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Update and very good news!
Hello all,
I am not a longtime poster but I have browsed this forum for the last few months. Here's my initial thread:
http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=4485
1. Started wearing contacts in 1992. Poor hygiene throughout entire contact wearing phase.
2. Fast forward 2003, my eye doctor says I have GPC from contacts but I can still wear them. I never tried nor was advised by any eye specialists to treat the GPC until 2007.
3. 2004 or so I start noticing a white discharge that looks like sleep forming throughout the day in the inner corner of my eyes that needs to be constantly cleaned out. Made me EXTREMELY self conscious at all times as the discharge could come back seconds after I just cleaned it or it may take hours so talking face to face with people was a nightmare wondering if the white discharge was there or not.
4. 2004-2006 eyes are super uncomfortable, dry, itchy, always red, and constant white discharge/collection at the inner corners. Cannot leave contacts in more than 10 hours or so.
5. January 2007 Intra-Lasik surgery (hoping to alleviate my eyes by removing the need for contacts and cure the white discharge). The surgery itself was a success - I've had zero complications and have perfect vision. The white discharge never cleared up and my eyes were still itchy and uncomfortable.
6. June/July 2007 saw new optometrist about uncomfortable eyes/discharge and he put me on Lotemax (just for a couple weeks - the eye doc said my GPC was pretty much gone at that point) and Restasis (still on). It seemed the combination helped a tiny bit initially as far as the white discharge but the itchy eyes persisted.
7. It was at this point I really started using the internet to learn about eye conditions (how I stumbled onto this site). Found out about Ocusoft Lid Scrubs and gave them a try. Immediate relief - it was like my eyes were refreshed. Unfortunately, the dry scratchy feeling came back every four or so hours so on the first day I'd use the eyelid scrubs over and over and my eyes got a wee bit irritated. (Just to shorten, I also tried Sterilid and Ocusoft Foaming Eye Scrub and the Foaming Scrub is the best). The white discharge would go away for a bit but would always come back. But after a couple weeks of using the lid scrubbing products, my eyes felt much better (now I only wash eyes in the AM and PM).
8. OK, so at this point, I have solved my dry, itchy feeling (dirty eyelids I guess - maybe a mild case of blepharitis is all I can guess). But the white discharge is still there, although a bit less production than initially. Well, here's where I did something bad but I am getting VERY GOOD results. I still had Lotemax from the earlier GPC treatment and started using it again. I know it's a steroid but these days, the steroids are much safer than in the past. My eyes are doing better than they ever have. No white discharge and eyes still feel pretty refreshed (aside from when I put the Restasis drops or Lotemax in them). I plan to wean myself off the Lotemax (wk1:4drops/day, wk2:3drops/day, etc) or until it runs out - whichever comes first. I'm just hoping that the white discharge symptoms don't come back (that the GPC is under control).
So I'm thinking maybe I had to take care of my eyelid irritations via the lid scrubs first before I could address the GPC/white discharge. My reasoning for this was that the "dirty" eyelids were a constant irritant to my eye, causing my GPC to flare up even after being treated. Once I eliminated the source, I still had/have to finish off the last remnants of GPC to stop the production of white discharge (mucous) and now the Lotemax is working on the GPC without the interference of any irritants.
You know, this is long and it made me realize how much time I've spent on eye research! Sorry for the long post but I just wanted to share my (hopefully) successful story. And I think it also illustrates that my eye problems may have indeed driven me insane....
I am not a longtime poster but I have browsed this forum for the last few months. Here's my initial thread:
http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=4485
1. Started wearing contacts in 1992. Poor hygiene throughout entire contact wearing phase.
2. Fast forward 2003, my eye doctor says I have GPC from contacts but I can still wear them. I never tried nor was advised by any eye specialists to treat the GPC until 2007.
3. 2004 or so I start noticing a white discharge that looks like sleep forming throughout the day in the inner corner of my eyes that needs to be constantly cleaned out. Made me EXTREMELY self conscious at all times as the discharge could come back seconds after I just cleaned it or it may take hours so talking face to face with people was a nightmare wondering if the white discharge was there or not.
4. 2004-2006 eyes are super uncomfortable, dry, itchy, always red, and constant white discharge/collection at the inner corners. Cannot leave contacts in more than 10 hours or so.
5. January 2007 Intra-Lasik surgery (hoping to alleviate my eyes by removing the need for contacts and cure the white discharge). The surgery itself was a success - I've had zero complications and have perfect vision. The white discharge never cleared up and my eyes were still itchy and uncomfortable.
6. June/July 2007 saw new optometrist about uncomfortable eyes/discharge and he put me on Lotemax (just for a couple weeks - the eye doc said my GPC was pretty much gone at that point) and Restasis (still on). It seemed the combination helped a tiny bit initially as far as the white discharge but the itchy eyes persisted.
7. It was at this point I really started using the internet to learn about eye conditions (how I stumbled onto this site). Found out about Ocusoft Lid Scrubs and gave them a try. Immediate relief - it was like my eyes were refreshed. Unfortunately, the dry scratchy feeling came back every four or so hours so on the first day I'd use the eyelid scrubs over and over and my eyes got a wee bit irritated. (Just to shorten, I also tried Sterilid and Ocusoft Foaming Eye Scrub and the Foaming Scrub is the best). The white discharge would go away for a bit but would always come back. But after a couple weeks of using the lid scrubbing products, my eyes felt much better (now I only wash eyes in the AM and PM).
8. OK, so at this point, I have solved my dry, itchy feeling (dirty eyelids I guess - maybe a mild case of blepharitis is all I can guess). But the white discharge is still there, although a bit less production than initially. Well, here's where I did something bad but I am getting VERY GOOD results. I still had Lotemax from the earlier GPC treatment and started using it again. I know it's a steroid but these days, the steroids are much safer than in the past. My eyes are doing better than they ever have. No white discharge and eyes still feel pretty refreshed (aside from when I put the Restasis drops or Lotemax in them). I plan to wean myself off the Lotemax (wk1:4drops/day, wk2:3drops/day, etc) or until it runs out - whichever comes first. I'm just hoping that the white discharge symptoms don't come back (that the GPC is under control).
So I'm thinking maybe I had to take care of my eyelid irritations via the lid scrubs first before I could address the GPC/white discharge. My reasoning for this was that the "dirty" eyelids were a constant irritant to my eye, causing my GPC to flare up even after being treated. Once I eliminated the source, I still had/have to finish off the last remnants of GPC to stop the production of white discharge (mucous) and now the Lotemax is working on the GPC without the interference of any irritants.
You know, this is long and it made me realize how much time I've spent on eye research! Sorry for the long post but I just wanted to share my (hopefully) successful story. And I think it also illustrates that my eye problems may have indeed driven me insane....