New Member w/Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)

[SonicEm]

Hi All!

I was diagnosed with MGD a few months ago - I've learned it's also called blepharitis.

So my Eye doc has me doing the following:

1. Azasite 1% opthalmic solution - one month on, one month off. By the end of two weeks without this, my eyes get really bad. This is supposed to be for "inflammation."

2. Systane balance OTC drops 4X/day

3. Hot compress 2X/day, massage eye lids with Q-tip dipped in warm water. I stopped using the baby shampoo as it irritates my eyes.

4. Preservative-free OTC drops as needed (using Systane gel drops or Systane Ultra).

This seems to hold off the symptoms from getting worse but my eyes still feel burning, scratchy and are red.

What works for you?

[Jenn1]

Hi SonicEm, do you know the cause of your dry eye and how long youve had these problems? Also, do you take pills like doxy for your mgd or punctal plugs?

[SonicEm]

Hi SonicEm, do you know the cause of your dry eye and how long youve had these problems? Also, do you take pills like doxy for your mgd or punctal plugs?

Hi Jenn1 - thanks for your reply! My dry eye problem started right after I had pneumonia this past January and was put on a course of Azasite antibiotics (same chemical I'm now putting in my eyes, ironic?). Before that I had not dry problems. I had all the tests for Sjogren's and they all came back negative. So I'm either undiagnosed Sjogren's (it can take years for some to get positive markers) or as I'm now considered a SICCA diagnosis perhaps due to hormones (I'm post-menopausal).

I've been taking mega-doses of HRT since April and my dry mouth has improved significantly. I now take fish oil and that helps the dry eyes/mouth too. I'm not taking doxy (?) nor do I have punctal plugs.

I am still tapering off Klonopin which helped me to sleep during the pneumonia and to which I subsequently became dependent on. It has helped me sleep through a lot of nasty symptoms but I've been gradually tapering off it and should be off it completely within the next few months. After that I plan on using more herbal OTC remedies and sleep as best I can. The Klonopin is known to cause dryness as a side effect.

I hope this gives you some background to my problem - just wanted to run by the regimen I'm on now and see if there is anything out there that might help me with the MGD which seems to be my worst symptom now.

[Jenn1]

SonicEm, I also have mgd and I am by no means an expert, but I can tell you what things to try and help with your mgd and what may not help others may help you. I would imagine that the medications you are already on and medical conditions that you have going on are all contributing to your eye issues to some extent, how much I can not say, you would have to discuss thses with your eye doc. Do you have blepharitis too or aqueous deficiency (again ask your eye doc this)? Doxycycline is an antibiotic used to help with mgd and inflammation, BUT since you are already on so many tablets and medication I would discuss this with both your doctor and eye doc before taking any tablets as they may say its not for you. The plugs are used for a number of reasons but can help your eye drops and also any eye moisture to stay on your eye surface longer sometimes. Also there is flaxseed oil you could try but again make sure it doesnt affect your medication.

Do you also do compresses or not? Not sure if Azasite is a steroid? I'm sure others will pop by with more advice.