Starbursts and ghosting, dry eye sensation without actual dryness.. HELP

[Hokucat]

Yes definitely warm compresses if that helps you, maybe even 2x daily. Many in this forum have found compresses helpful and are experts at which compress masks are best, the ideal temperature, how long to leave it on, etc. I’m sure they will chime in on this.

I forgot to mention compresses as they never really helped me, it actually irritated my eyes more, plus I have not used them for a few years! But for many warm and sometimes cold comoresses are a daily necessity.

Besides the blinking exercises and breaks, try at least one of the other things I mentioned above in my previous post if warm compresses don’t help soon. You don’t want to give your glands the chance to get too blocked up again.

[phenix01]

Thanks Hokucat I'll keep that in mind and bring it up with my Dr when I speak to him. post-probig instruction were warm compresses 1x/day. Maybe I need something more aggressive. Maybe I should try gland expressions? doesn't look hard to do with the right equipment.
#justwantmynormallifeback

[Hokucat]

phenix01 , it’s good news that probing appeared to unblock additional glands besides those unblocked from LipiFlow. Those additional glands might have had scar tissue LipiFlow could not unblock, did you probing doctor mention it seemed like some of your glands had scar tissue as he was probing them? That’s when I found out I had scar tissue.

Either way, from LipiFlow and probing you know that your glands were blocked, and when unblocked your glands your eyes felt more moist and better. Even though it didn’t last, I would consider that a success, as that’s a key first step. After several probe procedures, each time my eyes would feel better and more moist for ~week, then revert back to severe dryness, until I found the right diet changes to help my meibomian glands (and lacrimal glands) to better function so they didn’t get so blocked up again. So as you suspect, you likely now need to find what thing(s) help your glands function better now that you’ve done significant unblocking and see there are oils underneath all that...it might be maintenance LipiFlows, IPLs, expression, diet changes, doxycycline, etc. or some combination of those. Everyone is different what works.

Also keep up the blinking exercises regularly (every 20 minutes is usually recommended), and make sure to take regular breaks from using electronic devices.

phenix01 , it’s good news that probing appeared to unblock additional glands in addition to those unblocked from LipiFlow. Those additional glands might have had scar tissue that LipiFlow could not unblock, did you probing doctor mention it seemed like some of your glands had scar tissue as he was probing them? That’s when I found out I had scar tissue.

Either way, from LipiFlow and probing you know that your glands were blocked, and when these unblocked your glands your eyes felt more moist and better. Even though it didn’t last, I would consider that a success, as that’s a key first step. After several probe procedures, each time my eyes would feel better and more moist for ~week, then revert back to severe dryness, until I found the right diet changes to help both my meibomian glands (and lacrimal glands) to better function so they didn’t get so blocked up again. So as you suspect, you likely now need to find what thing(s) help your glands function better now that you’ve done significant unblocking and see there are oils underneath all that...it might be maintenance LipiFlows, IPLs, expression, diet changes, doxycycline, etc. or some combination of those.

Also keep up the blinking exercises regularly (every 20 minutes is usually recommended), and make sure to take regular breaks from using electronic devices.

[ebi1368]

I have been doing blinking exercise for last 3 weeks. I am doing my first IPL next week. I will start a thread after I got the first one. I am also seeing an allergy doctor next week. I have seen in this forum that people got dry eye from allergy.

I am really concerned that my cornea might lost its sensation and nerve did not grow back. Do you feel any kind of pain in your cornea? I just feel the pain and burning in my scleral and corner of my eyes.

[phenix01]

I am having the same issue as you have. I am thinking I lost my cornea sensation due to lasik. Have you tried serum. I am going to ask my doctor about it. It supposed to help nerve regeneration.

Also, do you know if your are a partial blinker or not? When I did lipiview, 80% of my blinks were partial.

Have not tried serum. Let me know what you Dr. says. Lipiview didn't really reaveal partial blinking but I've been in frton of a computer all day for years, so definitely blinking less.

[ebi1368]

Perhaps aggressive expression/lipiflow treatment is needed after probing since glands were idle for so long and take time to go back to it? I really don't know..

I am having the same issue as you have. I am thinking I lost my cornea sensation due to lasik. Have you tried serum. I am going to ask my doctor about it. It supposed to help nerve regeneration.

Also, do you know if your are a partial blinker or not? When I did lipiview, 80% of my blinks were partial.

[phenix01]

Eye were much more white after probing and for 2 weeks, now eyes are back to being red a bit. Eyes burn and feel tired at night.
My eyes don,t feel as moist anymore. Talking to dr soon, will update everybody.

Perhaps aggressive expression/lipiflow treatment is needed after probing since glands were idle for so long and take time to go back to it? I really don't know..

For two weeks after operations, my eyes were much more white, now theyre back to being a bit red. Eyes burn at the end of the day. I can feel the breezes on my unprotected eyes.
My eyes simply aren't as moist right now. Perhaps due to inflammation, I hope glands didn't reblock so quickly. Speaking to dr soon..

Perhaps lipiflow could help now that my glands are unblocked. Perhaps aggressive gland expression is needed after probing since glands were idle for a year and need to get back to it.

I really don't know.

[MGD1701]

it seems like my eyes aren't producing any kind of tears for 2 days now.
I am a bit concerned. Before I could feel the aqua and lipid tears, now those seem much more scarce.

Thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear that. Are you sure no enviormental factors?
How did you detect eyes are not producing tears? How do your eyes feel exactly, dry, gritty...?

[ebi1368]

phenix01 I am so sorry to hear that. Whenever I look at my eyes in the mirror, I see there is moisture on top of my lower lid. Some of the doctors tell me I do not have dry eye. I guess I am not lacking aqua phase that much. Do you see that when you look at the mirror too?

[phenix01]

Two weekd update:

A bit tougher after two weeks. While everything was going well for the first two weeks, it seems like my eyes aren't producing any kind of tears for 2 days now.
I am a bit concerned. Before I could feel the aqua and lipid tears, now those seem much more scarce.

Will follow up with my Dr...

[MGD1701]

blephartis vs allergy

Just happen to read this recently, according to Walter O. Whitley, OD, FAAO
''Ask patients about common ocular suface diseasae symptoms such as dryness, blurred vision, or itching.
Localize if itching is along the lids (blepharitis) or inner canthus (allergy)''

[quattroboy]

My understanding is thet PRK is actually much less risky than Lasik, it doesn't cut nerves since it doesn't create a flap. I would never do Lasik twice (not even once with what I know now) but PRK seems fine. PRK is simply not used as much as Lasik since it cannot provide correction for people with big prescriptions.

I strongly recommend you don't have any form of laser surgery on your eyes. PRK is as dangerous as LASIK.

Join the Facebook group, plenty of people suffering after having second procedures, include PRK!

Corneal Laser "doctors/surgeons" are not to be trusted.

[ebi1368]

I looked for the quote from your post above (“I developed starbursts...”) but I couldn’t find it in the link you provided.

Here she said in another post.
http://forum.dryeyezone.com/forum/dr...t-from-dry-eye

Can you provide a link to the eye drop you use?

The eye drop I bought is Hylo Dual. It is a canadian brand but it is very good. This eye drop is both preservative free and lubricant. Let me know if you can find it in US.

https://www.amazon.ca/Candorvision-H...65918477&psc=1

Is your upper lid a bit inflamed? Mine is a bit. I do not know if it s blephartis or allergy. This dry eye disease it is like maze but I am sure we can make it.