IPL treatment.

[pythonidler]

lizzyk,

I was just wondering - have you had meibography done (pictures of your meibomian glands)? If your glands have fully atrophied, then probing would probably not be worthwhile. If, however, you still have some functioning glands left and they are blocked by scar tissue, then you would be a good candidate for probing.

[Hokucat]

Hi Lizzy. Yes, I totally agree what works for one does not necessarily work for someone else, and costs and distance to travel for treatment certainly need to considered. I think most of us in this forum are just trying to share what worked for us since often much of this information is not provided by doctors, and we also want to provide support.

Good luck on your journey. I hope you will find some relief soon.

[lizzyk]

Pythonidler have been told i have some functioning glands and that my gland openings are small. some of my glands are producing oil but i guess it must be the quantity and the quality that is the problem?

Believe me hokucat i would try almost anything if i thought it was going to help!
There are very few NHS docs in the UK who are actually sympathetic/interested in trying new treatments (limited funds i guess) so i have had to pursue the treatments i have had myself.
Im happy to provide support/information to anyone who wants it.
Will update in due course if i decide to have any other treatments.
If anyone in UK (or anywhere else!) can provide me with info on treatments or recommendations i would be very grateful. Thanks.

[lizzyk]

crucially, i forgot to mention that all 4 of my puncta are plugged - this has made a big difference since i first experienced the dry eye symptoms years ago, i get very little tear spillage/overflow except if im outside in the wind. Punctal plugs have been critical in helping me manage my symptoms.

[pythonidler]

In case anyone was wondering, I talked to my doctor and found out that meibography is also used to determine whether a patient has scar tissue or not. Some doctors may not be trained to spot this, however.

My doctor said a patient who has scar tissue will have dark spots in their glands, marking the scar tissue of those glands.

[Hokucat]

Thanks Pythonidler. That is invaluable information to know scar tissue is visible from meibography. Often patients like you and me try everything else before probing, and not until we've spent thousands of $s and have been suffering a long time, did we turn to probing and find we had scar tissue during the procedure. This could help people get the right treatment earlier in the process.

[MGD1701]

Thanks a lot Pythonidler. That is interesting to know. It was nice you remember my question.
Only my last dr (a professor) told me I do NOT have scar tissue - who did not take meibography.
I did ask if probing, IPL, BlephEx etc would help me.
I told the dr, what is strange that I did not have scar tissue since many glands are gone.
I wonder HOW such scar tissue develop, from diet, inflammation??

Does it mean probing only help if you have scar tissue?

[pythonidler]

Thanks a lot Pythonidler. That is interesting to know. It was nice you remember my question.
Only my last dr (a professor) told me I do NOT have scar tissue - who did not take meibography.
I did ask if probing, IPL, BlephEx etc would help me.
I told the dr, what is strange that I did not have scar tissue since many glands are gone.
I wonder HOW such scar tissue develop, from diet, inflammation??

Does it mean probing only help if you have scar tissue?

I think there's a definite relationship between inflammation and scar tissue. Just google those two phrases and you'll see lots of articles pop up.

Probing is probably only going to be helpful if:
1. You still have a decent amount of meibomian glands left (i.e., they haven't fully atrophied), and
2. You have a significant amount of scar tissue blocking those glands. I'll let the doctors define what is "significant" in this case.

[MGD1701]

Thanks a lot. I assume you are right.
Since I do not have inflammation issue, 4 doctors confirmed it in the last 13 months. Probably I have a good diet.