Meibomian Gland Dysfunction FIX

[Lucy]

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.

I believe an ophth I saw was talking about "this" when he questioned me if I "fool around with my eyes a lot." I saw him in time of horrible pain and because his partner was not in. I realized he didn't know my history so I didn't try to tell him anything he didn't need to know. I was thinking......."yeah I use drops 12 times a day (or whatever) do lid scrubs and hot compresses and you tell me not to touch my eyes?"

I'll bet he was referring to this fishing syndrome. I don't "fish" because I have NO mucous. Nada. Since lasik, I've yet to see anything come from my eyes except when I've had a foreign object! I wonder how one can make mucous. I don't want to "fish" but wouldn't mind a little thicker tear.

[binanut]

Mucus fishing syndrome

Dr. G,


What if you are not sticking something into the eye but are using a q-tip to massage, externally, the area between the sphere of the eye and the orbit... making sure all your pressure is superior as not to increase intraoccular pressure. Would this be considered mucus fishing? I do that all the time to get relief.. It is the only thing that helps on my bad days.

[DrG]

Dr. G,


What if you are not sticking something into the eye but are using a q-tip to massage, externally, the area between the sphere of the eye and the orbit... making sure all your pressure is superior as not to increase intraoccular pressure. Would this be considered mucus fishing? I do that all the time to get relief.. It is the only thing that helps on my bad days.

Let me see if I have this correct: You are using a Q-tip to massage the external eyelid to express secretions from the meibomian gland? That's not the same thing. However, if you were to contact the globe directly, i.e. with the Q-tip directly touching the conjunctiva, that would be extremely irritating to the eye. (Factoid: Putting even slight pressure on the eye will cause the pressure to rise, but will actually force aqueous out, and so the net result is a temporary lowering of pressure, so don't worry about that).

What I interpret as "mucus fishing" is using the finger, a Q-tip, a Kleenex to remove mucus strands from the cul-de-sac or conjunctival surface. This is highly irritating and will cause the eye to secret more mucus, cause an increase in foreign body sensation, and results in the person increasing his or her efforts, basically engaging in a counter-productive activity.

I hope we can all agree that one of the posters was describing a classic case of mucus fishing, which can probably be termed a compulsive type of behavior. Calling attention to a destructive behavior is sometimes a little touchy. Obviously, the problem causing the excess mucus and the dry eye still needs to be addressed by more effective strategies.

DrG

[Cindy]

By DrG:

I hope we can all agree that one of the posters was describing a classic case of mucus fishing, which can probably be termed a compulsive type of behavior. Calling attention to a destructive behavior is sometimes a little touchy.

I've been thinking about this. Prior to having post-LASIK dry eye, when I had Foreign Body Sensation in my eye(s) it was because I HAD a foreign body in my eye. It's a pretty reflexive action to remove whatever is present. The hand (finger) goes right to the eye every time.

It took me a loooooong, long time post-op to become aware of and stop the reflex response to 'go fishing' every time I have FBS (which is almost always). As you say, DrG, the end result of all that poking around in my eyes made them worse and worse. It's very, very hard to stop doing what your body demands. It's like having an itch that you're not allowed to scratch.

I hope, instead of this being a 'touchy' topic, it serves to sympathize with how hard it is to stop but also how necessary it is to first become aware of and second, to change this behavior. It sure isn't easy.

[Delilah]

Thank you Dr. G

Thank you for your information I will try everything that I can until I can get some relief. I just do not understand why all of a sudden this came apon me? All I know is that 2 years ago I had a horrible eye infection, I got rid of it with medication and then 3 days later I started to see a lot of mucus coming out of my eyes, like strings of mucus, I had went to every eye doctor, took allergy medicine, eye drops until this year when I seen a specialist in SLC, he told me that it was MGD and that it was caused from smoking in younger people. I have only been on the doxy now for maybe 2 and a half weeks and I do need patience. I also take the NAC and I am going to try the Thera Tears as well. All I can think of is that the eye infection did something to my glands which caused it. I try not to poke around in my eyes but when the mucus is so thick and blocking my eye sight I have to take it out. I have noticed no improvement when using the GenTeal eye drops, in fact it makes it worse and my vision gets more blurry. Why did you suggest Zantex? I do have ADD lol and I take ritaln, anyway besides that I just wanted to thank you and everyone on this site for their support. This site has really made a difference in knowing that I am not the only one suffering from eye troubles, I had no idea how many suffer and my sympathy goes out to all of you, once again, Thank you. Delilah

[DrG]

It seems to me that either the infection or the medication could have started all of this. Do you remember any problems with the medication?

The reason I suggested Xanax is to help you relax. Sometimes a person needs some temporary help to cope. Believe me, I am very sensitive to signs of stress and distress.

