally.

Regarding the lacriserts, I got some at a pharmacy in Canada where I live. I found them to be VERY expensive, something like $4.50 per lacrisert which is $9.00 per day and not covered by my drug plan. In the end another member sent me quite a sizable supply which he was not using. I have not yet used them up. I don't use them every day but I find that I get the best use out of them if I put them in about 6:00 PM rather than in the AM. My eyes tend to be the worst at night so they do seem to help during the evening. Then they go on to keep the eye more moist at night as being aqueous deficient I need to add drops multiple times during the night. I am allergic to the nighttime gels so those are not an option for me. This also avoids the problem of the gelatin blob as the lacrisert wears out. By morning there is no trace of them.

Unlike you Almondiyz, I don't have a problem with them moving out of the pocket. I may have deeper pockets than you (no pun intended) but the only time they displace is if I rub my eye which can push them up and out of position. I do find that if they do move out it is very difficult to get them back into place though....F/G

[Almondiyz]

I don't believe that it tells you why the meibomian glands are blocked it just tells you if they are producing oils and how much. It can also determine if you have a complete blink, that is why it is so important to practice blinking normally before yo ugo for the test because I believe that I exaggerated my blink so my blinking was slow and complete which I am not sure it is. Were I to do it again I would try to blink more naturally.

Regarding the lacriserts, I got some at a pharmacy in Canada where I live. I found them to be VERY expensive, something like $4.50 per lacrisert which is $9.00 per day and not covered by my drug plan. In the end another member sent me quite a sizable supply which he was not using. I have not yet used them up. I don't use them every day but I find that I get the best use out of them if I put them in about 6:00 PM rather than in the AM. My eyes tend to be the worst at night so they do seem to help during the evening. Then they go on to keep the eye more moist at night as being aqueous deficient I need to add drops multiple times during the night. I am allergic to the nighttime gels so those are not an option for me. This also avoids the problem of the gelatin blob as the lacrisert wears out. By morning there is no trace of them.

Unlike you Almondiyz, I don't have a problem with them moving out of the pocket. I may have deeper pockets than you (no pun intended) but the only time they displace is if I rub my eye which can push them up and out of position. I do find that if they do move out it is very difficult to get them back into place though....F/G

Yes, I have small Asian eyes. I bet that's the problem. When I view the instructions from the package insert & the demo on the YouTube video, I can't pull my down like that! I just don't have that much skin. If 3 hours is all I can get, it's better than nothing. I'll use them sparingly.

[Lynsbre33]

Hello,
yes I just started them also and I almond shaped eyes. I’m having trouble with the blob .i believe it’s supposed to be taken out at night but, when I go to
take it out I can see that some of it Brooke off and sunk down into my eye lid . Let me know is you heard of any eye meds that help ! Thanks so much !