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Help! Permanent Plugs - Pain

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  • #1

    Help! Permanent Plugs - Pain

    Hello to all!

    I had permanent plugs inserted yesterday in both eyes. The doctor put .4 mm in the left eye and .5mm in right eye. I do not recall rubbing my eyes at all throughout the day yesterday, but by evening the left plug appeared to be out. I am not sure if it popped out or has been lodged in the tear drainage system. The right plug is "sticking" out some and is very irritating to the corner of my eye. I tried to "push" it back in as the doctor advised, but it does not want to go in any further and it is painful to try to push down.

    Unfortunately for me, today is Thanksgiving and the office that inserted the plugs is closed. Does anyone have any ideas on who to call to allow relief from this irritation? Who or How do the doctors check to see if the plug is stuck in the tear system? Just need some ideas since I am beginning to panic that the left plug is lodged....

    Thanks for your help.
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  • #2
    Sorry you are so uncomfortable. Are these the surface type plugs with a cap or the kind that go all the way into the puncta? Most eye doctor offices have someone on call on Holidays and weekends. Did you try calling the office to see what the recording says? If you can't reach anyone and are that much pain, I would go to the ER and have the plug removed or repositioned. Hospitals have ophthalmologists on call. If you can tolerate the discomfort and it is not scratching your eyeball, I would expect that other plug to either come out on its own or for the inflammation to settle down in a day or two. You might try applying a cold pack and see if that helps with the pain. My eyes were sore and generally irritated for about 3 days after having my plugs inserted. Hopefully Indrep will sign on today and can give you more advise. Take care and Happy Thanksgiving.
    Every day with DES is like a box of chocolates...You never know what you're going to get.

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    • #3
      Is only the right eye hurting? If the left is not hurting I would assume it is out. You could go to the emergency room of a hospital and have them pull the right one out using a gentle back and forth motion (very important) or as kitty suggested call the office and leave message(most likely) for someone to meet you there and remove it.

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      • #4
        The left eye is not hurting and I think it came out. The plug has a tip/cap which seems to be irritating/scratching my right eye.

        I am going to the ER where the doctor practices. Unfortunately, the ER/doctor is 1 hour away. Thank you for your help!

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        • #5
          I went to the ER and they called in the doctor/resident doctor who put the plugs in. He removed the right plug, but claimed that the left is already lost. The only problem is that I still have extra tears in the left eye. I am still nervous that the plug is lodged somewhere.

          Need guidance again....

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          • #6
            The odds of that type plug being in the canaliculus is very small. The tears you are experiencing now are most likely reflex tears from the irritation in your right eye. Our eyes have what is known as "sympathetic reaction". If the right eye is irritated then both eyes get tears. Studies have shown that if you occlude the right eye and not the left, that for a period of time the left eye will feel as good as the right eye.

            It seems they put in the smallest size for you and you still had irritation, you might ask them to insert the Extended duration type plugs. These last 90 days approximately and are intracanalicular so you would have no discomfort. Then after 90 days you can have another decision to make about a more permanent solution.

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            • #7
              Thank you indrep!

              The pain in the right eye has lessened since it has been removed. The left eye seems to still feel irritated. As noted in your post, is it safe to not panic yet about the plug being lodged in the tear drain? How long should it take for the left eye irritation to go away? If the plug were to "lodged', what type of symptoms would I experience before seeking additional medical attention.

              I thank you for your assistance in this since you appear to be very knowledgable with plugs.

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              • #8
                Unless you pushed the left plug down below the punctum it is not likely to be in the lacrimal system, so I would not be concerned about that. If you just can't stand the idea that it might be there, your doctor can probe the lacrimal system with a probe or he could irrigate.

                If you begin to notice a red puffy area below your puncta going toward your nose and it is sensitive to touch and or you see puss coming from the puncta I would visit my doctor.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by indrep View Post
                  Unless you pushed the left plug down below the punctum it is not likely to be in the lacrimal system, so I would not be concerned about that. If you just can't stand the idea that it might be there, your doctor can probe the lacrimal system with a probe or he could irrigate.

                  If you begin to notice a red puffy area below your puncta going toward your nose and it is sensitive to touch and or you see puss coming from the puncta I would visit my doctor.
                  probe the lacrimal system? what's this? how to do?

                  If the plug go inside the tear duct, then the duct is "permanently" blocked...
                  I am accidently blocked because 1 plug can't pull out, I feel very sad that I am a abnormal peason forever... T_T

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