In the meantime, I would suggest finding a doctor who might be a little more sympathetic. Incidentally, as an avid skier, I have vacationed in Utah for the past 13 years.

DrG

[ACL]

Reporting back. Just hit 6 week mark with NAC 600 Glut 100 (GNC) 1x/day. (Also went form 1x to 2x/day on Doxy at same time in May). I guess the good news so far is that i don't need to figure out if it is the Doxy or the NAC/Glut providing the relief.... because I have not really noticed any relief so far. Will update again in a couple more weeks. I though maybe some minor improvement at times, but so far no major difference that I can tell. For the record, I have no 'mucous', s'trings', no 'crusty eyelids' etc. They are pretty much clean as a whistle always so certainly appear to be a variety of MGD related conditions on the board and wonder if i am treating the same condition as the person/people who have experienced relief with NAC.

On the plus side, I spent ten days on FL coast 15th-25th. That did provide relief. Maybe I will become a beach bum!

Blink rate is a big factor for me; any situation where I have to focus mentally (computer, business presentation, social situation with new people etc), my blink rate goes down and eyes get cooked. I say this a a preface to the followijg tropical anecdotes because I have to wonder how much is relaxation and how much is tropic (I think both with weghting on tropic).

I live in Marin County (SF bay area CA- and work in SF), known for fog, but outside of fact that symptoms were *decidely* worse in tahoe (north of here ski mtn), I do not notice difference from SF vs. other similar non-tropic places.

Perhaps more intersting, I was in Surfside Beach TX two weeks ago for 4 days (Lake jackson and Maury are almost the next town over! small world Maury) and I did NOT notice relief there.
I was in also in Destin FL for 9 days vact. last year (gulf coast 'the redneck riviera') and DID sort of have relief as I recall, but i had attributed that to maybe total relaxation/no stress and margaritas. as much as the tropical air. Not sure, but I would say there was a decided tropical factor there.

MX remains the one place I can def. say I had relief (although a fair share of Margaritas there too). And maybe notable that I was relaxed in tahoe. Not sure these anecdotes are any help to anybody...

I started NAC 600 Glut 100 (GNC) 1x/day today. Will report any results.

[Erik]

Hello-
I have had meibomitis for 1 yr and I can relate to your story. I don't have much time to type this AM, but I wanted to comment on something you said. I just got back from Cozumel Mexico last month and during that time my eyes felt wonderful. Go figure. Spent lots of time on the windy beach and in the salt-water. What a pleasant surprise. Perhaps it had something to do with the distraction of a much needed vacation or just time away from the computer. In any case, I loved it.

As of last week I have started the Acetyl Cysteine/Glut stuff. I'm patiently waiting for results. Like you, I had been on Doxy for 7 months with little to no relief. My opth is a very big fan of taking Doxy long term. For me, the effect wasn't worth it.

My opth also told me that in three years I probably would forget all about this and it would be history. Wouldn't that be nice??? I can't imagine, however, ever forgetting that any of this ever happened to my eyes. This last year has been miserable. But at least he gives me hope.

Please report in with your progress with whichever route you decide to try first. In my opinion, we've all done steroids and Doxy before. I'm anxious to give this new supplement a full try.

Amy

I'm reaching back in this quote here, and re-hijacking (?) this thread, but I have heard from a number of sources that blepharitis "burns itself out." I have another autoimmune condition (ankylosing spondylitis) that caused me weird, middle-of-the-night-only back pain for about 5 years when I was in my late 20s, and my doc said that would burn itself out, and I went through 5 years of pain and stressng out thinking I would be sleepless forever, when suddenly it began to slow down and then just disappeared altogether.

You know me--I am hopeful to a fault. We WILL feel better someday. To anyone close to the edge, find a "happy spot" (hot bath, trip to Mexico, which seems to solve everyone's problems somehow, book-on-tape with eyes shut--one of my favorites) and do your research. But DON'T GIVE IN TO THE PAIN. Make the promise to yourself that you will outlast your pain.

(Sorry, got a little preachy there. When that happens, I am usually talking at least partly to myself...)

[Cindy]

By Eric:

Make the promise to yourself that you will outlast your pain.

I've never literally, before today, made that promise to myself but I have now. I am also relentlessly hopeful that the pain of dry eye has an end. I am intensely interested in everything (every article, every study, every new offering) about dry eye. I am better now than I was 4 years ago so as far as I am concerned, there is no way to go but up. Besides, this pledge ensures I will be around (with pain or without, lol) to irritate my teenaged son through to adulthood which is what he believes is my sole purpose in life .

