Introducing myself

[Topher3]

I too had lipiflow done not long ago, 2 weeks. What have you been doing to maintain eye lid hygiene to encourage post lipiflow results? I have not noticed any change within this two weeks. When did you notice changes? Usually people can tell within 2 weeks. This discouraged me.

[EyesOpen]

Topher3, I was assigned "homework": blinking exercises every 30 min. (whenever I can do it), warm compresses, 1,000 mg/day of Omega 3 (I am taking 2,000), some OTC drops. I will do all these the rest of my life, actually.
I noticed no difference, then at 3 weeks, I noticed much more dryness in my eyes--more than I'd ever experienced! Dr. said the oils should be producing by that time, but to hang in there. My eyes stabilized after maybe 3-4 days, and I've noticed improvement that I felt hopeful about, but wasn't sure what to expect at my follow-up discovery.

So this is my story. This procedure made sense to do, in my journey to stabilize these dry eyes (which no eye doc had addressed prior to my cataract surgeries, short of prescribing Xiidra, which is very dangerous to not treat dry eye prior to surgeries, esp.). If this didn't produce, I'd probably have done IPL. I try to take one step at a time, so as to keep some sanity.

Hang in there, doing your "homework" and see what results you have. When's your follow-up? My doc wanted to give it 8 weeks.

[edmunder]

Here is my update. I had my 6-week, post-Lipiflow appt. yesterday.

Osmolarity of tears: L302 R295. The optimum is below 300, so right on high end of preferred numbers, but “no deficiency of aqueous.”

No staining of fluorescein, unlike pre-Lipiflow; this means that my "epithelial is not breaking down."

All MG are producing now, some more than others.

All that said, I still have EBMD, so managing my DE is crucial to avoid RCEs. The possibility of needing PTK is lesser, if I can continue to manage my eyes with blinking, compresses, some good night- and day-time eye protection, and drops. I would like to hold off on the PTK unless RCEs return and night goggles don't prevent.

Having only heard about my narrow angle (now gone), my two dystrophies, and my DED for almost a year now, I am reveling in the news that my eyes are doing so much better.

Great news. Extremely happy to hear you are improving. Keep up all the homework.

[Guest]

Hi, NEWBIE,glad I found your an execellent resource.
The last five years or so I have trouble opening my dry eyes in the morn. I have to pick my eyelid off my eyeball literally.

Lurking on this forum gave me some helpful hints so I brought in my swim googles and showed eye doc. Doc doubting me asked do those swim googles really help you. Yup I said. Then she stuck the papers in my eye and withdrew them 5 min later saying I’m making no tears or fat only mucus. Finally she believed me as I had the same test in 2011 and she said I was fine with my dry eyes.

For the last two years I was telling her I had rapid bad vision in left eye which is the driest eye btw. She kept testing my vision regularly over the last year saying i was fine but admitted maybe my left eye was fluctuating due to mapdot dystrophy. She’s keeping a eye on it but not officially diagnosed. I will find out this Wednesday.

Last June my eyes packed it In and I came in with my first cornea erosion with a ulcer in right eye. Treated with muro128 drops and ointment. Had a few mild erosions since.

Fast forward what is not working and working

Hylo preservative free get drops helpful

xiidra for 6 weeks now helpful

no alcohol, down to one cup coffee a week only. Helpful

swim googles For reading and very little screen time, helpful

No heat in house yet or Ac /bed room humidity 53-68 heat registers covered up. Bowl of water by bed. Helpful

compresses three times day for last 6 weeks along with Luetin, omega, vit d. Not helpful still doing it.

Ointment at night with tranquil eyes not helpful at all.
eyes stuck shut after 2 hours of closing but eyes start sticking after 10 minutes. Can not open easy takes half hour to open eyes with hot compress and gel drops.

Prescribed me 100 mg Doxy but called her back and said I can’t take doxycycline because I have irritable bowel syndrome ( diareaha) hoping this wednessday shell come up with another drug thats gut friendly. Any drug ideas folks?

Sorgrens tests negative but sure I have it. Dry mouth, bad joint etc
Ugh help and sorry for long post but wanted to be thorough.