Got collagen plugs,what to expect?

[Cabut]

Hi,
I just had the one week trial plugs put in yesterday afternoon. So far, I don't detect too much of a difference. How long do you have to wait for results?
The eye surgeon told me by dinner I would get some relief. I didn't, well maybe a little. He put in two plugs on the bottom duct of each eye. My eyes feel tight although they look watery. We have terrible mesquite pollen in Az right now, so this could be adding to the uncomfortable feeling.


Thanks,
Cabut

[calli66]

Welcome to the Plug Club. When I first tried collagen lower plugs, it did absolutely nothing for me, and I was discouraged. A couple of years later I got permanent plugs, and it's hard to say whether my eyes feel any different (I've had them for a year). I know I've had fewer drastic days since I've had the plugs.

I noticed quite a difference when I tried upper plugs---then, my eyes were too moist---well, not my eyes, really, but the skin on my lids got really irritated, which felt as bad as the dry eyes. So I had those taken out last fall.

Today the eye doctor suggested I try uppers again---the collagen ones to start, to see if my eyes feel better. He's telling me that I have conjunctival staining and my tear break-up time is lousy, so he wants to "do more." We'll see.

You may not feel any relief till you get the permanent ones, or even get all 4 puncta plugged.

Sorry about the pollen--we've go high levels, too. The doctor said to try Zatador drops (OTC). I had been using (sparingly) some Optivar samples, and taking Claritin during the day, and that seems to help.

C

[Cabut]

Hi C,

This guy put 2 in each eye (lower) and said they would do the job enough for me to tell. Ever since the numbing stuff wore off my eyes feel awful. They itch and hurt more than they did when I walked in to his office. My left one is the real problem. I am disheartened because I thought for sure they would have more effect. I ordered a pair of those goggles sold on this site. I hope they help. This is a really bad dry eye year in the desert. I don't want to get permanent plugs because I may move to a more humid climate. My doc says that 80% of the tears are stopped by the lower ducts. Is that true, do you think?

Cabut

[Lucy]

Cabut, it's too soon to know how much the plugs will help you. Sometimes it takes a good month for things to stabalize. To tell you that you're 80% plugged is a little unscientific for him to say, but we can't prove him wrong.
Your eyes may feel better for a few days and then worse. Then switch back. Someone on this board just recently was wanting their upper plugs out after a couple of weeks. I told them to wait a little bit longer to make sure.

Wait a month or so and then if you need the uppers plugged, go for it. lucy

[Cabut]

Cabut, it's too soon to know how much the plugs will help you. Sometimes it takes a good month for things to stabalize. To tell you that you're 80% plugged is a little unscientific for him to say, but we can't prove him wrong.
Your eyes may feel better for a few days and then worse. Then switch back. Someone on this board just recently was wanting their upper plugs out after a couple of weeks. I told them to wait a little bit longer to make sure.

Wait a month or so and then if you need the uppers plugged, go for it. lucy

Hello again Lucy,

I had the collagen temps put in, the one week jobs, to see if I liked them. They now have 6 month collagens, which I will get if these are ok. Is there any difference between these and the silicone, which I am afraid to get right now? (In case I move back to a more humid environment)

Cabut

[rubyslippers]

Just over a month ago I got collagen plugs in the lowers. My eyes were a bit irritated for a couple of days. My doctor says it takes 4-6 weeks to know if they will help. They did help quite a bit. Enough in fact that Tuesday I went in and had a collagen put in the upper of my worst eye. That eye is now bearable for the first time in 5 months. I think if I did it in the other, on good days I would have overflow. I have decided to have the bottom ones cauterized when these dissolve. Cautery to me, appears to be safer in the long run, no worry about them falling out or scratching the eye. He said he will never cauterized all 4 ducts because if a cure was ever found he would want me to have it and not be stuck. So I will have a permanent (which they really aren't) in the upper when that one wears off. I might try a temp in the other upper, but I want to wait a bit and see. They are not a total miracle but they took my better eye and made it so it is good 80% of the time and my miserable eye went to 40% better. With the upper they now seem to be equal and 80% of the time I am pain free---not blur free, not perfect, but not miserable either.

[calli66]

R.S.

My doctor told me again today that I should have my lower ducts cauterized, but I'm scared to do it. So I'll be waiting to hear how your procedure goes.

Good luck,

C

[rubyslippers]

I think mine will be later June or early July. Will let you know.