[dianat]

I like that quote about outlasting the pain. Oddly enough, in my worst discomfort I do find an inner strength when I need it. I'd give you folks credit for some of that. I don't know how I'd be doing it without this community. Thanks for that.

My future teenagers thank you, too.

[Delilah]

Updating on my MGD

Hello everyone, I just read the new posts and I would like everyone to know that I have been on the Doxy for about a month and a half and the NAC, Gluth combo. I have seen no results yet from the Doxy, so I am moving on the compound method of Doxy eye drops or maybe even the Tetrecycline eye drops. I still have those stringy mucus strings coming out of my eyes at all hours of the day and night and I just deal with it. It sucks but I deal with it, all my eye drops that I have been accumulating are starting to look like a collection lol. I have noticed that in the morning my eyes are getting worse along with my eyesight as well.
I also want everyone to know that while taking Doxy for more than 2 months is highly dangerous as your body becomes immune to it and you may get sicker when catching a regular cold or flu. There are these weird little devils called SUPER GERMS!!! These are germs that are created by high dosages of anitboitics taken longer than 2 months. So I am quitting the Doxy and I am going to get a Doxy and Tetry eye drop and let you all know how well that works.
So I am hearing all you lucky people out there going on vacations, what is it with salty water and warm weather that make the eyes feel better? Please let me know as I live in Dry Eye Idaho lol. Thank you everyone for all your help and advice, I don't know what I would do without this site and all you caring people. God Bless Delilah

[ACL]

Reporting back. Just hit 6 week mark with NAC 600 Glut 100 (GNC) 1x/day. (Also went form 1x to 2x/day on Doxy at same time in May). I guess the good news so far is that i don't need to figure out if it is the Doxy or the NAC/Glut providing the relief.... because I have not really noticed any relief so far. Will update again in a couple more weeks. I though maybe some minor improvement at times, but so far no major difference that I can tell. For the record, I have no 'mucous', s'trings', no 'crusty eyelids' etc. They are pretty much clean as a whistle always so certainly appear to be a variety of MGD related conditions on the board and wonder if i am treating the same condition as the person/people who have experienced relief with NAC.

On the plus side, I spent ten days on FL coast 15th-25th. That did provide relief. Maybe I will become a beach bum!

A day or two away from 60 days on NAC/Glut with no notable relief. I will keep taking, but doubtful this is my magic bullet. Will post with any notable updates.

[dalepremier]

NAC 600 Glut 100 ???

Hello everyone

I am a post-lasik patient from March 2004 and have had MGD in my left eye for nearly the entire time. It really has been tough dealing with it, and I like most people have tried Doxy, Night Goggles, Restasis, plugs, and almost every over-the-counter drop with little success...except for the doxy seemed to make it much better (100mg/day).

My question is regarding the NAC supplement.

When you are referring to NAC 600 Glut 100, is that one supplement or two? I went to GNC a couple of months ago and could not find it together like that. Instead I purchased one of each...GNC brand NAC 600 and GNC brand L-Glutathione 50. So I have been taking one tablet of each for the last 45 days (in the morning).

I suspect that it may be working for me because my eyes have been feeling better and daytime symptoms are greatly improved...though I still have to use Dwelle at night for relief but still wake up with a dry gritty-feeling eye. I even stopped the Doxy about 2 weeks ago...and things still seem to be under control. The only other thing I do in the morning is a lid massage to my left eyelids (upper and lower).

Finally I wish to say, "Thank god for the internet and sites like this!" Would you believe that after multiple visits suffering for almost a year, my post-op Lasik O.D. didn't even suspect MGD/Blepharitis. I had to diagnose myself. It wasn't until I demanded to see the Ophthamologist and confronted him with "Do I have blepharitis??" based on information I was armed with from sites like this, did I start getting answers and a doxy prescription!!!

I wish everyone on here the best. It is wonderful to have such a great support-team and place to exchange information. Good luck to all!!

[maria]

N-ACETYL CYSTIENE drops

Hi,
I am interested in trying the N-ACETYL CYSTIENE but cant find it in drop form. Can anyone tell me where I could get the drops from?



Thanks,
Maria.

[dianat]

Maria,

I don't recall anyone who has tried NAC drops, but someone may surface here and discuss it with you. The NAC Glutathione most here have tried is an oral supplement.

In the meantime, you might check these two compounding pharmacies that do a lot of custom eyedrops. Also, I have a local compounding pharmacist who has gone out of his way for me a couple of times. You could always check for one in your area and avoid shipping, etc. You might be surprised what he/she is willing to do. Of course, you'll likely need an Rx from a doctor. That's always the tricky part for me.

http://www.leiterrx.com/
http://pvpsc.com/apothecare/ophthalmic.htm

Good luck.


Diana