Untreated dry eye Consequences

[MGD1701]

Answer: Gland loss forever, not functional and more difficult/expensive to treat.

Very serious yet, are doctors aware of them? If yes, how could they only recommend OTC drops and not to refer out?
If no, are they qualified? Almost 90% dry eye suffers have MGD yet doctors do not have 5 seconds to check gland function.
Besides, all dry eye will become evaporative type sooner or later, even pure aqueous deficiency, according to TFOS 2017 report.
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twittered by Dry Eye Coach - Nov. 2018

The detrimental effects of Dry Eye (physical, emotional, financial) can be quite significant.
If left untreated, some people may develop
Corneal ulcers, Corneal scars and rarely, even loss of vision

Complications of untreated dry eye can include:
Ocular discomfort Transient fluctuations in vision Damage to the front surface of the eye (the cornea)
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I visited +15 doctors just ONE DECENT doctor said, ''sorry, can not help,'' on the 2nd visit (wasted 6 months time).
All doctors only recommended (wrong) artifical tears with no lipid. That was almost 2.5 years ago.
She didn't refer me but was HONEST so I know I should look for other doctors.

Recently I re-visited the doctor who treated me for years still only recommended OTC drops, spent 1 min, and said:
to follow up in 1 year and never saw gland images when I presented mine.

LipiFlow + pure HOCL NatraSan spray (I have found, Avenova alternative) solved my problems
Paid LipiFlow to save glands which helped. Out of curiosity, I tried and found the pure HOCL spray, NatraSan, on the 3rd attempt, more than 1.5 years ago, no more watery/discharge - despites all doctors said I had no inflammation. Before LipiFlow only ointment gave me relief during the day, a very bad idea as NEVER done lid hygiene nor compress - NO doctors told me.

Yes, I have paid huge price by placing trust on WRONG doctors.
I totoally disagree that dry eye only affects quality of life,
could be no life, no income and how to pay expensive treatments to stop the progression?

[MGD1701]

A famous professor in USA mentioned in a workshop that she shows images to patients
how the normal glands should look like and how patients' look like
and if left untreated, become housebound due to (super) light, wind, dry air sensitivity etc.
= no life, no income
I like her approach as we should know what to expect, right?

[Shell259]

MGD1701 just interested to what counts as treatment? Warm compress and eye drops? Or are we talking lipiflow and IPL?

[MGD1701]

Depends on the severity. But when one has discomforts, mostly are already more than mild.
It deveops slow and about 50% have no symptoms. So, the key is doctors must examine gland function as
when glands are gone - it is forever & glands could look normal but no function.
Dry eye/MGD is much easier/cheaper to treat at early stage.

The key is get an accurate diagnose as only objective data = effective treatment = stop the progression
I know many experts in USA do so on the 1st visit and normally they can put things under control in 3-4 visits.

If try all things, still suffer, then other masqueraders involved. More
http://forum.dryeyezone.com/forum/dr...=time_lastweek

More, read my old post
http://forum.dryeyezone.com/forum/ar...a-tea-tree-oil

[MGD1701]

from DryEyeCoach twitter Dec. 5 2018

Dry eye is a disease and must be treated and maintained to prevent it from being a chronic problem.
A majority of dry eyes is caused by MGD or meibomian gland dysfunction.

[MGD1701]

maybe someone wants to know

''People with dry eyes may develop mucus in or around their eyes.
There can be pain and redness in the eye, a feeling of heavy eyelids or blurred, changing or decreased vision.
People with more severe cases of dry dryeye often are also sensitive to light.''

From DryEyeCoach

[MGD1701]

Found this informative/excellent lecture/video, update on dry eye, which Dr Sumit Garg, USA, 2017 mentioned,
*if left untreated, the end state Dry Eye / ocular surface disease would be with pictures
such as Corneal ulcers, Corneal scars, etc. - very difficult to treat --- from 9:00

*Q & A: Avenova, saline vs artifical drop, rosacea vs allergy

Lastly, treat dry eye proactively & dry eye is certainly manageable, if treated properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U42y3flvO2w

[MGD1701]

This is one of my favourite videos, by Professor/Dr Michael Lawless, University of Sydney, 2016, who mentioned
dry eye is progressive and largely preventable, inflammation is the key factor.

I have visited +15 doctors and have realized 2.5 years ago that I have to educate myself for accurate/up-to-date information
as there are no standards nor legal issues for doctors to treat
from OTC drops (= no treatment to stop progression for me sadly for years) to Restasis etc.

I have read doctors earn little money from treating dry eye but to detect it really costs no extra money/time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dLHueBWPhA&t=12s

[MGD1701]

DryEyeCoach twitter, 12.14
''More advanced dry eye disease requires managment of underlying ophthalmic and systemic conditions,
as well as more aggressive therapie to protect the ocular surface.''

My question: Why people become advanced? Very sad as it is preventable!

[MGD1701]

I have heard/read several experts (from USA) mentioned that many doctors do not even know such issue is related to dry eye.
& happen to read the following.
---------------------------------

from DryEyeCoach twitter, including the image
''Complications of an untreated dry eye can include transient fluctuations in vision''

[MGD1701]

The other day I watched a video (2016), a famous old professor mentioned when he recommened LipiFlow, patients asked him,
''why their previous doctors did not detect/treat/save their glands earlier''??
This is my question too. Do I have choice not to do expensive LipiFlow? No. At least, it helped.

[Milo007]

from DryEyeCoach twitter, including the image
''Complications of an untreated dry eye can include transient fluctuations in vision''

Several experts (from USA) mentioned that many doctors do not even know such issue is related to dry eye.

I too have transient fluctuation in vision. Is this condition permanent?

[Rebecca Petris]

NO it's not permanent. It's absolutely normal to have visual fluctuations when the tear film is unstable. And quite frankly, while some doctors are more sensitized than others to the effects on vision from dry eye, I think that this statement "Several experts (from USA) mentioned that many doctors do not even know such issue is related to dry eye" is overstated and misleading.

Doctors have been talking about computer vision syndrome, for example - which includes vision fluctuation - for decades... this is not a new thing. It's not something scary and new to worry about

[Milo007]

NO it's not permanent. It's absolutely normal to have visual fluctuations when the tear film is unstable. And quite frankly, while some doctors are more sensitized than others to the effects on vision from dry eye, I think that this statement "Several experts (from USA) mentioned that many doctors do not even know such issue is related to dry eye" is overstated and misleading.

Doctors have been talking about computer vision syndrome, for example - which includes vision fluctuation - for decades... this is not a new thing. It's not something scary and new to worry about

Thanks for the clarification Rebecca Petris

I was really getting panicky with my visual fluctuations. Often I see things blurry for a few seconds and also I do have a slow refocusing time when trying to see distant objects after performing near sighted activities like reading or staring at my smartphone for a few minutes.

[MGD1701]

Read this today, DryEyeCoach Sept. 2018

''If dryeye is left untreated, it can be harmful. Excessive dry eye can damage tissue and
possibly scar the sensitive corneal tissues of your eye, impairing vision.''