eye glands expressed/ clogged again??

[jenny2008]

has anyone had their doctor express their glands-feel great for 5 days or so while doing warm compresses and massage just to have the glands clog up again??? i am on max treatment w/ doxy, fish oil, etc... i can't Azasite (tried before and it didn't work for me).. I am at a loss!!!

[mike838]

I have had mine expressed regulary. It took a few months of it to really notice anything but the gunk started flowing but they still plug up very easily and do plug right up. It I keep a good diet and exercise I notice a slight difference but its minimual if anything.

[eva b]

yes, unfortunately, with me it's an ongoing thing - expressing the glands just deals with the symptoms, it doesn't deal with the underlying cause...whatever that may be,,,of why they aren't working properly in the first place!

wish I could be of more help, but unfortunately I can't.

just keep on with your routine, religiously, is what I do.

[RobLIC]

Yeah, unfortunately, forcible gland expression isn't meant to be a permanent fix. Your MG's are still manufacturing that gunk. That's why it's so important to have it done regularly (docs say every 2-4 weeks) and to supplement it DAILY with your own home heat/expression routine.

Doctors WILL tell you that once you have been in that forcible/self routine for a few months you might give Azasite another try, because it's likely to have more of an impact on your bacterial load. Personally, I'm giving topical doxycycline a try for a few months ... I suspect it would do the same thing, as both are antibacterials.

[advocate]

I've noticed that my glands express themselves whenever I put eyedrops in them. I don't think your glands are plugged. They're just making the wrong stuff. They're making a thick, white pus instead of the thin oil. They may look plugged, but if they were really plugged, they'd swell up like a zit does and then pop themselves eventually.

has anyone had their doctor express their glands-feel great for 5 days or so while doing warm compresses and massage just to have the glands clog up again??? i am on max treatment w/ doxy, fish oil, etc... i can't Azasite (tried before and it didn't work for me).. I am at a loss!!!

[regina]

I also get mine done once a week...it keeps them at a manageable level of pain....I used to use steam and compresses ...did them 10 times daily and it didnt help me keep them open and so I stopped...why waste my time...now I save it driving into town once a week to see the doc. Unfortunately like the above poster says...it helps your symptoms but not the cause..;(

I also recomment an aggressive pincher for a doc...i went to one and they hardly squeezed...the good feeling didnt last at all

[sazy123]

The underlying inflammation that is clogging them in the first place has not been addressed with just expression, so thy are likely to clog again. This is a 'management' tool, same as with compresses etc.

[rhad]

Yeah, unfortunately, forcible gland expression isn't meant to be a permanent fix. Your MG's are still manufacturing that gunk. That's why it's so important to have it done regularly (docs say every 2-4 weeks) and to supplement it DAILY with your own home heat/expression routine.

Doctors WILL tell you that once you have been in that forcible/self routine for a few months you might give Azasite another try, because it's likely to have more of an impact on your bacterial load. Personally, I'm giving topical doxycycline a try for a few months ... I suspect it would do the same thing, as both are antibacterials.

I personally don't think in my case that bacteria is involved.. I have a Mastrota Meibomian Paddle, so I've got some experience with expressing glands. and I've observed the oil that comes out. if it's bacterial, then wouldn't your glands always just clog up or obstruct your glands because of the waxy consistency of the oil? I've found that some days my oil is not white, and doesn't have a thick waxy consistency. whereas other days, the oil is so thick and white, and very waxy and hard to express...this makes me wonder why the fluctuation..it would seem more like the biological chemistry in the body might fluctuate, that's why at times you feel like their producing more oil, and better oil from your glands, and other times their just thick and waxy, and solid white in color. I just don't know about the bacteria theory, for some people this might be the case, but it doesn't make sense with the fluctuation. just my observations...

rhad

[wetEyes]

Hello Jenny2008,
I have found that the best way to apply heat to the glands is by using a facial sauna for at least 20 minutes.

Why?

1. It's moist heat
2. It's constant heat (if you use a hot washcloth for example, it quickly loses its temperature and the Meibomian's lose their temperature too)
3. It's long enough (I have found a study that came to the conclusion that 5-10 minutes is not always enough time and that for more resilient obstructions, 20+ minutes may be needed)

[RobLIC]

What an interesting idea, weteyes ... has anyone else tried this? What do you think?

[stella]

Hi Jenny
I am probably repeating myself -- but i express my own glands every night
Also on the subject of steam as in sauna -- I steam my eyes every night before expressing the glands

Method - Steam over a jug of boiling water ,towel over your head for 5 mins
Then with well washed fingers(nails need to be very short at least on your thumb and index finger)Massage the lids then take each lid between your finger and thumb from nose out towards ear and press along the lid margin,then steam somemore- takes about 10 seconds each lid

I have been doing that for over a year every night and it certainly works for me - you can be as gentle or as firm as you like - I dont fancy some one else doing it and i can do it everynight and dont have to pay someone - It is'nt rocket science and i have become pretty skilled at doing this I also do it to prevent anymore chalazions due to blockage and so far so good

[jenny2008]

what is a facial sauna?

[Lucy]

Sort of like a foot bath, except for the face. Kidding here.

As she said, you can make a sauna out of a bowl of steaming water (or pan) and put a towel over your head while holding your head over the steam, being careful not to burn yourself.

You can find a facial sauna by doing a google or perhaps in a Walmart or Walgreens. I'd try the simple method first. One other thing is if you take a hot shower and let the hot water run over your face/eyes this will loosen the hardened stuff (if there is any) and make it easier to express. Lucy

[jenny2008]

Thanks everyone. thanks Lucy for explaining that!

[jenny2008]

Hey
thanks for the update. i hope the doctor was able to help you Chemia... As far as the compresses being hot--i have gone so hot i got 1st degree burns on my eyelids.. it was awful and to top it off-it wasn't anymore efficient at keeping my glands open.. I basicALLy had to stop the heat and compresses for 2 weeks so the skin could heal.. be careful is all i am saying.. i go warmish/hot now -my doc said if it is too hot in your hands it is too hot to put on the delicate eye lid... i do agree w/ having heat on the lids with a longer duration.. sometimes 10 minutes is not long enough...