Riversol

[Gretchen]

Hi All -

Hope everyone is doing well. It has been a while since I have posted as my eyes have been doing really well since I started IPL about 2 years ago. The IPL has put my most severe, crisis inducing symptoms in remission and I continue to get treated about once every 8 months by Dr Neil Friedman in Palo Alto.

In addition to IPL, I also used Finacea to treat my facial and ocular rosacea. I also used Oracea (doxy 40mg) for about a year. I have tried a lot of different things over the years and generally found that the "big guns" worked best.

About 2 months ago I ordered (on a whim) a product online - which I never do. It is a product called Riversol that a Derm in Canada is making and marketing. I read a short article about Riversol on the Rosacea Support Group (I spend far too much time on these forums...)

http://rosacea-support.org/riversol-...a-product.html

and I decided to order the trial pack. After about 3 weeks, I really noticed a difference in my eyes and my skin. Primarily I noticed that my eyes have been really white and really "quiet". And my face stopped breaking out (I have issues with P&P). I have since stopped using the Finacea. And my rosacea symptoms have really, really quieted down. At first I thought that maybe it was a fluke but when my trial pack ran out and my second order for a full kit got held up in customs, my symptoms began to come back. When I finally did get my order, after 3 weeks, I started to see improvements in my face and eyes again.

For those of you with both facial and ocular rosacea, you may want to try it. I am not a big fan of "alternative" treatments as I never really saw much benefit from them. But this cream seems to really work. I have not heard much about it here in the states so I just thought that I would post my experiences here for anyone that may be looking for help with rosacea related dry eye like me.

I hope that this does not come off sounding like some sort of product plug. I have not been around this site for a while but you can check out some of my past posts to see that I am legit : )

Best,
Gretchen

[Hopeful2]

Hi Gretchen,

First of all, I have no doubt that you are 'legit'. Having scanned many old posts, I certainly recognize your name

I don't believe I have rosacea, but I am wondering if this 'riversol' might help with my MGD dry eye (lasik induced). Where do you apply the cream? Can you post the name of the doctor who manufacture's the product?

By the way, I love reading posts like your's!! It is sooo encouraging to hear from people who have improved! Thank you so much for sharing your 'big guns' with us. I wish you continued improvement and health.

Hopeful2

[spmcc]

Riversol was developed by Dr. Rivers in Vancouver. See http://riversol.com/

[Gretchen]

Hi Hopeful2 -

I really don't know if a product targeted at Rosacea will help Lasik-induced MGD as I am really fuzzy about the mechanisms involved. It has always been my understanding that MGD is usually related to rosacea or a rosacea like inflammatory process in the lids and lid margins. I know that that is somewhat of a controversial point of view but one that is shared by many key opinion leaders including Latkany. It is also possible to have severe ocular rosacea and very mild facial rosacea such that many folks do not think that they even have rosacea. When my eyes began to act up I was totally confused when I got the diagnosis. Now I recognize that I do have some facial rosacea but it is really pretty trivial. My eyes on the other hand are atrocious.

So I don't know. If you suspect that you may have OR and the Lasik exacerbated your symptoms then rosacea treatments could help. Have you tried Doxy and all the other MGD stuff? It could be worth a shot if you have exhausted all the usual stuff (and folks on here usually have)

HTH,
Gretchen

[sazy123]

Thanks for this info!

Gretchen I know IPL helped you, whereas it didnt for me. Did Doxy help you also? (didnt for me).

I might try this but am reluctant to try things any more unless i have a big feeling it will help. My inner eyelids are badly inflammed and i have bad MGD- rosacea related or not- i like your take on rosacea and MGD (allergies is the exemption). Anyway, i have mild facial rosacea- like you. But I wonder how this would help when applied to the face for bad eyelid inflammation....