Meibomian Gland Dysfunction FIX

[Delilah]

Eyes are improving!!!!!!

Hello everyone, I cannot believe it but a big thanks to bmore, who ever he or she is?? I got that supplement from GNC and have been taking it every day and also a 100mgs of doxy and my eyes are improving already!! Today I wore eye make up for the first time in months and its bothering a bit but not the way it use to. The supplement at GNC is amazing, I am not sure if its only that or the doxy? When the doxy is gone I will just stay on the NAC and see if that still does the trick. I use to have to do warm compresses all day and night till I went to bed and I am down just to about 4 a day and a couple at night. I still have a lot of mucus but not the way it was before, the warm compresses are going a lot easier than before. I only hope that it will all go away, but right now its bothering so I might have to wash the make-up off and do a really good cleaning of my eye lids and eye drops.
Anyway's I just wanted to let everyone know that the supplement works, its already starting to help me. Thanks to everyone and have a great weekend. Delilah

[Delilah]

Can eye infections cause MGD?

I was reading Redeyes troubles and it seems to me that maybe bad eye infections could be related to a sudden cause of MGD or dry eyes?? I too had a horrible eye infection 2 years ago, I got it cleared up and then this whole thing started. This horrible MGD has caused me so much distress that I too had thought about suicide!!!! Tonight its flared up so bad I just don't know what to do? I even took another NAC pill, maybe I will up the dose of doxy too?? Delilah

[dianat]

Delilah,

Are you also doing hot compresses? There are assorted methods for doing this, but it always spells relief for me. If MGD is your diagnosis, you should be doing hot compresses at least twice daily. Don't ever leave it out of the equation.

Diana

My method: rice in panty hose, microwave 2 minutes with a glass of water. The rice takes up some moisture from the glass of water. Also, the water keeps the rice from burning.

[Cindy]

Tonight its flared up so bad I just don't know what to do? I even took another NAC pill, maybe I will up the dose of doxy too?? Delilah

I know what it's like to need/desire a quick (quicker,quickest, right flipping NOW) solution to a bad session with dry eye. Doubling up on a nutrional supplement isn't likely to do the trick. Supplements usually take a long time before you notice any measureable benefit. Same with doxy and I wouldn't suggest doubling your dose of either without your doctor's knowledge.

Is there anything, anything at all, that relieves your immediate discomfort? For example, my eyes feel normal (or what I recall as normal ) when I am in the shower. In an emergency I get in the shower and take a break from eye discomfort. My second choice, as Dianat already suggested, is a warm compress. A nice warm washcloth over my eyes feels pretty good. No lid scrubs, no lid massage, nothing for me to 'do' but just lie there with eyes closed, maybe listen to some music and relax with a warm washcloth over my eyes.

It is very helpful to me when I have been badgered to death with discomfort to 'break the cycle' for even a little while. It's very emotionally and mentally tiring to go for hours and hours without a reprieve. Find something that gives you a break from the discomfort and indulge. A massage, a facial (o.k. now I'm just wishing)...something that gives you pleasure, reduces your discomfort and gives you a second wind.

[Rebecca Petris]

Tonight its flared up so bad I just don't know what to do?

Ice gelpaks help some people with pain relief. I think I heard that from Phyllis once.

Personally, when I just can't stand it I start squirting saline (unpreserved - Unisol or similar) into my eyes. Nice bath of it now and then calms things down a bit.

Goggles, goggles, goggles give a lot of people relief.

It's a bad place to be and I hope things ease up for you soon. I'd encourage you to talk to your GP about this as well - explain how awful a flare-up is and see if s/he has any ideas for "emergency" management. I mean that in terms of overall wellbeing (tension, panic, depression, whatever sets in at those moments) not just eyes.

[Delilah]

Thank you Everyone!!

I just wanted to thank all of you for all your advice, but I am doing the warm compresses daily, somtimes 4 to 5 times daily and at night. Seems like I am always in the bathroom rinsing my eyes out with saline solution, natural tears and pulling these strings of mucus out I bought some of that GenTeal solution last night and its helping a little more. I like to do the wash cloth method for the warm compresses. My eye specialist is in Salt Lake and I really don't want to see him again as he only spent about 15 minutes with me to get me out of there in a hurry after I waited 2 hours to see him. His name is Dr. Oleson, he said that the MGD was caused by smoking in younger people and I don't believe it.
I haven't heard yet of anyone getting this from smoking cigarettes, even smoking outside and it didn't make a difference. I guess I do need patience but its so frustrating, like I don't even want to leave the house because its such a hassel. My eyes are always blurry and filled with mucus. I feel its getting worse but I have only been on the doxy and the NAC for about 2 weeks, so I will give it some time. Anyway thank you for all your support, I am just so sick of dealing with this day after day that I just feel as if I don't even want to live, not many people do not understand how frustrating it is when they are not suffering from it. Thanks again. Delilah

[Rebecca Petris]

I haven't heard yet of anyone getting this from smoking cigarettes

I've often read that there can be a connection, but haven't really heard much about specific cases connecting it.

I feel its getting worse but I have only been on the doxy and the NAC for about 2 weeks, so I will give it some time.

Yes - I think both may require a considerable time before showing benefits.

I'm sorry it's so hard. I wish there was more I could usefully say. It's just a bad, bad place to be. But do keep posting. There is power and comfort in knowing that other people really do know what you're going through. Even if we're just "virtual" friends, we all do care, and can't help it, because we know that place where you are right now.

I wish we could run a hotline for people to call during these really bad periods... but in the meantime, I hope you and others in a similar situation won't hesitate to call us if you feel you really need someone to talk to rather than type to.

The number is 813-236-4346, or toll free 877 MY DRY EYES (877-693-7939). Can't give medical advice, but can at least lend a sympathetic ear.

