Have just lower plugs made you worse

[Katewest]

I had them a while ago and took them out and am trying them again b/c I was doing a little better and thought they could be of more help now. But I'm thinking they are making my eyes worse. They are def more red but then again I have been off my diet for about two weeks so I can't be sure.

[DryInDenver]

The composition of our tears can vary quite dramatically. When eyes get dry, the tear becomes more concentrated. Some of the contents of the tears actually increase inflammation. There is a possibility this is the case with your tears. I have a doctor in Denver that has many dry eye patients. He gets the joke because he suffers from dry eyes himself. When I first saw him I already had lower plugs in. He said he would have held off on using them because sometimes they can increase the inflammation but he'd leave them in since they weren't causing me problems.

[No tears in ATL]

Kate, I did a post awhile back on how I experienced what they call "backup inflammation" when I got plugs in the uppers and lowers. While your inflammation could settle down a bit (if that is what your docs think it is) mine never did, even with a serious course of steroid drops, which consequently, raised my eye pressure. I have them on the uppers, and while I'm still dry, I don't have that bad inflammation like before. For me, it's keeping the oils going that seems to help most...for now, anyway. Hope that helps.

[mvallence90]

Your problem Kate sounds quite similar to the one I'm having currently. I had lower plugs for about a year and a half but had them removed in Feb of this year as my specialist said it could be helpful as my tear production isnt too low and my main issue is meibomian gland dysfunction and posterior blepharitis as well as a suspected partial blink and nocturnal lagophthalmos. My oil levels are very low and of not great quality but when taking out the plugs I thought I felt more dry and drops were not as effective.

I had them put back in this month but my pain and symptoms seem to be just as bad as the redness actually seems worse. I've used prednisolone minims and hycor ointment to try and calm things down but it's not doing much. For me my eyes are **** 24/7 and I'm really confused in how to properly tackle things and make some head-way.

The plugs while at one stage seemed to make a difference no longer provide that effect, but with pain and dryness everyday without fail it becomes almost impossible to distinguish if its better with or without.

[Katewest]

Thanks for all the feedback, I really appreciate it. I've had mine in for about a week and a half. No Tears- how long before it settles down a bit do you think? I'll call today and see what the doc thinks. I took mine out myself in the past with tweezers but then saw something Rebecca posted about having them break apart if not taken out correctly and am too scared to do it myself now. And how do you manage to keep your oils going? I think that is also my main issue but I do have low tears as well.