New here, had first IPL last week

[LainieLou]

Hi all, new here. Had my first IPL last week

Today, 15:31
Hi, first time posting here.

Thanks to everyone for all the posts. Been following this site for a long time. Thanks to Rebecca Petris for starting it up. It's been such a help.

I've had DES about six years now. Been managing pretty well with drops and night time gel.

Three months ago got much worse with inflamed eyes and since then have been going nuts trying to figure out how to deal with that.

I had my first IPL treatment a couple of weeks ago and it has helped quite a lot. I was told I could benefit most from a total of four in a row to reduce vascularization plus just try and get the glands normalized and oil flowing.

Good luck to all, love this site.

[farmgirl]

Hi Lainie - keep us posted I want to know if it works cause I am planning to try it in the spring when I get back from my winter hideout.....F/G

[BoneDry]

LainieLou - Welcome as I am a "newbie" myself.

Diagnosis is everything. Make sure you are seeing a well knowledgable physician who knows how to diagnose DED (Dry Eye Disease) and propose a treatment plan. With you mentioning IPL, I suspect you have MGD? IPL is most successful for MGD sufferers. If you also have rosacea, IPL is the gold standard as it will treat both.

Lipiflow is another option, However it is very costly and is not as effective in "opening" the glands and get them on their way to normal functioning I think. Lipiflow is $950 per session in my area. IPL is maybe a 1/4 that.

If you indeed have MGD, stay on the IPL path. Usually 4-5 treatments are needed then "maintenance" treatments are needed every few months to a year. Make sure you are also receiving at least the first 2-3 treatments lid "expressions". A LOT of clinics skip this step or are not aware of how-to perform it correctly, if they are not expressing, I would inquire about why they are not.

[LainieLou]

Hi guys. I just came back from my second IPL (going to do four altogether). I'm gonna keep this short because I'm trying to stay off screens now (eyes are temporarily sore and sandy from the treatment, that will pass). I had a very good initial work up & tests, and yes I do have MGD.

Farmgirl, best of luck with your treatment. I hope it works well for you. My inflammation is down just from the first IPL. First time ever had gland expression too, and noticed when I came home, after 5 min warm compress (I do that 2x daily) and eyelid massage, I could see oil coming out, first time in years. So it's helping.

Thanks to you both, Bonedry and Farmgirl for your welcome!

[Pauly83]

LanieLou,
Any update?

[LainieLou]

Hi all, well here is the latest. I started Restasis 2x daily about two weeks ago. I've been on 50mg daily doxycycline for about two months. And I had my third IPL treatment a week ago. Still pretty plugged up glands, but a bit better each time and oil was expressed. So I guess some healing is going on. I hope so.

Inflammation is way less. Condition is pretty stable and I'm able to actually watch some TV and use the computer.

I've been on the Restasis only a short time, so can't speak to a longer term effect, but so far I notice eyes watering a little (which is fine with me). Also I did not realize the Restasis is anti-inflammatory. This is good news for me, as it's the main problem I've been dealing with for six months.

I will have a 4th IPL end of February and I guess after that, in a few months and see where we are.

Thanks for reading and very best of luck working with this difficult challenging health condition, God bless every one.

[farmgirl]

Thanks for the update and I am encouraged that you are feeling better.

[LainieLou]

A new development. Unfortunately I am starting to have swallowing issues, which appear connected with the doxycycline. When I stopped the doxy, they improved. So as of two days ago, I stopped taking the doxycycline. Now I am dealing again with more facial rosacea. Plus more burning eyes. I have not seen the doctor yet. In the meantime, as of today I am doing restasis 3x daily instead of two. It's too bad, because the doxycycline was really helping with inflammation. But I can't live with this side effect with the swallowing.

[farmgirl]

Has the IPL not helped, you are still having burning?

[LainieLou]

Short answer is, I don't know. Burning was way down on doxycycline, but I can't stay on it. I'm doing pretty well, but I notice a difference (increased burning) now that I'm off the doxy. Inflammation started in August. I was told by first doctor that IPL would help shrink the vascularization. I mentioned this to the (different) doctor who did the IPL, that no, it just heats the oils to thin, doesn't really do anything for shrinking blood vessels. I'm like, what the hey, I was led to believe something else. Whatever. I'm now looking into root causes, going to start probiotics.

I was impressed with the first IPL because it was also the first time I had gland expression, and thought great, this is helping. Which it probably is.

But with all the treatments (IPL's, doxy, Lotemax, Restasis) it's difficult to know which one is doing what, based on the timing. Keeping track of all that is hard.