Downright disgusted

[lissaruss]

I was diagnosed with blepharitis about 3yrs ago but it never interrupted my life and was manageable until
May 2013 when eye doctor told me my eyes were very dry and prescribed restasis. My eyes have been burning
Stinging and overly tearing so much I can't go out in public. I even bought into the Lipiflow procedure in hope
It would stop my symptons. I'm still doing restasis and the tearing has drastically been reduced but my
Eyes are still irritated. I had my follow up with the Lipiflow doc and he wants me to
Stay on restasis and keep up compresses and p.m. Ointment.He had pressed on my lower lids
And said oils looked clear an wouldn't you know it I woke up this morning with a small
Chalazion on my lower lid and it's painful. Was supposed to visit my 18 month old granddaughter this
Weekend but am really not feelin too hot. Am wondering if those night masks such as thermoeyes would
Help.

[DCRdryeye]

Hi liss, are you disgusted with the fact nothing was done to intervene with the blepharitis earlier? and/or the Lipiflow doc said your oils look clear?
Either way, it takes a very experienced ophthalmologist to evaluate the quality and quantity of the oil. Lipiflow docs may want to wish their machine is working!!

[lizlou29]

I was also told that the oils were clear after my Lipiflow procedure by the eye doc who performed it then when I saw my regular consultant he said they looked just the same as before i.e they were producing oil but it was poor quality. The Lipiview showed my eyes were producing the same amount of oil as 'normal' eyes but they felt no different. I do regret the Lipiflow but there are some people on here who have been helped by it.

Do you also have aqueous deficiency?

I use tranquileyes but haven't noticed it helps me. I just use it in case my eyes are slightly open at night.

[Peppermint]

Lizlou-
Do you regret the Lipiflow because you feel it didn't help? Do you feel it made you worse? I am planning on doing Lipiflow and I only have mgd. No aqueous deficiency.

[lizlou29]

I regret it because it didn't help, I wouldn't say it made me worse just no difference at all. If you don't have aqueous deficiency you may have a better result.

[NotADryEye]

I don't understand why some doctors insist we stay on something like Restasis when it causes so much pain. Mild stinging, the side effect that is advertised, is very different from what you are describing. You are probably sensitive or allergic to something in it. I was. I stopped it and reported my extreme pain to the FDA.

[Peppermint]

Thanks for your input & quick response, lizlou. Being worse off is what would turn me off to this procedure. I've come a long way and I wouldn't want to do anything that would jeopardize that!

[NotADryEye]

If your mg's are obstructed you may be worse off after the procedure.

[Faith1989]

Did any of you guys have problems with Restasis causing some long-term red veins? Ever since I started using it a few years ago, my red veins have increased. I stopped for a few weeks and they did get a bit better but not like how white they looked pre-restasis.

I am considering stopping for a longer period to see if I get the whiteness back, but I am afraid to be worse off.

sigh

[Faith1989]

NotaDryEye, what are your thoughts on this? Did this happen for you? or anyone else replying to this thread?

[DCRdryeye]

I have both MGD and ATD and haven't tried LipiFlow yet due to the lack of results from so many people. I was told I have stenosed and fibrosed MG's by an ophthalmologist who probed my glands. So I may not be a candidate for LipiFlow, the worse the condition of the MG's, the less the LipiFlow will work.

[Rebecca Petris]

If your mg's are obstructed you may be worse off after the procedure.

Why do you say this? Medical source please.

[DCRdryeye]

Hi Rebecca, I'm having a guess here. Sometimes there are not always a peer reviewed journal, trial or medical source apart from an experienced ophthalmologist. Nothing can replace experience. I recently had Meibomian Gland Probing and both myself and the ophthalmologist could feel the popping and resistance of the needle pushing through multiple fibrotic tissue. Thus, is a meibography required to tell me that I have fibrotic MG's? or do we go by the word of an experienced ophthalmologist?

What NotaDryEye is saying is this: LipiFlow won't work on blocked, stenosed and fibrotic glands because the meibum cannot escape and get out. It's stuck via the fibrotic tissue. Thus LipiFlow may cause or force the meibum to come out, and since it's blocked it could force surrounding tissue to expland and create dilation of the glands which Dr. Korb said is a serious issue. It's like filling a balloon with water, it's got nowhere to escape and gets larger and larger. Thus, one could summize such a treatment could make someone feel worse. It's a hypothesis, just something to think about. Afterall, I've read more reports of LipiFlow not working rather than working. Perhaps these people have left it too late and there MG's are beyond inflammed and become stiff and hardened (fibrosis).

[lizlou29]

DCRDryeye - I think that's right but the problem is are the doctors performing the Lipiflow actually screeing people properly first. My guess is they aren't. Also, although my Lipiview numbers nearly doubled in one eye and improved a lot in the other, my TBUT remained 2-3 seconds. Dr. Korb said this is an anomaly but surely if the oil layer improves the TBUT should improve and one would actually feel some symptomatic relief. My procedure has now been recorded as a success because of the Lipiview numbers but to me it definitely wasn't.

[indrep]

DCRdryeye,
How long does it take a secretory gland to atrophy after fibrosis and stenosis have occurred?