Trying Lacrisert tomorrow - any advice?

[stephgurl1986]

Hey all,

My package ogf Lacriserts finally arrived and I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I'm so excited and also soooooo afraid that it might not work.
Anyway, as I'm using Lacrisert for the first time and my doctor has also never seen it, I'd love to get some advice!

Thank you!

[msienkiewicz]

Stephgurl,

I hope they work for you. I thank God for each day with them and pray that they will continue to work for me as well.

Anyhoo, pull the pocket down far outside corner. Wet the applicator tip with warm water and gently touch the lacrisert. Don't jam it down into the applicator or it is too hard to get off in the eye. I just let the lacrisert "fall" beneath the lid and then cover it up with the lid and look down. Try to look away like the directions show as well. The tech told me that as long as it is below the lid, it won't hurt your eye. Add a drop of tears first and immediately after to help soften it as well. Sometimes, it will sit above the lid if I don't get it in the pocket. Don't panic, just lift the bottom lid and scoop it down. Have a kleenex handy. Once they are in, don't play with your eye. Sometimes, I rub my finger along the bottom towards the outside corner to make sure it stays in that outside corner.

I put mine in around 2 and take them out around 10pm. They are easy to take out as well. By that time they are soft. Lower the lid, and they just pop over the lid, easy as pie.

I wish you the best of luck. I never thought I could put something in my eye, but I did.

Stephgurl, do you have the terrible burning? How often were you putting in drops before?

[msienkiewicz]

Soooooo

How did it go?

Melissa

[stephgurl1986]

I just came back from my doctor's office - I was in there for about 5min. It was really easy to insert Lacrisert. My eyes are not irritated (at least not more than on normal days) and I hardly feel the Lacrisert. There is s bit of a foreign body sensation in my left eye but it doesn't bother me.
I think I'm supposed to wait now - when will I notice whether it works for me or not?
I'm a bit afraid I might not be able to take them out before night. Do they dissolve completely?

How was it for you? When did you notice that they help?

I'm hopeful, it seems that my eyes tolerate them...

[stephgurl1986]

Okay, now my eyes are more irritated - is this normal? Will they need a bit of time to get used to Lacrisert? Like it is with hard contacts?

[msienkiewicz]

They are not the most comfortable things I agree, but for me the pain is worth it as I can run with my kids. I don't really like them, but they work.

Give it a little time. They should pop out easily when you pull your lid down. They do for me.

KIT,
Melissa

[JAH1973]

I began using lacriserts over two months ago and did not really care for them at first. They seemed to irritate my eyes and I had a very hard time putting them in. I personally don't really feel them or notice that there in most of the time. Like you, my doctor had never used them on a patient. Finally, I took them with me to an appt and he helped me with them. I think he has perscribed them to others since. Now, I really like them especially since I recently had lower plugs put in my lower tear ducts and a temporary upper in my left eye (Worst) and the constant moisture is amazing. On Tuesday, my dr. will be inserting permanent uppers in both eyes. That will be the true test since I have NEVER had overtearing as some have had. Although it is not the perfect solution and anything can change, my eyes have been better recently than they have in the entire year of this misery~!

[msienkiewicz]

JAH,

Do you have MGD? Do you experience that horrible burning? How often were you putting in drops before the lacriserts?

I had temp bottom plugs put in Monday. I'm sure they are dissolved now, and my eyes are dryer than ever. Does that sound right? I'm afraid that the temp plugs made my eyes drier even though they only last a few days.

What do you think?

Melissa

[msienkiewicz]

JAH,

How many hours do you wear your lacriserts?

