How should the plugs feel after the second week

[JoeB]

I got my left eye plugged on July 19th and the right eye plugged on July 29th. Both my eyes, around the eyes had this strange feeling for the first 10 days, sort of as if below the eyes it was swollen some.

I was supposed to take some anti silicone allergy drops It was called Hydro allergo gel or something like that. I didnt take it because I didnt want to take too many medicines.

Now on August 10th, the area around the right eye still has a slight swollen feeling. The area around the left eye has no more of this feeling.

It made me think that maybe the left plug had fallen out...or is this normal for this swollen feeling reaction to the punctal plugs to last about two weeks. That would explain why my right eye still feels it some . It has only been in the right puncta for two weeks. The left puncta has had the plugs an extra week and may have gotten over the reaction. Or do you think its fallen out.

Is it normal for that swollen feeling to last two to three weeks and then to go away...or is that slightly swollen feeling normal for the whole duration of wearing plugs..for several years.

A different point is that the doctor promised to replace the plugs if they fell during 3yrs.I asked for this in writing...and then via email he explained that he meant that sometimes plugs get plaque on them over two or three years and that he would, if still there take them out and clean them. That sounded like BS to me, but is such a thing possible. It sounds to me like he wants to get out of his promise.

JoeB

[np1981]

I has some red swelling after 1 week that lasted a few days near my lower left eye plug, and was put on chloramphenicol ointment for 3-4 days. Once it cleared up things got better. Its been 9 weeks now since having the plugs first put in and I am not aware of them at all (can still see them if I try look at them in the mirror). I guess I got used to them now and they don't bug me (I have the ones with a visible cap)

Also, im not sure that if your doc removed a plug (to clean?) that he could put it in back again. I thought that if a plug came out for whatever reason (intentional or not) you would need a new one. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Jade9923]

My experience over 16 years of wearing plugs is that they must be large enough! They must fit very very snug and if they do not, they are uncomfortable. Even some doctors don't realize that because they don't wear them. Try to ask the doc if you can try the next size up. If he/she can get them in, I would think they would be more comfortable. When I first got mine years ago, they were very uncomfortable and red for a few days. With experience we learned that they need to be very snug. I remember one time I was still having dryness problems with a new plug to one of my punctums. My doctor said it is in there snug but I told her I still was too dry. She did a test on me that was sorta gross but it worked. She put some sort of dye drop in my eyes and sent me to the waiting room for about a half hour. I then came back in and she told me to blow my nose (I know, gross) Well, low and behold in the nose secretions there was the florescent colored dye! She was then convinced that the plug was not big enough and was allowing the tears to flow down thru the plug. She replaced the plug with a bigger one and the dryness problem disappeared.

She was a very smart doctor and thought of doing this. I'm telling you, these plugs really do require this type of maticulous interest and knowledge on the part of the doctor. You need to have a doctor that will listen to you and is willing to put the time in to help you. I wish you the best of luck.

[JoeB]

Thank you for the answers!