Ointments

[Niteyorkie]

I have stopped using ointments at night after reading some of the post on this site. My eye doc thinks I need to go back on them. He has never said I have that gland dysfunction. I think it is mostly rosacea, but my eye lids are not swollen or flaky. I do use Ocu foam in the AM.
Does anyone else use ointment nightly? The Genteal Gel seems to really burn my eyes so I can't use that.

[Silverlady]

my experience

NiteYorkie,
I've noticed that the only time the Genteal Gel burns my eyes is when I know I haven't used eye drops enough during the day and they are really irritated.

I quit using ointment because my Restasis will not get thru the oil to work.

Billye

[Flipburger]

I use Bausch & Lomb 'Moisture Eyes PM Lubricant Eye Ointment' almost every night to prevent my eyes from drying out and adhereing to my eyelid (extremely painful like a sharp poke in the eye that lasts for hours).

I've had no problems with it at all, but other than my dry eyeball/eyelid sticking issue I have no other problems with my eyes. I'd assume your mileage may vary depending on other factors but personally I couldn't live without it.

[kitty]

When I was first diagnosed with DES, I used Refresh PM ointment. I found it highly irritating and ultimately had to switch to Genteal Gel. It always stings a bit when I put it in, no matter what my eyes have been through during the day. Lately, I have been having a lot of reflex tearing in the one eye that is double plugged, and that causes the gel to wash away before I fall asleep. The gel used to work fairly well but now only seems to help the other eye for half of the night. I have been waking with small erosions lately, if I can open my eyes at all. I have been thinking about trying another type of ointment.

Has anyone experienced irritation with Refresh PM but not with another kind of ointment? Do you know if the irritation is caused by the white petrolatum or the mineral oil?

I did some research online and the ingredients are as follows for the Refresh PM and the Moisture eyes PM.

Refresh PM
White Petrolatum (57.3%), Mineral Oil (42.5%)

Moisture Eyes PM
White Petrolatum 80%, Mineral Oil 20%

[Niteyorkie]

refresh pm

I use to use the Refresh PM ointment nightly for about a year. Then it started to irritate my eyes. It was like I developed a sensitvity reaction to it. I switch to Genteal ointment. Same ingredients but different concentrations.

[kitty]

I use to use the Refresh PM ointment nightly for about a year. Then it started to irritate my eyes. It was like I developed a sensitvity reaction to it. I switch to Genteal ointment. Same ingredients but different concentrations.

Thanks. It must be the mineral oil that causes the irritation. The GenTeal has the least of the three.

Mineral Oil (15%) (Lubricant), White Petrolatum 85% (Lubricant)

[calli66]

It must be the mineral oil that causes the irritation. The GenTeal has the least of the three.

Hi Kitty, I don't believe GenTeal has any oil in it. The carbopol 980 is a polymer, and there's the hypomellose, but no oils or petrolatum.

It also stings when I put it in, but if I close my eyes immediately, the stinging is brief and so is the reflex tearing. So I put it in right before I get into bed.

C66

[Dotanne]

I use Alcon Poly Gel at night time - Can you get it in USA? It is a polymer and does not leave the eyes with residue. I have to put it in during the night too but it seems to be the least irritating and has the best results. Genteal Gel is similar - the one with the polymer content.
I like to make sure my eyes are not dry when I put the gel in. I use Theratears 1/2 hour beforehand.
Dot

[kitty]

Hi Kitty, I don't believe GenTeal has any oil in it. The carbopol 980 is a polymer, and there's the hypomellose, but no oils or petrolatum.

It also stings when I put it in, but if I close my eyes immediately, the stinging is brief and so is the reflex tearing. So I put it in right before I get into bed.

C66

I meant to say that the GenTeal ointment has the petrolatum and mineral oil, not the GenTeal gel which I already use.

[Rebecca Petris]

Clarification:

Genteal MILD = drop
Genteal MODERATE = drop
Genteal PF = preservative free drop for mild to moderate
Genteal MODERATE TO SEVERE = geldrop (eg liquigel)
Genteal SEVERE = gel
Genteal PM = ointment (classic petrolatum/mineral oil)

Here's a link.

[liz56]

Genteal Gel

NiteYorkie,
I've noticed that the only time the Genteal Gel burns my eyes is when I know I haven't used eye drops enough during the day and they are really irritated.

I quit using ointment because my Restasis will not get thru the oil to work.

Billye

I also notice that Genteal Gel never burns my eyes when I open a new tube. By the end of the tube, it burns a little for me. I wish I could buy a pack of the sample-sized tubes they have that the ophthalmologist's office.

Also, one thing abut the Gel, I use it at night, and I put in way more than one drop-- more like three. I line the lower lid pocket with it, and push it onto the white of my eye to distribute it and to activate the release of the preservative. If I put it in and simply shut the eyes, I, too, notice a burning sensation, but if I spread it over the eye before closing it, it creates a soothing pool of moisture. It feels great. I hope it never goes off of the market!