1 Month In, I need some help

[Aster]

Hello everyone,

I'm a 19 year old male who, about a month ago, got dry eyes and foreign body sensation that never went away.

I've been to around 5 eye doctors (2 Optometrists and 3 Ophthalmologists).

So essentially, one night I just rubbed my eyes and then I instantly started feeling heaviness in my eyes and the next day I started to feel that my tears would evaporate very fast which, to this date, has not gone away.

One Dr said I have mild blepharitis, but my TBUT is extremely low and I don't actually have swollen or inflamed eyelids (the inside is red though). I used steroid eye drops with warm compresses but I feel that my tear evaporation is actually getting worse.

Another Dr said something like MGD + 1 and TBUT + 4 during the examination. I think this is a code for something, does anyone know what this means?

A few have lifted my eyelids, but just said it was red.
I actually think I might have SLK (Superior Limbic Keratoconjunctivis) because the upper part of my eye is red (but I do have red veins in all parts of my eyes). Maybe they missed the diagnoses because it's an uncommon disease?

Does anyone think that I might have SLK? I mean I have this foreign body sensation, but can SLK be caused by me rubbing my eyes once? Could this foreign body sensation be only due to blepharitis?

Can SLK cause MGD through chronic inflammation?

I also notice that, if I shine a light at an angle towards my eye, I see like creases above my cornea (does SLK cause horizontal creases or are these uneven lines supposed to be there? I thought the conjunctiva was supposed to be flat).

I also use the computer a lot, so could this be some form of posterior blepharitis caused by me rubbing my eyelids triggering some form of computer induced MGD?

It's just so strange that literally overnight I wake up with tears that just would evaporate so fast, I'm not given much of a warning.

The foreign body sensation is literally always there if I as much as look up and just move my eye side to side.

Also when I express with a Q-Tip, white stuff does come out lol... it's only a bit though. Should I look into LipiFlow?

Should I do cold compresses though? I mean I heard it can actually like stagnate the meibum... but it might help with inflammation.

[bcn90]

For most people the severe symptoms started overnight, For me was in october 2018, went to bed like normal, and woke up with a horrible feeling and all this nightmare started,
You must have the glands blocked or partially loss or atrophy like most of us, You should do ur meibography and then decide what treatment can work for you,
You should stop rubbing your eyes, and keep daily lid hygien with some tea trea oil formula and hypoclorus acid spray and start using Hylogel and Lipolac gel, and night gel. Meibomian gland probing may work for you if you still have the glands, check Dr ****** online, many doctors do this procedure that this dr created,

[Aster]

For most people the severe symptoms started overnight, For me was in october 2018, went to bed like normal, and woke up with a horrible feeling and all this nightmare started,
You must have the glands blocked or partially loss or atrophy like most of us, You should do ur meibography and then decide what treatment can work for you,
You should stop rubbing your eyes, and keep daily lid hygien with some tea trea oil formula and hypoclorus acid spray and start using Hylogel and Lipolac gel, and night gel. Meibomian gland probing may work for you if you still have the glands, check Dr ****** online, many doctors do this procedure that this dr created,

You're right. I actually took a meibography recently and I have 50% gland atrophy (a bit more on some glands) in both eyes!

I'm only 19 so this is extremely difficult to deal with.

I also have aqueous deficiency. 1mm for the Left Eye and 5mm for the Right Eye.

I feel lost honestly, I cannot believe this happened so suddenly...

[Bakagan]

Hello and welcome!

[bcn90]

I understand your suffering, you should find a dry eye specialist in your area who can help you ASAP, as the glands will atrophy if you dont take action.
You should do a blood test to look for some sistemic disease like sjogren or other autoinmunne that affects the lacrimal glands. I think 3 or 4 sessions of Optima IPL would work for you to reactivate the meibomian glands, i tried it and helped me a bit, also you can be better with some supplements. Maqui berry increases tear production naturally, you can buy online in supplement or maqui berry powder and mix it with juices for your breakfast, Also por the MG you should be taking omega 3 and also omega 7 helped me. is there a way to contact you via skype or something? i see the are no private messages here.