Had Punctal Cautery

[spmcc]

RE: cautery

My "surgeries" are free... that's just the way we roll in Canada!

Cheers,
Sheila

[jenny2008]

Cheaper surgery?? I am confused... I didn't post anything about the cost of surgery, etc.... ?

[willwork4tears]

LOL. I was confused, too. I thought maybe I had made a comment about cost and he got us mixed up. So I went back and looked and neither of us did.

Hirentherock...thanks for clarifying the cost anyway. I was thinking that sounded really inexpensive.

Cheaper surgery?? I am confused... I didn't post anything about the cost of surgery, etc.... ?

Hirentherock & spmcc: This was my 2nd attempt at cautery. The first time we tried it in the office with local lidocaine injections. Unfortunately, I wouldn't numb up. He kept injecting and injecting me and I just would not go numb. It just ratcheted up my anxiety and it was way too painful to sit through the cautery. He encouraged me to have it repeated in an OR under propofol so he could ensure he could get the whole procedure done without torturing me again. He felt really bad about the first time. So since I was completely out...I'm hoping he cauterized me REALLY thoroughly!

[jenny2008]

Thanks Willwork4tears! I appreciate your clarification. This all can become quite confusing!! For the record I go to the University of Louisville eye clinic so basically my insurance pays for everything and I have had excellent treatment there and one of the best docs who was referred to me on dryeyezone.com... Unfortunatley he is retiring and is now just teaching and researching but his replacement is specializing in dry eye too...

[spmcc]

RE: heehee

LOL. I just assumed hirentherock meant me instead of jenny2008... because I made the remark about going under with propofol versus local injection...

Now that I've been cauterized three times and have already had one open back up, I'm going to start asking A LOT of questions regarding cautery. I just assumed he was doing a procedure that was permanent... now I realize (duh) that they often aren't. I'm going to take in the info that willwork4tears has posted above... Thanks!

[willwork4tears]

post-surgery day 8 update

Saw the eye doc today for my first post-op and received good news! He said the punctum are both completely closed. Woohoo. Hopefully it will stay this way. I'm still healing and still experiencing a little pulling sensation and some slight itching. He said I should notice maximal improvement by 6 weeks....to allow for the local immune response to subside following complete healing.

[izzy3usa2002]

willwork4tears do you still have to wear moisture chamber glasses after the cautery or do the eyes do good without them? your posts are very helpful

[B-Eye]

I have always suspected that my lower plugs have been leaking a bit, is this the reason some of you have decided on cautery? Or was it more intolerance of the physical plugs against your eye?

With cautery, have any of you noticed tears staying in the eye better when compared to plugs alone?

Thanks in advance!

[willwork4tears]

willwork4tears do you still have to wear moisture chamber glasses after the cautery or do the eyes do good without them? your posts are very helpful

Izzy, Thank you! I'm glad I'm helpful to you!

I never wore true moisture chambers. I wear prescription Panoptx glasses with the foam moisture barrier or the over -the-glasses Solar Shields while I'm outside or driving. This is to keep the wind/drafts/sunlight out.

During the day I don't wear anything. I still wear the Panoptx or Solar Shields as before. I'm just more comfortable overall, now. Nothing else in my routine has changed other than feeling better and using rewetting drops a little less frequently.

I have always suspected that my lower plugs have been leaking a bit, is this the reason some of you have decided on cautery? Or was it more intolerance of the physical plugs against your eye?

With cautery, have any of you noticed tears staying in the eye better when compared to plugs alone?

B-eye
Lots of people on here have suggested they think their plugs leak. I didn't get cautery for that reason. I couldn't tolerate the silicone plugs (they rubbed on my cornea). I loved the collagen plugs; I don't think they ever leaked (that I could tell). They just dissolved too quickly. Mine only lasted about 8-9 weeks. I don't have time to go in every two months to get plugs. I wanted something more permanent.

I feel nearly identical post-cautery as I did post-collagen plugs. Some people report feeling a little better - these may be the same people that experienced leaky plugs.

[posey]

Hi, been following your story here, I find your experience very helpful as someone now also considering cautery.

I wasn't quite sure what you meant when you said others complained of leaking....is that like overflowing or tears leaking past the plugs?

Thanks Dave!

I know others on here have complained that their plugs leak. So it's possible that you may feel better with cautery than with plugs. .

[willwork4tears]

I wasn't quite sure what you meant when you said others complained of leaking....is that like overflowing or tears leaking past the plugs?

Well, it's two different things. Leaking: Some people find that the plugs don't block the tear drainage 100%. The tears can still escape through the punctum and drain out if the plug doesn't fit really snugly.

Overtearing: The medical term is epiphora. Some people that have plugs or have cautery complain that now they have too many tears and the tears spill over the lid margins and flow down the face (like crying). I definitely do not have this! I'm still dry and still wishing for more tears and more comfort. But the surgery did help.

I had my second followup with my ophthalmologist this past Wednesday. He said my corneas look the healthiest he's seen since we starting working together.

It's been about 5 weeks since my surgery and my puncta are definitely completely closed. I don't expect them to reopen any time soon (if ever).

[mamamax]

cauterization didn't help

Two months after my third cauterization, I am no better; probably worse. I chose to go to a non-insurance doctor two days ago, who diagnosed me with blepharitis and cleaned out my oil glands with a pick-like instrument. He changed my drops to Refresh Plus and Systane Balance along with my non-medical regimen of hot packs, etc. I will return in two weeks to see if I have improved. Been almost a year now of misery. I am producing some tears but they evaporate immediately. I like this doc and hope this works out for me.

[izzy3usa2002]

Cautery or not?

I read this thread to try to decide if this cautery will help me or not? I don't know if I should try it or not? When i wear plugs i get lots of the mucus that comes down in my eye and it is painful so if I do cautery wouldn't that be what I could expect. Sometimes I have good days I am affraid if i have the cautery done I might never have a good day again? Would you guys recommend the cautery? Did it make a huge difference? Still so undecided here. Any help would be appreciated.

[wantsim]

Thanks for sharing

hi willworkfortears, thank you for your posting regarding your experience. How do your eyes feel now?

[mgshutterbug]

Appreciate everyone's sharing their experiences. I am seriously considering cautery because I had to have permanent punctal plugs removed because they kept rubbing. I tolerated that for for 6 mos., but could no longer do so. But I'm terrified of having any procedure done. My left eye is now so dry that even with wearing my Panoptx with Air Shield all my waking hrs, my eye is so painful. I'm also very anxious because since the eye is so dry, and I have EBMD, MGD, and RCEs, that I'm going to have another severe erosion any time now. Is there any research out there on % of success, complications that anyone knows about?