cautery

[gary]

My eye doctor has plugged my lowers twice in the last year,I don't know what kind she used,but they seem to always come out.Probably from the lid scrubs or just rubbing my eyes on occasion. She wants to cauterize all four,I understand that as we age our tear production lessons considerabily,so I can see the plus side of cautery.I am 59 years young.

I have had dry eyes since getting the shingles in my eye in march of 06,and had no problem what so ever before that.Never had any eye surgery.

I just wanted to know what the cons of cautery is. This sounds so permanent even though that my doc says it can be reversed by surgery,if need be.

I also have a cataract in my right eye due to extended use of prednisolone drops. I will eventually have to have it removed,I am afraid to have any kind of surgery done to my eyes fearing that it might make my eyes drier!

Does anyone know if cataract surgery is as bad as the lasik surgery?
Just want to be very cautious!I had rather put up with blurred vision in the right eye than make my situation worse than it already is!

Thanks Gary

[Jen72]

I have on puctum cauterized and the other is scheduled to be done today. This has been great for me, I dont have to worry about the plugs falling out and maybe I can get some prolonged moisture. I think that I will always have some degree of dry eye and aging wont help so cautery made sense for me. Its not as big of a deal as I thought. Just my opinion. Dont know about the other procedures but I wish you well.

[gary]

Hi Jen72

Thanks for the response!do you have just one on the bottom?and do you think that you would ever have all four cauterized?

My doc wants to cauterize all four right off the bat,if my eyes were to improve on their own I was afraid that there would be too much moisture.

Then to elevate that problem it would mean surgery,I don't know how invasive that would be. I just thought it would be better if she cauterized just the bottoms and plug or parially plug the uppers.But you know they are the doctor and we are the guinea pigs! Thats why it is called practicing
medicine!

Thanks Gary

[dianat]

here's a string of posts you may find interesting. Have you perused the cautery section of the archives?

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=115

[gary]

Hi Dianat
Thanks for the response!

Yes I have read the archives and I didn't read anything that suggests that they were 100 percent satisfied with all four cauterized.

I had read before that you had all four cauterized, was that back in 2005?Are you 100 percent happy that you had that done,and would you have it done
again? Do you know anyone that had to have it reversed?

By the way I like your glasses are they moisture chambers?You would be suprised at the ophthalmologists that haven't heard of them!

Thanks Gary

[Rojzen]

NAC drops used for cataracts

http://www.smart-drugs.net/carnosine...ps-article.htm

Gary - I've shared your curiosity about whether cataract surgery could exacerbate ocular surface problems like ours, and some time ago, I learned about the product described in the link above. The eyedrop in question seems to have at least some anecdotal evidence behind it to support its success in dissolving cataracts. I have not tried the product, but it is available OTC. If you can satisfy yourself about the product's safety, possibly it might be something to try before proceeding to surgery. I have no particular reason to worry about the product's safety, but my threshold for that sort of thing is very high (:^))...

[Lucy]

Gary, I have had Lasik surgery and I have had cataract surgery later on the same eye. I will write you a PM on my experience in a day or two.

I did not look at the link Rojzen gave you, but if you have real cataracts, nothing will disolve them. I also have a cataract in place in my other eye waiting for the right time for surgery on that. Like you, I'm waiting as long as I can. Lucy

[indrep]

There is nothing that will dissolve a cataract that you can apply topically.

As for cataract surgery exacerbating dry eyes, yes it can because many surgeons now use a "clear cornea" incision. This cuts the nerves running into the cornea. But the incision is much smaller than the one made for LASIK.

[dianat]

Gary,

There is nothing I've done in my dry eye travels that I can say I'm 100% happy with. I'm 10000% sure I did the wrong thing opting for refractive surgery. That's as certain as I can be.

With regard to the cautery, I am glad I had it done, but it is not without issue. It's better than bone dry, but I do have a tremendous amount of epiphora...or excess tearing. It may sound odd, but to be too wet is not ideal either. Since the cautery and for some time immediately following, I did experience plenty of the same old burning. I do have bad phases as well that bring back the burning. But, I normally manage to keep the burning at bay. I do believe I suffer from a lack of oils. My glands appear open, but I think my output is bad or low. Thus, no matter how many tears I produce, I never experience great comfort. Haven't felt that since the morning before my LASIK surgery.

I actually had my cautery done before 2005. I had my son in 2005 which is when I began serum drops. Serum was something I tried to work on the burning. It did improve my symptoms, though this summer began using Dwelle exclusively and managed to stay in control of the symptoms.

