Need help with info about MGD please?

[eyes78]

I have been firmly (by 2 Dr's now) diagnosed with MGD. I sought a 2nd opinion because the first Dr. wasn't very informative and seemed to really push the Lipiflow, which I can't afford right now.
The 2nd Dr. said my secretions were the consistency of toothpaste, which scares the hell out of me (after doing research about MGD).

Can anyone help me with these questions (which I realize I should have asked yesterday but I was overwhelmed):

1. Is it possible to get the meibum back to the healthy liquidy consistency? How?

2. Is it ok to do warm compresses 3 times per day?

3. The Dr. said to use Ocusoft on the INSIDE rims of my eyes (where the glands are)? This stings. Couldn't this make my dry eyes worse?

4. I'm on doxycycline but only for 30 days. Is this enough?

5. Any other helpful tips?

My current treatment:

Restasis
Doxy 50mg/day
Theratears Nutrition (fish/flax oil blend) 6 capsules/day
Warm (110 degrees) compresses
Lid scrubs

I also take an SSRI, how worried should I be about it's possible drying effects?

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[cathy8889]

Hello, I've just recently been diagnosed with non obvious mgd, I've was taking doxycycline 100mg for 6 weeks and now moving on to 50mg for possibly another 6-9 months, they have helped me a great deal. When I first got diagnosed I was doing hot compresses three times a day or more, basically whenever my eyes felt gritty (I did end up making my lids sore doing this), I now do them two times a day and can really tell if I forget to do one. I only wipes the outer parts of my lids, I did wipe along inside for a bit but it irritated me too much. Sometimes i did a cold compress after hot compress to calm eyes down.I would really like to have lipiflow done too, I read somewhere that this is usually a last resort but if people actually did it earlier on in their diagnosis it would be more beneficial. I also take 4 omega threes per day and sea buckthorn oil. I'm still figuring things out, hope things get better for you, I can see tiny progress each week, I was putting drops in twice an hour 2 months ago and now I only have to put them in when my eyes feel a bit scratchy, I think the doxycycline really made the difference and might be worth you pushing to be on it for longer, but im not sure.

Cath x

[eyes78]

Cath, thank you so much for responding. Sometimes I feel so alone (in the real world) and it means a lot to communicate with people who have similar issues.

I will ask the Dr. next time about extending the doxy use. Thank you also for all your other info about your treatment. I'm encouraged for myself and very glad for you that it is all helping and making a difference in your issue.

[cathy8889]

I'm sorry you're feeling so alone, We are all here with you and completely understand how you feel, I was so lonely from feb until I started proper treatment last month, it just changes your whole life and leaves you feeling so down. Don't know what I would have done without this forum and lovely people I've met on here. I hope the doxy makes a difference.

Cath x

[Minni]

I'm not currently in a position to afford expensive doctors, thus never (as yet) offered any fancy-named diagnoses.

I don't necessarily have MGD, but in a nutshell, what many of us really need is portable Blephasteam type goggles to maintain a mini environment anywhere we go.

Not just in bed.
Not just at computer.
Rather - everywhere.

Some tips:

I sometimes drink both Oolong tea as well as Berry/hibiscus tea.
Then alternatingly lay each eye on rim of the filled tea mug.
Allowing the steam to rise up toward each eye, giving each eye a turn.
Then gently press the squeezed out bags (alternatingly) onto my close eyelids.
I get relief from that. (Not a cure, but relief.
Ditto with both coffee and basic tea...

[eyes78]

Thank you Minni. I will look into all of that. I appreciate your input very much. I was reading about blephasteam and didn't see that it was available in the US - but maybe it is. Or I could just do a homemade steam, I suppose.

[cathy8889]

I bought blephasteam goggles last week, they were so expensive, I tried them on Sunday and they didn't even feel that hot, but I think I need to try using them again.

[Minni]

Thank you Minni. I will look into all of that. I appreciate your input very much. I was reading about blephasteam and didn't see that it was available in the US - but maybe it is. Or I could just do a homemade steam, I suppose.

Your guess is as good as mine. I myself read about both blephasteam & JINS on these forums. But all this stuff has yet to become actualized and practicallized for your average mortals who are in trouble due to the plethora of vicious EMFs & chemicals emitted by worldwide electronics.

[Rebecca Petris]

I'm not currently in a position to afford expensive doctors, thus never (as yet) offered any fancy-named diagnoses.

