Restasis help MGD?

[Margaret]

I'm weighing my options and wondering more about Restasis. I am post Lasik about a year and a half out. Tried Restasis for a week in the third month after Lasik and thought it made things much worse but now I wonder if I had too much going on back then to really make a sound decision! At any rate, most of my docs say I have MGD and although they say my eyes are really dry they can't tell if it's from my MGD or if there is also a lacrimal gland issue. Has Restasis helped anyone out there with MGD? I know it's not suppose to help, but I also have found that severe dry eye isn't an exact science Restasis also seems to help the most when patients symptoms are burning. As long as I keep my moisture chambers on 24/7 I have very few days with burning (I have constant uncomfortableness and days of pain, but not that menthol burn). Has Restasis helped anyone out who didn't have much burning but just dryness?

Thanks for any info or opinions you have out there!
Margaret

[magoo]

I have been using Restasis just three weeks. After about 10 days on it I no longer have to peel my right eyelid off my eye in the mornings for the first time in a couple of years. My eyes in general feel a bit better.
I did not have burning, I had/have irritation and dryness.

[kez123]

Yes, it helps. I had MGD for a year and a half before trying it. Now, I can now *almost* remember what "normal" feels like. My eyes still tear up when using a computer. But, Restasis has been one of the only things that's helped. Cyclosporine A (Restasis) is not tissue-specific to the lacrimal gland and effects the cornea, conjunctiva, meibomian glands etc. I'd try it - but realize it takes a long time to work. It was at least 2-4 months before a felt a noticable difference. Good luck!

[Margaret]

Thanks for the info! One question: how much Restasis do you use? I've heard 2x a day or 4x a day.

Margaret

[magoo]

I use it twice a day. Like kez said, it usually takes much longer to get results, but I am thrilled for now to be able to wake up and open my eyes easily! I'm hoping for more improvement in the future but for now this has given me a real lift. I had tried it years ago with no results and was on the fence about trying again, then decided, why not try it? Glad I did.

[Margaret]

One more question - take a stab at explaining why you think Restasis worked this second time around? You aren't the first person to say that!

Actually one more question - do you have plugs?

Thanks again,
Margaret