For the moment I feel I should probably begin the serum treatment again...I'm having a tough winter. Who's to say what's making it worse, but it is. My eye doc is Dr. Foulks in Louisville. I see you are in KY. Have you considered seeing him? He didn't do my cautery as I did not know of him way back then in 2003? I would absolutely trust him to perform this procedure or any if I needed it.

I have considered at times to have a minuscule hole put into my cauterized punctae...maybe just on the tops...so I don't have so much overflow. Every time I make a facial expression or show any emotion I have to blot. Still, like many, I'm afraid to make any changes. I dot know anyone who has ever had a reversal of cautery, but there are plenty out there whose punctae have reopened on their own. It's quite common. Thus far mine are still intact.

Regarding the eyewear in my avatar...

That's a really old picture. I was wearing a Harley brand of goggle that were no where near air tight. The mirrored lenses didn't exactly make me feel like I was getting away with the fact that I was wearing biker goggles either. I was also on doxy for a while when I wore the mirrors, and I think it made my poor red sunburned nose even worse. It pretty much looked like rare prime rib all summer.

I graduated some time ago to Panoptx frames which have been truly wonderful. It doesn't sound as though they exist as they once did, which is a terrible blow for me as I could use a new pair.

So that covers my story. I can see you're agonizing over what to do. I wish this dry eye stuff were more cut and dry. I wish you luck as you proceed.

Diana

[gary]

Thanks Dianat for your response!

Someone else on here recommended DR. Foulks also, I live in Paducah, he is 250 miles from me which is a 500 mi round trip.I wouldn't mind making that trip once,but you know as well as I know that it would probably take several trips.How long has he been treating you?I would walk 1000 miles if I knew someone could help!

I am now traveling to Nashville,Tennesee to Vanderbuilt University which is about a 300 mi trip,which is very hard on my eyes.I have seen a total of five ophthalmologists so far,and still don't know where my problem really lies as far as a moisture,oil or mucus.I have a feeling that it lies with the oil factor because when I look into the mirror my eyes look pretty moist but they have that exposed feeling that you have talked about before.

My TBUT is 5 and my schmirers is 5, probably didn't spell that right but you know what I am talking about. What were yours prior to the cautery?
I just don't want to do something that I will be sorry about later.I have never had any laser surgery on my eyes,I got mine from getting shingles in my eye.

As far as the glasses I tried on several pair of the Panoptx,but could not find a pair that fit as tight as a pair that I bought at walmart They are just motorcycle riding glasses. The only problem is they fog up pretty easy.

I am scheduled to get the cautery done Feb 19 so I was just trying to do a little research on it beforehand.I did see where there were two methods one had better results than the other.One was done by some kind of laser and the other was electrothermal ,the latter being the better.

You are very right about the agonizing!

Thanks Dianat for sharing!

Thanks indrep for your info too!

Thanks Lucy I will be looking forward for the PM

[dianat]

I think the procedure itself is pretty simple; I haven't heard much about one method vs another. I didn't even realize there were two methods.

Good luck, Gary.

[Jen72]

Hi Gary- I just have my bottom punctum cauterized and that is sufficient for me. I have a plug in one of my uppers and that eye will overflow with tears sometimes and its annoying. Once the last upper plug falls out then it will stay out. I have been on Restasis for 6 mos. , that and just the passing of time is helping with my lasek induced dry eye.
For you, I think all 4 may be too drastic at first also, maybe just try one bottom and see if you like it at first. Its not so easy to undo the cautery should it lead to a nuisance of overflowing tears.

[Jen72]

One more thing about cautery that may help you feel at ease. I actually had it done today and that entire procedure took about 10 min. First they put numbing drops in my eye, cleaned the skin with alcohol, then numbed under the eye with xylocaine. The numbing was the worst needle, burn etc. After sitting for about 5 min., I was numb. The Dr. took a pen like device with what looked like a hot wire and applied it to my punctum for about 1 second. Then we were done. It was a little sore for a few hours. Hope it works out whatever you decide.

[hkgcomet]

here's a string of posts you may find interesting. Have you perused the cautery section of the archives?

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=115

Diana, I would like to ask are you are now getting a watery eye? Not saying the reflex tear.

I am very hard at this winter time. Doctor visit says my eye is not bad, tear film is good, one eye near normal. (Of coz, the doctor's room is always indoor with good condition) It is totally a different story outside at dry days.

I had go out this 2 days, I can't stand outdoor...And the BUS~~~, it seems very dry and always drier than the winter outside.
I had 1 eye fully plugged for few years and I had use lubricant drop outside.

ALL Don't stop a pink eyelid...

[dianat]

I have extremely watery eyes now...like I said if I smile, laugh...show emotion, I have to blot. In the cold and wind, it's horrible. I try to wear windless goggles as much as possible outside.

D