IPL success!!

[KittyCat]

Hi everyone,

I just want to give a good news story!

I have MGD (diagnosed just 4 months ago), I'm 33 and I was so scared when it first happened. My NHS optometrist just told me to use eye drops and hot compresses, but when I came across this forum I realised I needed to take my own action and pay to see a private specialist.
I went to BBR in Hereford who were brilliant. They did a bunch of diagnostic tests and really listened to me and calmed my anxiety.
My TBUT was 3 seconds in my left eye and 6 in my right, and my oil was like butter. Not great! I didn't need Lipiflow as my glands are all open, just very sluggish.

I did my first IPL last Wednesday, and in the last 6 days I've used eye drops maybe 6 times in total. Down from about 4-6 times per day! My eyes feel 95% normal. I no longer have stinging and burning in my eyes, except a handful of days where I stay up too late, which I will happily take.
And this is after the first treatment! They said I probably won't feel any improvement until my 3rd session but I feel a huge improvement to the point that I am no longer thinking about my eyes except pure joy.
I have read up on it, and some people are considered early responders and will feel the benefit straight away, it seems that's me!
For all of those who think they can't be treated, please please please consider IPL!
I'm no longer depressed and anxious, I feel great.

All I'm doing at the moment is my relaxing hot compresses twice a day, and using EvoTears once or twice a day if I need to (but mostly no drops at all). I wear EyeSeals 4.0 to bed, and that's it!

It's only because of this forum that I took matters into my own hands and paid for private care, and I'm so glad I did.

I'll update again after my second session.

Good luck everyone

Cat xx

[LindaDawn]

Thank you so much for posting, so pleased for you. You did exactly the right thing in seeking treatment so early on.

[LindaDawn]

What hot compresses ar3 younusing?

[Hokucat]

That’s great news, Cat! So happy for you. Sounds like addressing the situation early on and being your own very determined advocate paid off. Yes, most people who do IPL do not see any improvement after the first or even after the initial few treatments, but you were very fortunate. Some people it does not help at all. Different things help different people to varying degrees. But great to hear it helped you right away, providing continuing hope and support that it is viable option for those with MGD to consider.

[Guest]

Hi Cat

Thanks so much for sharing the great news.

IPL
Is E-Eye or Lumenis, Optima, M22?
Did doctor perform upper lids and whole face or just ears to ears?
Did doctor express glands after IPL?

Thanks again.

[Guest]

Hi Cat

Is it the clinic you visit? If so, which doctor do you visit?
https://www.bbroptometry.co.uk/eyecare/tear-clinic/
If so, their IPL is E-Eye. so curious to know if they do the whole face, upper lids or just ears to ears.

They seems to be professional - Initial 40-minute consultation

Did they also perform sodium fluorescein and/or lissamine green dyes in your eyes?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOd1T7quu2o&t=18s

Thank you.

[gilles]

That's great news! I really hope for you that this will have a lasting effect!
Did they express your glands after the IPL procedure?

What is the maintenance routine now? Still heat treatment and lid hygiene and ointment at night?
Do you still do blink exercises?

[KittyCat]

Hi Cat

Is it the clinic you visit? If so, which doctor do you visit?
https://www.bbroptometry.co.uk/eyecare/tear-clinic/
If so, their IPL is E-Eye. so curious to know if they do the whole face, upper lids or just ears to ears.

They seems to be professional - Initial 40-minute consultation

Did they also perform sodium fluorescein and/or lissamine green dyes in your eyes?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOd1T7quu2o&t=18s

Thank you.

Hello! Yes it's the Tear Clinic I go to, and the lovely doctor I see is Alison. I can't remember if they did the dye tests or if they just do a slit lamp exam as well as tear osmolarity and gland exam (expression to see the state of the glands). They take infra red photos to see what the glands look like too. It's very thorough! I highly recommend.

Cat

[KittyCat]

What hot compresses ar3 younusing?

Hi Linda! I use the EyeDoctor rice bag compress, 30 seconds in the microwave!

Cat xx

[KittyCat]

That's great news! I really hope for you that this will have a lasting effect!
Did they express your glands after the IPL procedure?

What is the maintenance routine now? Still heat treatment and lid hygiene and ointment at night?
Do you still do blink exercises?

Hi Gilles! Yes Alison expresses upper and lower glands for me, lower is done with the metal implement and upper is done with her fingers.

I still use my warm compress twice per day, and I have an app on my phone that reminds me to do my blink exercises! I actually don't use ointment at night, and although I go to bed with my EyeSeals on, they're always on the floor when I wake up so I must take them off when I'm sleeping! Even so, after IPL my eyes no longer feel bad when waking. It really has been life changing for me.

Cat

[KittyCat]

Second Treatment Update!

Hi everyone, I've just returned home from my second IPL treatment, and I have to say I'm pretty emotional!
For the 2 weeks between 1st and 2nd treatment my eyes have been completely normal (apart from the last 2 days where I could feel the treatment wearing off a bit). When I say normal, I mean every day I've either used no eye drops at all, or maybe 1 or 2 on a couple of days. I felt completely normal, like pre-dry eye days! So I was so curious to see what state clinically my eyes were in.
My eye doctor looked at my eyes and said "no wonder you've been feeling so good, your oils are flowing nice and clear!" I just burst into tears, I was so relieved! And this is only after the first treatment! My right eye is completely normal now, and my left eye (the eye I feel symptoms in) is still a bit greasy but still improved after just the first treatment. I seem to have responded really well to IPL! These effects should only get better and better now. I'm not on any medication whatsoever, just compresses and occasional eye drops. I'm so happy I did this. Why this isn't available on the NHS I will never know. IPL is brilliant, and I know it won't suit everyone, but for those who haven't tried it yet as part of their arsenal of treatments, it might have the same impact it's had on me (because why not?!). Life-changing.

[Guest]

Congratulations. I'm so happy that it has worked for you

[gilles]

It feels so good to read about somebody who found a success! I'm sure it gives hope to a lot of people on this forum.

I'm intrigued by how much the manual expression (unblocking) has helped compared to the light therapy (e.i., IPL). Because if the effectiveness of manual expression could be proven as a treatment, I'm sure a lot of hospitals would consider and implement it as standard treatment. I think light therapy (and also Lipiflow) is the part that pushed my doctor away from it. He explained that the science behind it is mostly pharma industry driven (money).

[KittyCat]

gilles Yeah I've read so much about IPL and the general consensus about why it works is just a collective shrug from the doctor's isn't it! No one really knows why it works, so perhaps it is the manual expression that's the active treatment, and the IPL is just the thing that heats up the glands? Who knows, but for me, whatever it's doing, it's working! It's either a VERY expensive manual expression, or the IPL is somehow reducing inflammation. But I'm just so glad I took a gamble and sought it out.

[drydm]

Hi KittyCat ,

Goot to hear IPL works for you!
Did you have red veins in your eyes? If so, did IPL improve it?

Did your doctor mention any cancer risks? I read about some concerns about it.

I'm thinking to go for IPL as well in London.