Does Lid Hygiene/lid expression actually work?

[Rory]

Hello,

I am looking for some success stories from those who have (or have had) evaporative dry eye.

If I am in non dry conditions..and especially when wearing wrap around sunglasses and outside in the summer or humid conditions.. I can have virtually no dry eye symptoms.

Within minutes of being in aircon or central heating without wrap arounds.. I have very very dry eyes.

Clearly my problem is the tear component which prevents evaporation.

It would seem therefore that I need to get those oily glands opened and functioning.

However I have had this condition for 17 years! I am 36 now.

I have tried on numerous occasions for perhaps 2-3 months (perhaps not religiously and clearly not effectively) to heat the eyelid and attempt to express the glands.

I have never felt any benefit whatsoever from this process and if anything ... my condition becomes worse.. as the heat causes inflammation.


SO THE QUESTIONS ARE;

1. HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCED SERIOUS IMPROVEMENT FROM LID HYGIENE/EXPRESSION.

2. IF YOU HAVE...CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR TECHNIQUE. I USE A RICE BAGGY OR GEL PACK .. HEAT my eyes FOR ABOUT 7 -10 MINS AND THEN USE COTTON BUDS..ROLLING DOWNWARDS. I ALSO USE SUPRANETTE LID WIPES WRAPPED AROUND MY FINGER AND ROLL HORIZONTALLY, ACROSS THE LIDS.

PERHAPS I AM NOT PRESSING HARD ENOUGH? PERHAPS AFTER 17 YEARS THE GLANDS HAVE DIED? PERHAPS SOMETHING IS CONTINUOUSLY BLOCKING THE GLANDS?


ANY THOUGHTS AND ANSWERS WELCOME.

Many thanks,

Rory

[indrep]

Rory,
You would want to roll towards the lid margin to force the oil out.

[irish eyes]

Hi Rory

Click on the link below then scroll down to see the image of someone holding back their top eyelid. You can see the person's finger on the lid margin, behind the lashes. Can you then envisage that same finger forcing the oil out of those blocked glands?

The bottom lids are easier to manage although my glands are not as prominent as those on the top. I tend to press my thumb (nail side) along the bottom of the eye, just under the lash line.

My consultant said it wasn't wise to do it too often (however long that is...) because it can traumatise the glands further. I worry that the gland openings may have become enlarged over time - due to the constant forcing out of the oil. As with open pores on the face, I splash my eyes with cold water once I've expressed any oil.

I've been told that it shouldn't hurt when you do this - and you must stop if it does. When I had this done by a consultant for the first time, he warned me that it would hurt - and it did. These days, I tend to wrestle with the task because I now suffer with shoulder pain - so that makes the task harder and my poor eyes get poked where they shouldn't.

My eyes never feel good initially but the inflammation tends to abate a little - and that can only be good.


http://www.eyecareeducators.com/site..._treatment.htm

[Rory]

Thanks for the replies.

One of the leading dry eye experts in the UK..suggested no heat.. and simply wrapping the index finger around a lid wipe (supranette) and moving the finger across the lid from nose to ear (horizontally) as opposed to the more forceful vertical towards the lid margin movement.

I know that heat and forcing outwards seems to make more sense... but I have never felt any benefit from either...and I do remain wary of placing heat on delicate glands for too long....

At a recent eye check up.. an optomerist that I was seeing for the first time...said that virtually all my glands appeared blocked. It is just how to unblock them and how to keep them unblocked that is the problem..and even if they are unblocked.. will they produce a decent quality oil.

[irish eyes]

Rory

I've been confused by conflicting advice over the years;

Hot as I could stand
Hot but not too hot
Warm
Cold
Any possible permutation of the above
Leave my eyes alone

I was never entirely convinced that doctors were sure either. I can only say that I no longer use hot compresses because they really made my eyes very sore indeed with no obvious benefit.

[dave25]

Rory

I've been confused by conflicting advice over the years;

Hot as I could stand
Hot but not too hot
Warm
Cold
Any possible permutation of the above
Leave my eyes alone

I was never entirely convinced that doctors were sure either. I can only say that I no longer use hot compresses because they really made my eyes very sore indeed with no obvious benefit.

I would say warm because that is what feels the best. Hot compresses can burn the skin and the skin around the eyes is very delicate.

I also mix in cold compresses too when my eye lids are feeling inflamed. So I would say a combination of mostly warm compresses and mix in some cold compresses a few times per week. This routine is helpful for me.