Castor Oil Drops & Retaine MGD

[Betsy]

My eye doctor won't RX me sterile castor oil drops from a compounding pharmacy which is very disappointing. He told the assistant that it's not proven they work. But I've read so many people saying it has helped their dry eyes. Not only that, but they can help grow brows and lashes which would be a side benefit because mine have fallen out, not sure why, age or disease, I am not that old though.

Are there otc drops that contain castor oil now that refresh endura is off the market? I imagine they wouldn't contain enough castor oil to help with lash growth but perhaps help my eyes? I told his assistant I'd like to use the drops on my eyelid line for the lashes and inside the eye for the dry eyes but he said NO to both. Meanwhile people use non sterile castor oil on their lash lines, would he prefer I did that?!?! I won't, but I am just saying it makes more sense to use the sterile stuff there for both bleph and lash than non sterile. But can the castor oil actually block our glands there and make bleph worse?

He instead said to try Retaine MGD. Has this worked for anyone? It's awfully expensive and no coupons.

Thanks!

[No tears in ATL]

Refresh Optive Advanced has castor oil as an ingredient, but it is an inactive ingredient so unsure of how that will help. Restasis also has castor oil as an ingredient.

[Betsy]

Refresh Optive Advanced has castor oil as an ingredient, but it is an inactive ingredient so unsure of how that will help. Restasis also has castor oil as an ingredient.

Thank you No Tears. I heard it's 2% castor oil they mostly use in the compounding pharmacy, makes me wonder how little then must be in the otc ones. I don't know what else is in the 2% compounding either, but they told me it wasn't pure castor oil.

I may try the one you mentioned in my eyes for the dryness and on my lid line & brows, though not expecting anything major.

[grant555]

besty - if your lashes and eyebrows fall out frequently, i would suspect demodex mites. mine used to fall out all the time until i started using cliradex wipes to kill demodex and they no longer fall out. (i saw dr ****** who showed me my demodex under the microscope)

[Faith1989]

Grant , does the mgd feel better now that you are using the wipes?!

[grant555]

cliradex

ive only been using them about 16 days...i definitely have seen a small improvement. although its kinda hard to tell since my left eye has had a lingering infection from the cautery he did that day as well. im not sure if they will improve anymore or not. but doing a warm compress and following it with the cliradex is my favorite treatment for my eyes now. the wipes make my lids just cool down and it feels like the oil flows through the MGs better immediately after using them. i personally love the feel of them (as long as you dont get any in your eye) and wish i could use them every day forever except theyre so expensive. i will probably go a full six weeks and then measure my overall improvement.

my eyelashes fell out A LOT though before this though and now they hardly ever do. so that is also a benefit (also my eyebrow dandruff is gone)

[Faith1989]

Thank you for the reply. I cut the wipes into fours. I put the sections back in the opened packet and seal the packet in a ziplock bag. It says on the cliradex site, that most people with demodex will see significant improvement in eight weeks time. I'm starting them again as I did experience relief before.

What's your diagnoses?

[khmedia]

Hi Grant,

Are you still using the Cliradex wipes? Sorry to bump up an old post. I am curious to know if you are using them long term - I understand they are quite expensive.

Thanks,
Kevin

ive only been using them about 16 days...i definitely have seen a small improvement. although its kinda hard to tell since my left eye has had a lingering infection from the cautery he did that day as well. im not sure if they will improve anymore or not. but doing a warm compress and following it with the cliradex is my favorite treatment for my eyes now. the wipes make my lids just cool down and it feels like the oil flows through the MGs better immediately after using them. i personally love the feel of them (as long as you dont get any in your eye) and wish i could use them every day forever except theyre so expensive. i will probably go a full six weeks and then measure my overall improvement.

my eyelashes fell out A LOT though before this though and now they hardly ever do. so that is also a benefit (also my eyebrow dandruff is gone)

[grant555]

yea i quit them. They provided me temporary relief immediately after using them and I did notice my lashes fell out less. But I didn't noticed any long term improvement. I'm starting to think the demodex thing is being overblown by a few doctors.