One Month update on the upper plugs

[LasikLady]

It has been one month and 3 days since having the upper punctum plugged. As I stated in my previous posts on this topic, it took a while to get used to them.

Here is where I stand now.

I love them!! I still have a bit of overflow and keep my tissue handy but basically guys I don't have dry eyes anymore. I have too wet eyes here and there, sometimes a bit of burning late, late in the evening when I need to go to sleep but overall the improvement since before I had the uppers done is amazing. I can tolerate air conditioning, heating, smoke you name it. Now my eyes response will be they over tear in these conditions but as soon as I'm out of the atmosphere the eyes are happy again. It used to be one trip to the mall and I my eyes we drier the rest of the day. What has really been wonderful is my evenings can now be spent reading and watching tv. Something I gave up right after my lasik unless I was wearing my panoptyx and now I have more comfort than even when I was wearing them in the past for these activities. Are my eyes completely perfect or as they were pre-surgery? No. But I can deal with the overtearing here and there and the small amount of burning I may feel at the end of a long day. I feel these plugs were my answer to great improvement. But it took several weeks to get to this place. I am still sleeping in gel just in case. I use my Systane PF upon waking. And the warm compresses 2x a day. That's all my routine consists of now. My "bad" days aren't that bad and my "good" days are great.
I feel very positive about my future. I will probably always have an issue with my eyes and have to be careful with their care. But overall I think getting the uppers done was a HUGE key to finding BIG improvement in my case. YEAH! Thank you so much to Lucy, who told me to be patient!!!

[dianat]

LL,

That is great news!! I LOVE knowing you are doing so much better. Thanks for sharing...

Diana

[dianat]

Why not post your success under "Dry Eye Triumphs" as well so that anyone looking for some good news can easily find it...

[LasikLady]

Great idea Diana! I just did. Thank you to you as well. Since I've been here you have been a great source of encouragement to me

[hasan]

Hello LasikLady,

Thank for sharing your successful story. However, i am a little confused.

I did lower plugs a fews weeks ago, my doc said they are doing well. But i still feel something else needs to be done.

What are those upper ones? Would you please explain a little bit. Thank you so much.

hasan

[bassfan]

What are those upper ones? Would you please explain a little bit. Thank you so much.

Upper plugs are the same exact things as lower plugs...each of your eyes has two "tear ducts" so to speak where the tears drain. One is on the inner corner of your lower eyelid and one is in the inner corner of your upper lid. You apparently have your lower ducts plugged. This stops some of the tears from draining as quickly from your eye. When your lowers are plugged, it stops some...but more likely forces more tears out your upper ducts to a point. I think thats the reason why not a lot of people have huge changes from just having the lowers done. Once you "dam" up both ducts...thats when the tears really stay in your eyes. Then you also have punctal plugs with a tiny hole in the middle, effectively making your tear ducts very small...allowing only a fraction of the tears through. Theres certainly a lot more science to it, but thats basically the way it works. From my research into plugs, and Dr Latkany's recommendation, I would look at the Eagle brand of plugs. They seem like they have the most advanced designed and from my experience are the most comfortable.

hope that helps paint a better picture! And if you really want a picture, go here http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/dryeye.htm a little more than half way down is a picture showing the punctal plugs.

bassfan

[hasan]

Hi Bassfan,

Thank you very much for your detailed reply. I really appreciate. I thought of upper plugs, then thought maybe bad stuff also gets no way to drain if the four puncta are all blocked.

Life isn't easy with bad eyes...

BTW, i am a fishing fan too, but not bass, i am a troutfan...

Upper plugs are the same exact things as lower plugs...each of your eyes has two "tear ducts" so to speak where the tears drain. One is on the inner corner of your lower eyelid and one is in the inner corner of your upper lid. You apparently have your lower ducts plugged. This stops some of the tears from draining as quickly from your eye. When your lowers are plugged, it stops some...but more likely forces more tears out your upper ducts to a point. I think thats the reason why not a lot of people have huge changes from just having the lowers done. Once you "dam" up both ducts...thats when the tears really stay in your eyes. Then you also have punctal plugs with a tiny hole in the middle, effectively making your tear ducts very small...allowing only a fraction of the tears through. Theres certainly a lot more science to it, but thats basically the way it works. From my research into plugs, and Dr Latkany's recommendation, I would look at the Eagle brand of plugs. They seem like they have the most advanced designed and from my experience are the most comfortable.

hope that helps paint a better picture! And if you really want a picture, go here http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/dryeye.htm a little more than half way down is a picture showing the punctal plugs.

bassfan