Intracanalicular plugs

[Flick]

The plugs I have right now are irritating my cornea when I look to the side, so I think I'm going to try intracanalicular plugs. My concerns about these are:

1) The fear that they will migrate down somewhere and cause an infection.

2) Not being able to see that they are still present.

3) Not being able to remove them if need be.

The plugs my eye doc uses are SmartPlug and the Form Fit. Does anyone have any experience with these? Or thoughts about my concerns?

Thanks!

[Jade9923]

I have had the oasis form fit in one of my punctums for about a month or so. It seems to function exactly as my old plug did in terms of keeping the tears in my eyes. I like the concept of the plug that does not require you be sized correctly. Even tiny differences in the size of the standard plugs can make a total difference in your comfort. If it is not tight enough, tears will seep through.

I love the oasis cuz there was absolutely no adjustment period and they are totally comfortable. I'm not worried about them getting lost in there or if I have to remove them. I am all for a plug that you can put in and forget and not have to worry it will fall out or start bugging you the day before you leave on vacation. I only have one of the Oasis now but as the other 3 plugs need replaced, I will mostly likely replace them with the Oasis plug.

[Rebecca Petris]

I think the other selling point for the oasis form fit (versus other intracanalicular plugs) is that they are a hydrogel rather than silicone, so the risk of injury from migration or from mishap while irrigating them out is lessened, or eliminated? I don't recall but Indrep knows much more and I think has posted about this.

[shells]

Hi Flick,

I just wanted to second what Rebecca already said. You might want to try the form fit first since it is made of the safer hydrogel material. That is something to talk to your doctor about I guess. If you do try that plug, please let us all know how it goes. I'm just now going off of Lotemax after 2 months, and I anticipate that I might start having the same problems with my sillicon plugs (scratching my eyes). If I do, I will probably have them removed and try the Oasis Form Fit, so I'd be interested to hear your experience. By the way, did you find a good doctor in the area? Who are you seeing?

-Shells

[Guest]

Oasis 90 day plugs

Flick

I am now onto my second set of these plugs and have no problem with them at all.

Once inserted they are comfortable, top lid insertion was less pleasant than bottom lid insertion but nothing compared to the daily paiin that we learn to cope with.

I would recommend 2 things:
- when you get them inserted, hang around the clinic for 1/2 to 1 hr to make sure they have settled properly, I had one fall out (bottom) that did not want to settle when it was first inserted.
- monitor your symptoms after 2 months as I noticed that my plugs don't last a full 3 months, you may notice them becoming less effective. My Dr just inserted another set.

I am not prepared to go for the permanent option yet as I am still of the view that my DES is transient, call it denial, but I have seen some improvement and I am confident that it WILL continue to improve with time.

Best of luck with your decision.

Ian

[Flick]

Ian,

I think you're referring to a different type of Oasis plugs, the 90 day dissolvable ones. Here's the website that lists all of them:

http://www.oasismedical.com/Products_Node_View.asp?id=3

The Form Fit plugs are long-term. I think I'll go with them, since it seems like they're safer, although the downside is that you can't tell that they're still there, and I'm not good at judging by how my eyes feel whether or not plugs are present.

Shells - I'm no longer in the DC area so I'm seeing a different doc.

Thank you all for your help. I'll update once I get them.

[Guest]

Sorry Flick

You are right I was talking about the disolvable ones, i thought they were called form fit that is how my DR referred to them but they are definately the blue 90 day ones that i have.

Good luck with them anyway

Ian