Goop at night: how much?

[shells]

I seem to be having some more problems at nighttime than usual, and I have a question. For those of you who use GenTeal gel, how much do you use? It says on the tube to use one drop, but I'm not even sure how to get a "drop" out of there! I usually use a line across the bottom of my lower eyelid. I've wondered if that is too much though. I usually wake up with crust all over my lashes from it leaking out during the night. Is this normal? I've tried cutting down, and then I wake up with no crust, but with my eyes feeling drier. So, I'm not sure what is best. For my first 4 months following lasik I did not use anything at night, and I used to feel that nighttime was when my eyes refreshed themselves. I would wake up feeling refreshed even though I only put in a thin drop or something before bed. Now, I just wake up with my eyes all stuck together and scratchy feeling. Yet, now if I close my eyes for a few minutes with nothing in them and then open them they feel very sticky and sore, so I feel as if I'm dependent on using something now, and I can't stop. Is is possible to get dependent on it? Like I only need it now because I've used it so long?

I've also considered that maybe the gel is causing more problems for me and might try using the Dwellle. For those of you who use the Dwelle, how much do you put in? Do you have to wake up and put more in during the night? I'm just always so scared that I'm gonna do something wrong and make my eyes even worse. After about 6 months on the gel, I just can't see my eyes making it through the night with anything thinner. Has anyone had any similar problems?

Thanks everyone,
Shells

[Rebecca Petris]

For those of you who use GenTeal gel, how much do you use? It says on the tube to use one drop, but I'm not even sure how to get a "drop" out of there! I usually use a line across the bottom of my lower eyelid.

It's been some years since I used it but when I did I did the same thing as you. Seems like you have to get a fair amount out before you 'cut' it off.

As for the crusties I personally think that's inevitable with anything strong enough to protect through the night. Ointments leave goop, gel leaves crusties. And Dwelle too may leave white flakes (what the doctors call crystals) on the lashes and lash line, especially if you apply a lot without blotting.

Now, I just wake up with my eyes all stuck together and scratchy feeling.

Yeah... With some kinds of dry eye it may not be entirely possible to get rid of that altogether. Night protection may help if your lids aren't closing completely, and also warm compress just before bed.

For those of you who use the Dwelle, how much do you put in?... After about 6 months on the gel, I just can't see my eyes making it through the night with anything thinner.

You only need one drop, and applying more just means you will have more residue in the morning. Having said that... personally I use more than one drop and slop it around a bit just because it feels good, and then if I have residue I just pat my eyes with a damb washcloth in the morning.
Back in my worst dry days about a year out from lasik, when I used thick stuff (lacrilube or genteal gel) I often had to get up several times in the night and I still remember how surprised I was to find that a drop could actually protect me longer. Dr. Holly's explanation for that effect is that the high oncotic pressure of Dwelle & Dakrina increase the "wetting", that is, the ability of the drops to really grab the eye surface and hang on for dear life. Well, I guess that's more like my interpretation of Dr. Holly's explanation.

[kitty]

I have been using GenTeal gel for some time. I had been using one drop (a small blob) in each eye. Recently, I noticed it was no longer as effective. I was awakening in the middle of the night needing to put more in. Now I use two drops. I put in the gel and hold down my lower lids while the drops melt, then I release the lids and close my eyes and move my eyes around to coat them with the melted gel. I have very little residue in the morning doing it this way, and the two drops keep me confortable through most nights. I notice if I put two or more drops in and just close my eyes without my usual procedure, I tend to have a lot of residue.

[adamlau]

I used to put one fat drop into each eye before closing and rolling them around for a bit. Just squeezed the tube until a fatty dropped out into my waiting eye below. Ended up with reside everywhere.