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**bernmee** · 30-Aug-2008, 23:37

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...ghlight=acarol

Above is a link regarding yeast inflections and dry eye. i'm afraid I am a Lasik dry eye so I am not too much help.

Have you thought about looking at your diet and cutting out food that would help the growth of candida (if you think that is the problem).

Good luck and welcome,

B.

**JAH1973** · 31-Aug-2008, 06:28

Very, Very interesting that you mentioned Candida. I was tested a month ago for allergies and the test identified Candida as a major allergy. I got my first shot and swelled up so much that I looked like someone beat me in the face. Went to my family doctor (allergist was not available) that morning. Furious, he sent me to yet another allergist who claimed I had absolutely no allergies... I was sooooo confused. Going to a Specialty clinic on Tuesday to an allergist/immunologist.

I have been researching my condition every evening (compulsively). I had found that Candida Bacteria Overgrowth Symptoms matched many of mine. I called my family doctor and asked him. He stated that there was no test that he was aware of and simply called a perscription in for Diflucon for 3 days whereas the norm is one day.... Confused and Irritated Again.

It is amazing that you mentioned Candida since that was what I had thought. Hopefully, the specialist I am going to will be able to identify the cause.

I am very glad that I have found this site, since I had scheduled lasik twice and cancelled out at the last minute (last year and this year). Heaven knows where I would be after lasik and the timing of these symptoms which are not lasik related.

Thanks so much for your reply.

**Rebecca Petris** · 31-Aug-2008, 07:02

Hi there and welcome.

One thing that puzzles me about your situation is that you have been diagnosed with early tear evaporation but apparently not treated for it. Rapid tear evaporation is usually associated with poor meibomian gland function (please see meibomian gland dysfunction in our encyclopedia). Did you get any test scores or did any of these eight doctors probe your MGs to see how well they are or aren't functioning? Did anyone prescribe warm compresses or topical antibiotics or omega 3s? That's the first direction I'd pursue.

Only other thing that struck a chord with me was the mold exposure. I know one person whose meibomian glands completely atrophied after mold exposure. Only a remote possibility, but since you mentioned it, I'm mentioning it.

**JAH1973** · 31-Aug-2008, 16:03

Two cornea specialists have diagnosed me with early tear evaporation using the shirmer test (sp?) and testing the tear evaporation using the dye, counting the evaporation rate. The only time a number has been mentioned was last month when the doctor said the #5 in both eyes and suggested to me that I was on my road to recovery.

Over the past few months, I have been on alrex (1.5 mos.), optivar (1 week), and tobradex (1.5 mos, recently taken off of it). I do take three omega 3's daily as suggested by the first optomestrist who eventially gave up. I am supposed to use warm compresses three times daily, but have not really done it (my bad) since my morning des routine takes 45 minutes to conduct. Nobody has probed the glands or has ever done anything to investigate what has caused them to produce "bad tears".

In response to the glands be atrophied, does that mean that the glands will never be useful again? Still learning....

Thank you so much for your warm welcomes and consideration to the members of the site.

**jenny2008** · 01-Sep-2008, 06:10

I just wanted to tell everyone that I went to 2 highly known doctors in Los Angeles last year when I lived there and to several specialists in Indiana (where I live now)-none of those Opthamologists EVER suggested warm compresses and never told me I had MGD and/or ocular rosacea!

It wasn't until I went to Dr. Foulks that he stated what I had (along w/ Sjogrens) so simply to me--and he advised me to do the warm compresses for a 1 minute or so followed by his massage technique.. I have a new lease on life! That was only 2 and 1/2 weeks ago and I feel soooo good! No more red eyes and I only use drops sparingly even when on the computer at work--I'm sure the Restasis is probably helping a little but the big change occured a few days after the compress/massage technique and I just keep feeling better and better everyday!

I'm basically writing this to let everyone know that there are really good doctors out there and it's worth it to get not only a 2nd opinion but a 3rd, 4th, or whatever it takes! It took me 7 doctors before I found one that could help me (thanks to this board! )... Dr. Foulks is worth the 2 hour drive to Louisville!

It's hard to believe that something so simple like compresses and massage and help so tremendously and that no one ever mentioned it before. I suffered for over a year and half and was miserable. I had to quit jobs, move, etc.. I just want everyone to know that there is hope and if you aren't getting where you need to be w/ your current docs keep searching for a new one that can help.. They are out there..

:

))

**JAH1973** · 01-Sep-2008, 07:48

Like you, no doctor has ever mentioned the massage technique. Although I have read many postings on this board, I am still unsure as to how to do the massage. Is there a specific method for conducting this technique?

One minute compresses? I was told to do a minimum of ten minutes each. Please advise your secret to comfort.

**jenny2008** · 01-Sep-2008, 17:03

I do the compress for a couple of minutes and than the massage.. I usually take the compress off when it cools off which is usually a few minutes. The massage is similiar to what i found in this link.. http://www.agingeye.net/otheragingeye/blepharitis.php

I use a washcloth on top of my finger as I sweep it across my eyelid w/ firm pressure while keeping the eyelid taut . First you need to make sure that you pull your eyelid shut and down over to the side...

I hope the above link helps you . I can hear the oil actually come out while doing the sweep motion.

**jenny2008** · 01-Sep-2008, 18:38

eyelid massage technique

I scanned Dr. Foulks instructions-however, the document is too large to attach here-I have tried several different ways. If you want I can email it to you-just send me your email in a private message.
Thanks..
Jen ")

**bernmee** · 02-Sep-2008, 22:38

The two main tests they use are "tear break up time" and Schirmer's test http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schirmer's_test.