Not sure what exactly you mean by expensive doctors, but I want to say it is not necessary to go to some unusually expensive or bigname specialist to get a thorough diagnosis. Some of the best dry eye doctors are know are unassuming people and price their services in a normal range. You do however have to do your research to find somebody who understands ocular surface disease well and, even more, to go prepared with enough specific questions that you can come away with the diagnostic information you need. Doctors often see the all the right things but don't always talk about what they're seeing. I've seen this time and again with patients whose doctors didn't say much but when they got their medical records they found lots of information that was new to them.

[Rebecca Petris]

I have been firmly (by 2 Dr's now) diagnosed with MGD. I sought a 2nd opinion because the first Dr. wasn't very informative and seemed to really push the Lipiflow, which I can't afford right now.
The 2nd Dr. said my secretions were the consistency of toothpaste, which scares the hell out of me (after doing research about MGD).

Don't panic. True of a lot of people but doesn't mean you have an awful prognosis.

1. Is it possible to get the meibum back to the healthy liquidy consistency? How?

Wish there was an easy one-size-fits-all answer to that. Sigh.

2. Is it ok to do warm compresses 3 times per day?

Personally I would not do that much heat unless specifically advised to by somebody I trusted. No sense overdoing stuff. I do know some people though who have immediate symptom improvement after compresses.

3. The Dr. said to use Ocusoft on the INSIDE rims of my eyes (where the glands are)? This stings. Couldn't this make my dry eyes worse?

The point is to clear any debris from the narrow bit of skin between the base of your lashes and where the edge meets the eye. You might explore different lidscrub products to find one more comfortable for you but with a similar effect... tolerance varies. Are you using the foam or the little towelettes? Regular or extra strength?

4. I'm on doxycycline but only for 30 days. Is this enough?

You'll find out when you get there. Can always keep going. Nice to have a conservative doctor though. Don't really like those that recommend it in perpetuity. Make sure you take probiotics.

5. Any other helpful tips?

Share your most bothersome symptoms and we'll do our best.

I also take an SSRI, how worried should I be about it's possible drying effects?

Not. I mean worrying doesn't help, and treating depression/anxiety is important especially when facing this kind of eye issue.

Hang in there

[eyes78]

Thank you so much Rebecca.
To answer your questions, I'm using regular Ocusoft towlettes. My most bothersome symptom is burning that starts midday and gets worse.
Thanks for the reassurance about the SSRI. I will keep taking it for sure.

[Rebecca Petris]

Personally... I prefer the foam. I would not personally be comfortable trying to wipe the lid margins with those towelettes without touching my eyes. Massaging the foam in there with my lids closed works better for me. You might consider exploring other lid wipe products. Ocusoft foam is very, very gentle but everyone has different tolerances. I spoke with someone today who has very sensitive eyes & she has been having good success with i-Lid. Cliradex works well for some people apparently esp. with demodex mites. And there's umpteen others out on the market these days... seems like every time I turn around I come across a new lidscrub product.

[eyes78]

Thanks Rebecca. I also purchased the Theratears Sterilid foam. It has tea tree oil in it.

So with the foam, how do you clean the inner rims (where the glands are)? Do you dip a q-tip in the foam, or just use your fingers, or?

Thank you so much.

[Minni]

I'm weary at this stage of babying doctors, let alone doing their research for them. I remember once spending hours culling articles here & there from a long PDF. (I was merely humoring a know-it-all author who'd emailed me the PDF), and it was all for nothing anyway, since the doctor dismissed it in one fell swoop (just as I'd predicted to her). Doctors have barely ever helped me.

The reason I've become cautious re: going out on a limb with expensive stuff - is because expensive stuff (including doctors) have barely ever helped me. Conversely, there were some budget stuff (such as yummy real food) which did help me. NOT way-out pills, NOT foot-patches, MSM, H2O2, Immunocal, or much more in that vein.
...Rather, natural/fun stuff.

Oh, granted, once a doctor prescribed silvadene for a burn which helped. But mostly, professionals have either not helped, or else harmed.

I have a HUGE file with records of therapies/ists spanning decades.
No, not just for eye health - my lists boggle the mind.
It includes an opthamologist I'd visited in the 80's or 90's complaining of stabbing eye pain.
Do you think the big shot offered one word of warning that computers were my probable culprit?
No way - doctors have never been oracles. In fact, the SCIO is way more similar to an oracle.

[littlemermaid]

Minni, Are you wasting your time with doctors? Do you keep busy working away from the computer and socialising? I noticed you are good at woodwork but forgot to wear essential eye protection.