Plug Madness

[watermelon]

I got my lower plugs in a week and a half ago. I was doing better than before plugs but the left eye plug was always felt when I blink? Is that normal? The today, my eyes starting driving me crazy again. Especially the left one that appears to be starting an infection (redder than the right eye and a bit more swollen around the plug area).

Do I wait to see if it subsides by itself? Do I stay out of work (after just getting back a week ago) and go to the doctor right away?

Are there things I should try to relieve the pain? It's not sever - just extremely bothersome where it becomes my primary focus most of the time.

[bvendig]

plug madness

hi

in my case, it seemed like it took quite a while for my eyes to "adjust" to the plugs but, of course, if you have a concern, call the doctor!
Hugs, Betty

[calli66]

Give them time to settle down, but get a doctor's opinion if there's a sign of infection.

I have Sjogren's, so for me, the plugs just held in inflammatory substances. I tried them for over 6 months, and while I didn't get overt infections, the area around the puncta was always red and swollen, and my eyes itchy. One of my eye doctors said "no problem" but my other eye doctor saw that the swelling was pushing the plug up, which was scratching my eye.

Maybe I shouldn't have said this---sounds discouraging.

But plugs really do help many people and are definitely worth a try---months worth, in fact. Sometimes the problem is the plug type or size. It does take awhile for the eyes to stabilize.

C

[watermelon]

I went to the doctor today and had the one plug removed from my left eye. I do have an eye infection, and the plug irritated my eye from the first day it was inserted. Now I have to use the Zylet drops for a while 4x a day until this is resolved. My one eye is icky goopy and red from the infection.

Now that I am single plugged it will be interesting to see how the 2 eyes do side by side. I still have to decide next steps - replace the plug with a diff brand or try one in the upper lid instead.

Let's see how the right eye does in the meantime. One eye doing well is better than none. Also, I do feel much better already having the plug removed from the infected eye. But I will have to see what happens when it starts drying out again.

[watermelon]

After a week of Zylet, my eyes feel much better. I can't really tell right now which eye has the plug. And I really do not know what is going on. Why is Zylet working? Well, anyway, I am so glad I fell halfway normal again---at least for now.

[SallyP]

Hi

Glad you're feeling better. I don't get on with the plugs at all, and am very aware of them when I eyes in certain positions (which I avoid obviously). They don't make any difference to me, and I'm worse for about a week after. Mine are only in temporarily, and unfortunately haven't fallen out this time, but when I see the "specialist" in December I'm going to ask him to remove them. I think it's a very personal thing and certainly doesn't work for everybody. I don't want them in ever again though!!

[Lucy]

Let's see how the right eye does in the meantime. One eye doing well is better than none. Also, I do feel much better already having the plug removed from the infected eye. But I will have to see what happens when it starts drying out again.

Watermelon-

If your still plugged eye feels good, or almost good, I'd not risk having it removed for another kind. Your plugs don't have to match. Just saying if you have a decent fit, leave well enough alone. One time, I was in terror because of what i thought was my upper plug in one eye. I told the doc to "take the plug out." He did, then flipped my eyelid and found a "foreign object." Well if he had done it in the right order......look under the eyelid first, that plug would have been still in there. He could never get another plug in there because of scarring. That puncta is cauterized. Good luck, we'll be hoping all goes well for you. lucy

[watermelon]

well, I went off the Zylet for 3 days now and my eyes are starting to feel like they are naked in the wind. I don't know how else to describe it. I am not certain but I feel that the inflammation is going to start up again.

I have 1 plug and 1 out but so far can't really tell much difference. I think time will tell if I need to go back on Zylet or something else - but I am concerned that I may need to sat on some kind of steroid drop to be ok. that does not sit well with me.