Melissa

[stephgurl1986]

Okay, so it seems that they don't work for me. They do not feel unfortable at all, but as soon as they start dissolving my eyes get irritated - they don't feel that dry anymore but I can't have my eyes even more red than normal. I believe my eyes don't like the ingredients :-(

[jknueve]

Lacricerts

Hi stephgurl1986,

I have been using Lacricerts for 7years now and I could not make it through the day without them. I do not use the applicator to insert the lacrecerts I just use my finger. I also make sure that I put in one drop of eyedrops before I insert the Lacricerts and one drop before taking the Lacricerts out for the evening. The moistures helps with the insertion and the removal. Medco used to allow me to get 4 pair a day now they limit a perscription to 2 pair a day and raised my co-pay from $20.00 for a 90 day supply to $120.00 for a 90 day supply. I never let the Lacricerts completely dissolve in my eye they get to sticky and googie. I generally wear them no more than 9-10 hours a day.
Best wishes to you ......

[bvendig]

temporary plugs

hi
i also had temporary plugs put in and they seemed to make my eyes feel worse.
however, when i had the regular ones put in, it helped a lot
betty

JAH,

Do you have MGD? Do you experience that horrible burning? How often were you putting in drops before the lacriserts?

I had temp bottom plugs put in Monday. I'm sure they are dissolved now, and my eyes are dryer than ever. Does that sound right? I'm afraid that the temp plugs made my eyes drier even though they only last a few days.

What do you think?

Melissa

[stephgurl1986]

Hi stephgurl1986,

I have been using Lacricerts for 7years now and I could not make it through the day without them. I do not use the applicator to insert the lacrecerts I just use my finger. I also make sure that I put in one drop of eyedrops before I insert the Lacricerts and one drop before taking the Lacricerts out for the evening. The moistures helps with the insertion and the removal. Medco used to allow me to get 4 pair a day now they limit a perscription to 2 pair a day and raised my co-pay from $20.00 for a 90 day supply to $120.00 for a 90 day supply. I never let the Lacricerts completely dissolve in my eye they get to sticky and googie. I generally wear them no more than 9-10 hours a day.
Best wishes to you ......

It's great to hear Lacrisert works for you. Once they start getting big and soft they must release a substance my eyes don't like because obviously my eyes don't get irritated at the beginning when the Lacristers are still hard.

[msienkiewicz]

Stephgurl,

So sorry they aren't working for you. I wish they would make other types of lubes in the lacriserts such as an oil based one for those of us with MGD.

It seems hard to believe that this is the only product like this on the market after so many years.

I do hope you find something that works well for you.

Melissa

[JAH1973]

I do not have a definite diagnosis... Been told that I have Blepharitis, MGD, etc. Recently, I have had little white stye looking things on my lid line/lash line... Doctor said it was clogged glands. Not quite sure, but I do have the dry, burning, sometimes itching, mucus, highly sensitive to chemicals, fragrances, etc. eyes. Basically, been miserable (like others) for a year.

I use restasis and was putting drops in between 7-10 times per day. With the lower plugs and lacriserts, I still used drops about 5-6 times per day. I also found that if I put a drop in immediately after inserting the lacriserts, there is less irritation.

Yesterday, I had upper plugs put in and the right eye (better one) became red and painful. I had to have that removed this morning and a temp put in until we try another perm plug. I personally think that the perm plugs (umbrella) hold in more tears, however, due to the prob with the right one, I may have to keep using the temps versus perm to be as comfortable. The left eye is overtearing now with the upper and lower plug and lacriserts in. The right eye feels really good and for some reason has not overteared as of yet....

I use a drop of eyedrops on the spatula prior to inserting which allows them to begin dissolving, thus less of the irritation. I usually leave them in from 7a.m. to 10 p.m., although I have noticed that the left (worse) one dissolves faster than the other??? I have also found that the left lacrisert sometimes comes out somehow during the day... don't know if it's me unknowingly rubbing it, my eye shape, etc??? My doctor perscribes 2 per day to accomodate this!

Sorry if this posting is "all over the place', I just wanted to respond to the postings in a timely manner. Please feel free to ask more questions. There are several members on here who have had very good experiences and those who have had bad ones with the lacriserts. Many will contibute and advise!