Does it hurt?

[jskidmore]

Does it hurt to have plugs inserted? I think I am going to schedule this for next week and am very nervous. I don't like anything near my eyes. Do they deaden your eyes like for the glaucoma test? How do they measure the size of your ducts?

Also, does anyone have any good stories? I have a friend who got plugs almost two years ago and has never had a problem with them. This message board has me freaked out a bit.

[kitty]

Mine did not hurt. My doctor put numbing drops in my eyes and applied the same drops directly to the puncta with a swab. He frequently asked if I was feeling anything and if I was, he put in more numbing drops. I was much more comfortable tilted back in the chair than at the microscope and so was my doc. My doc judged the size by looking at my puncta. I must say it felt strange as that was an orifice I had never had probed before. Some of my temporary/test plugs fell out before I got to the car, had to go back and have them put back in. Once I got the permanent ones, I did not really have problems other than one eye had a lot of tearing that was running down my face (I had double plugs in each eye). I thought maybe that upper plug needed to be repositioned, but my doc removed it instead. That was an experience. I posted it on here somewhere. It really didn't hurt either but it felt very strange, kind of like getting water up your nose.

[hkgcomet]

1 of my plug can't take out and permanently goes into the tear duct.

If I can choose 1 more, I would choose to use more eye drops than having plugs. I hope 1 day I will fully recover.

Plug all tear duct may reduce the use of eye drop, but the most problems come will dry eye were no change. Sensitive to light, wind, etc.

[jskidmore]

Drops have only made my eyes worse. What does it mean when someone says their plug has been in a long time and is permanant now? Aren't they all removeable? What is the difference between temporary and permanant plugs

[kitty]

Drops have only made my eyes worse. What does it mean when someone says their plug has been in a long time and is permanant now? Aren't they all removeable? What is the difference between temporary and permanant plugs

All plugs are removable. The manufactures refer to them as temporary and permanent. Temporary ones are made to last a few days to several months. Permanent ones are intended to remain until they are removed. Perhaps a better term for "permanent" is "long term".

[jskidmore]

I had lower plugs put in yesterday. Did not hurt at all. The doctor said he thought my eyes were so dry that I would be back for upper plugs or Rx drops. I think he is right and am trying to decide which I want to go with next.