[DrG]

I just wanted to thank all of you for all your advice, but I am doing the warm compresses daily, somtimes 4 to 5 times daily and at night. Seems like I am always in the bathroom rinsing my eyes out with saline solution, natural tears and pulling these strings of mucus out I bought some of that GenTeal solution last night and its helping a little more. I like to do the wash cloth method for the warm compresses. My eye specialist is in Salt Lake and I really don't want to see him again as he only spent about 15 minutes with me to get me out of there in a hurry after I waited 2 hours to see him. His name is Dr. Oleson, he said that the MGD was caused by smoking in younger people and I don't believe it.
I haven't heard yet of anyone getting this from smoking cigarettes, even smoking outside and it didn't make a difference. I guess I do need patience but its so frustrating, like I don't even want to leave the house because its such a hassel. My eyes are always blurry and filled with mucus. I feel its getting worse but I have only been on the doxy and the NAC for about 2 weeks, so I will give it some time. Anyway thank you for all your support, I am just so sick of dealing with this day after day that I just feel as if I don't even want to live, not many people do not understand how frustrating it is when they are not suffering from it. Thanks again. Delilah

Sorry, but I just couldn't pass by without making a comment (as in rendering aid).

N-Acetylcysteine is a mucolytic. It thins the mucus. In eyecare, the primary use is for the treatment of filamentary keratitis, for which it is given topically in eyedrop form. I'm not sure if there is any benefit in taking it orally, but I doubt it. I must admit to following this topic with interest.

Also, there is another clinical entity called "mucus fishing syndrome," first identified and published by Dr. James McCully of UT Southwestern Medical Center in the early 1980's. The mucus fishing syndrome involves patients who literally fish for mucus in their eyes, and in so doing, irritate the eye further until a vicious circle of irritation producing more mucus is established.

DrG

[Rebecca Petris]

N-Acetylcysteine is a mucolytic. It thins the mucus.

Alright, I have a confession to make, I have not been paying any attention to the NAC discussions or explanations - takes awhile sometimes before I can work up interest in something technical sounding. However that one comment just startled my attention span into lengthening. Particularly if some of the current research on limbal stem cell deficiency and corneal/conjunctival mucin deficiency are on the right track, wouldn't this mean NAC is not a good thing at all for those with poor wetting due to poor mucous layer? Someone remind me in layman's terms what NAC is supposed to be about?

[DrG]

Nac

Rebecca,

Although a Google search turns up all kind of uses for NAC, the only use for NAC in eyecare with which I am familiar is as a mucolytic, or mucus thinning agent for filamentary keratitis, and maybe corneal melting. For this purpose it is applied topically.

The poster to whom I responded also may be suffering from another clinical entity called "mucus fishing syndrome." I have seen examples in my own practice.

I have no idea how a mucolytic behaves in the absence of or shortage of mucus.

DrG

[Cindy]

a tad more on mucus fishing...

http://www.dryeyeinfo.org/Dry_Eye_In_Depth.htm

"Mucus fishing syndrome
Symptoms include chronic eye irritation and increased mucus production. Patients who reach into their conjunctival cul-de-sac to remove mucus strands caused by conjunctival trauma initiate the condition. A vicious cycle can develop."

[adam-85]

i have been taking the NAC... i have been told i have meibomitis as well as conjunctivochalsis, i think my glands looks slighter better after taking it for nearly 2 months now, as well as 1000mg of flaxseed oil a day though too!

[Delilah]

Question

So does that mean that repeatedly removing the mucus from the eye itself causes this condition? Seems to me that I cannot help removing it: for example, I will be driving and all of a sudden a string of this thick stringy mucus will come across my eye, making me to pull over to remove it!! Removing this mucus is a constant daily and nightly thing for me, its the MGD that causes it, there is no way that I can deal with this crap in my eyes so I have to remove it, so I can feel somewhat comfortable. I just don't know, I have practically given up!! I feel good some days and then sometimes its too hard to even bare, I do warm compresses night and day, take the doxy and the NAC and I just feel I was dealt a bad deal of cards!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry for the negativity but its just the way it is!!! Will there ever be a cure for this ****ed up eye disease????????????? I am sick of it and so are the rest of you and everyone else that is dealing with this disease, will there ever be a cure?????

[Delilah]

Nac????????????????????????????

Okay now I am freaking out, just got done reading the info on the NAC. So taking the pill isn't worth it??? We have to have it compounded?? Please somone tell me something that is worth while or I might just freaking stab my eyes out with forks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No just kidding lol, but really I was looking forward to some relief, please anyone give me some good news

[DrG]

Delilah,

Mucus fishing syndrome starts with a dry eye condition. However, constantly poking around in one's eye makes the situation worse, which leads to a vicious cycle. If I were your doctor, I would tell you to keep your hands away from your eyes. Tie them behind your back, or take a "chill pill." Don't be afraid to ask for some Xanax, if that is what it takes. That is step #1.

The next step is to determine whether oral NAC is as effective as topical NAC. It seems to me in reading your posts, that taking NAC orally hasn't really helped. As I said, the primary ocular use for NAC is topically as a mucolytic. It is also available as a mucus thinning agent for bronchitis, under the name of Mucomyst. Looking at the research, oral NAC is slightly more effective than the placebo for bronchitis. Ask your eye doctor to write a script. It should cost no more than $30 or $40 to have some compounded in topical form. Meanwhile, I guess you could keep taking the NAC. I mean, there are hardly any harmful side-effects from it.

The bottom line is that somehow you've got to dilute the mucus, either with natural tears or artificial tears. I am not really familiar with everything you have tried, and it takes doxycycline weeks to show any effects.

DrG