Reflexive meibomian gland response?

[kevino]

My left eye has had problems with blepharitis for 20+ years. It's why I can't tolerate RGP lenses. I noticed a blocked duct bulging from the lower left eyelid. From long practice I've found rolling a q-tip over the eyelid does little to relieve the pressure. This time I took a hemostat, pulled the lower lid down to evert the lid somewhat, and CAREFULLY used the hemostat to pinch the gland. The gland released its secretion. But a little while later I noticed viscid material training from four different places on the lower left lid. So opening one gland made several other glands release their material?

kevino

[zuzu70]

You were able to tolerate everting your own lid with a hemostat?!? Man.

Is what you're talking about a stye?

When I took restasis for the first time almost a month ago, my entire lower lid swelled up something horrible and the inside of my lower lid got blood-red. Now the swelling has gone down but there's one area on my lower lid that remains swollen and it looks like a stye. It seems to have plateau-ed and is not getting better and I'm not quite sure what to do about it.

I'm pretty sure I couldn't tolerate squeezing my lid with a hemostat though.

[kevino]

No, by pulling on the lower lid it everts enough that I can see the underside. I had 'whiteheads' that told me the ducts were plugged and with the hemostat it got the material flowing. I use the hemostat VERY carefully. Also I had first ground away the sharp ridges. But today I did it again and this time there's been no release of material from other glands on the lower eyelid. I would like to try the same technique on the upper eyelid but haven't figured out to do that yet.

When I'm wearing scleral lenses I can feel the upper lid bumping against the edge of the lens. The same thing happens if I use soft lenses. It suggests I have MGD in the upper lid and that's why I feel the lid bumping against the lens.

The one spot on your eyelid could be a solitary inspissated gland or a sty cooking. I'd probably use heat. In the past I'd microwave a bag filled with corn kernels for two minutes, then hold in on my eye for 5-10 minutes.

I used restastis for over a year; It brought my tear break up time from zero up to 5 seconds. But for the first month or so it was pretty irritating to the eyes.

kevin