Debris in meibomian secretions

[Jesslin]

Hi everyone,

I noticed while doing hot compresses recently that when I apply pressure to the glands lots of oil comes out, the oil seems to be clear and as it should be upon first inspection but then when I blink lots of little (mainly white) particles and lumps travel across my eye surface, I can see them easily as I have brown eyes. This is not lash debris as I don't have this and it happens when I come out the shower.

I have read about the secretions being somehow wrong or becoming like soap and irritating to the eye but my understanding was that it was something that happened over a long time when the toothpaste-like stage is reached and I've only had dry eye since January. I know that my eye is much worse half an hour or so after expression, maybe the secretions, although free flowing are somehow not right? The oil moves across my eyes like a slick, you can see it like an oily puddle when it's been raining if you know what I mean, and I swear I didnt have that before dry eye because I used to spend a fair amount of time on my eye make up and I'm sure I'd have noticed some sort of ocular oil slick!

Just wondering if anyone else has this or can shed any light?

Thanks,
Jess

[PotatoCakes]

Do you 'rinse' your eyes after expressing? My doctor has me use sterile saline "bullets" but you can also use things like Refresh Plus (it's just more spendy). Put drops in eye, blink and it basically 'rinses' your eye of debris, etc.

[Jesslin]

Thanks for your reply
It normally vanishes after a few blinks, maybe as I'm not plugged? I have been rinsing my eyes with drops after expression but it's funny you mentioned the saline, i thought it could be a good idea too and I was looking for it on my lunchbreak yesterday but they don't sell it near me, I'll try and buy some online.

[PotatoCakes]

There's only one pharmacy near me that carries it, Pharmaca, and it's behind the counter. Not sure why because I can't imagine what danger saline could be but whatever. When I asked about it at Walgreen's, the pharmacists were completely clueless.