I think what you need to do is get yourself a notebook and start writing notes into it, things ou see on this site, questions you have to ask and answers you got. It is very easy to leave the Dr.'s chair without getting answers to your questions, or not having things fully explained to you. It is important that you realize that you are the person who is most concerned about your health. This is not to say that Dr.'s don't care but you are the person who has to live with the pain/change in lifestyle etc. Many of use here have gone through many Dr.'s just to find the right answer. And when we get it we wonder why it took so long.

Have you been told that you have MGD? I had have just been told I have Rosacea and MGD, and it took a while to be told that. I am on DOxy for this. I find Rebecca's rice baggy great for pain relief. I don't go anywhere without it. i had Lasik in one eye (the eye that now pains me) I don't do massages on that eye because of the "flap" so I don't know much about them. You can't skip on the warm compress though. I do it for a few minutes at a time, until it cools down.

If you think you have candida what about trying to put yourself on an anti-candida diet and see if it makes a difference. It is hard when you are hearing different things from different people, but if you can try something that will help your health , such as a healthier diet, what have you got to lose!

It really seems like you have alot of questions and confusion, but you are in the right site here to have people point you in the right direction.

Good luck.

B.

**JAH1973** · 03-Sep-2008, 16:48

I am really glad to have found this site. I really look forward to reading the posts and not feeling so alone in this. It is amazing to see how many people on this site who have gone through similiar experiences.

I have never been diagnosed with any particular type of dry eye. My current doctor has been the most helpful in this, though. What really impressed me about him is that he knows that there are many other doctors who have more experience in this area than he does. Therefore, he is continually sending me for second, third, fourth, and fifith opinions. I am going to a cornea specialist on the 16th of this month. It took two months to get an appointment with him.... My doctor claims that he has a lot of experience dealing with Dry Eye. Here's hoping!

Does anyone else wake up with swollen eyes and puffy cheeks in the a.m?

Thank you so much for the link. I will be looking at it soon.

**bernmee** · 05-Sep-2008, 12:30

Hi,

yes my eye is often puffy...the eye crease sometimes isn't there. I never knew what this was but i think now it is that the eye lids are inflammed/swollen from the MGD....maybe this is not the case...I will put this on my list of questions to ask my Dr. on tuesday.

B.

**JAH1973** · 13-Sep-2008, 10:35

Just wondering what your doctor's opinion of the swollen eyes was?

I wake up with swollen eyelids and the area under my eyes are usually swollen as well. After taking a shower, the swelling does go down. I am continually washing pillow cases, pillows, clothes, etc. to see if that helps eliminate the problem. There have been three days this week in which the swelling was minimal.

I have an appt on Monday with my Opthalmologist. We may be trying plugs, although I am very nervous about having the temps inserted.

Thanks for your reply.

**bernmee** · 19-Sep-2008, 11:36

I have MGD, Meibolium Gland dysfuncion, a tye of blephitius. This means that the eyelids are inflammed and a little swollen. It took me along time to realised that my eye lid isn't just the eye lid margin, it is what covers the whole of my eye ball.

For me Lasik brought on my MGD. But when I look back at my pre Lasik eye I know that the crease was never very well difined in my left eye, and therefore it always looked a little puffy in the morning. Also I used to really rub that eye hard once or twice a day. This would have been my way of expressing the oil glands. I had two operations on my left eye years ago and I always thought it had something to do with this, but now I realise that I did have a minor eye condition, that unfortunatly has been made worse my Lasik.

I used to take a showever to help with pain relief, it was the only thing that worked. I didn't realise until I was told I had MGD that what I was doing was unblocking the clogged oil glands in my eye, and hence getting pain relief. I use rebecca's rice baggy for that now.

I am not saying you have MGD though, but it is something that you should keep in mind. I was lucky enough to have found a great Dr., my Lasik Dr. told me I didn't have it, and all the clues I got from this site regarding this condition made me go to a great Dr. and guess what I do have it. I am getting treatment and the last few days have been great for me.

With the right treatment I hope it is the same for you.

Let me know how things work out.

Bernadette

Good luck at your apt. Let me know how you get on.

Bernadette

**JAH1973** · 23-Sep-2008, 17:34

I still have no exact dry eye diagnosis from my current doctor. However, I have an appt with a cornea specialist in November. I hope he has some other options to treat my symptoms.

Well, I had the plugs inserted on Friday, but seem to have mucus accumulation in the inner corner of my eyes. Has anyone else ever had this problem?

It felt so good to feel tears in my eyes!!!!! At this point, my doctor and I are waiting until I see the specialist in November to determine whether to insert permanent plugs or not.

In regards to my swelling. Interesting enough, after a month of constant facial swelling, my family doctor decided to do a ct scan of my sinuses. Sure enough, really bad sinus infections....

Prior to this discovery, I was taking Effexor 37.5 mgs. My doctor insisted that I was having panic attacks. Not sure, I agreed to increase the dosage of effexor to 75 mgs. BIG MISTAKE. My eyes burned like crazy. Called him and he suggested just using some of the tears, that should take of it....
Furious, did some research and discovered that Effexor can cause facial swelling, etc. Stopped effexor immediately. Waiting to see if the swelling goes away. The only problem is that I will never know whether it was the antibiotics or the effexor. I guess I willl get over that though.

Thank you for your posts.... Very helpful.

J.

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