new kid - don't even know if I have MGD/Blepharitis

[herefishy]

Hi, I've had a watery eye for a couple of years and my doc says dry eyes - just use eye drops. OK, but it still is watery, so I started looking here. Started the 3 step process, lid scrub, heat, massage, and it might be a tad bit better, but it got me to wondering - step 1 should be how it looks, right? Looks pretty normal to me. Step 2 for me is look in the mirror after the heat and see if I can express Meibomian oil. Nothing I can see, but my main question, I guess, is should I be able to see the oil on the lid margin?
I hate to bother all you folks who have major problems with this one that seems so trivial in comparison, but would appreciate knowing if I'm even on the right track.

[LaDiva]

Hi herefishy,
Many people here say they cannot see oil, and some of us can. I can because I use a magnifying mirror and have a good light source. (Mirror is next to a window, and I also have a small flashlight.) If your glands are plugged or capped, the orifices will appear white, or you might have something that looks like tiny clear blisters. Blinking causes the oil to deposit on the eye surface, so sometimes after a hot compress you can see an oil slick on the surface of the eye, or oil/gunk coming out of the glands. If someone in your house has a high magnification makeup mirror and a good light source, you should be able to see something. If you don't need hot compresses, more power to you. I wouldn't do it if I didn't need it.

One final thought- sometimes the canals that drain tears away from the eye become plugged and this can cause water eyes. Since you have been to the eye doctor, he must have check this out. I have a friend who had surgery for over tearing, and unfortunately it didn't help. His eyes don't hurt, which is great, but he does a lot of "dabbing"!

Best wishes.

[herefishy]

Hi herefishy,
Many people here say they cannot see oil, and some of us can. I can because I use a magnifying mirror and have a good light source. (Mirror is next to a window, and I also have a small flashlight.) If your glands are plugged or capped, the orifices will appear white, or you might have something that looks like tiny clear blisters. Blinking causes the oil to deposit on the eye surface, so sometimes after a hot compress you can see an oil slick on the surface of the eye, or oil/gunk coming out of the glands. If someone in your house has a high magnification makeup mirror and a good light source, you should be able to see something. If you don't need hot compresses, more power to you. I wouldn't do it if I didn't need it.

One final thought- sometimes the canals that drain tears away from the eye become plugged and this can cause water eyes. Since you have been to the eye doctor, he must have check this out. I have a friend who had surgery for over tearing, and unfortunately it didn't help. His eyes don't hurt, which is great, but he does a lot of "dabbing"!

Best wishes.

Thanks, I've been recommended for a "DCR" surgery to enhance that draining, but I'm not a good candidate for it. Seem to have enough draining to take care of it, but do plenty of "dabbing".
About the oil - will look for an oil slick and some oil after compresses. This am I left the compresses on for much longer than usual and also used my rice baggie over a damp rag. Seemed like my watery eye wasn't so bad after.

[Merka]

I also have 10 x magnifying mirror and since I don't have MGD and I have 4 plugs, I can see oil in my tear film. It actually looks like oil on the water. Plugs work for me really well because my tear film quality is fine, but there is just not enough tears. I have never had watering eye. If ur eye is watering due to bad quality of tears then plugs are not an optin, u should do hot compresses.

[herefishy]

Guess I'll get a magnifying mirror