Tear break up test? Help!

[autumnn]

I need help!
I thought I was making progress- some days have felt more tolerable than others and I have actually had some "good" days but then I went to my eye doc today and apparantly my tear break up test showed that they evaporate in 5 seconds (average person it is 14?)- for me 5 is the same as last time he tested (about 3 weeks ago)....so far I have seen NO improvement in this area despite compresses, massages, doxy, etc... Is this something that takes more time to improve, even a little? I only do compresses at night....should I include morning?
I am so worried. Apparantly 5 is really terrible to get on this test....is there a chance it can improve over time?

[stella]

Dont get too hung up on tests - I dont even know what my tear break up is and dont want to
I go by how my eyes feel
Tests according to Dr Latkany -can be quite misleading and change according to your cicumstances eg If you have been in dry central heating /air conditioning
They told me at the hospital that my schirmers (tear test) was v bad and yet i was having one of the best few days i had had for a long time ??
If you know and rely on these tests all the time and they are poor - It could make you worse and it will certainly depress you
If you were making progress that is the main thing and i would concentrate on that
All the best

[autumnn]

Stella- Thank you so much for your response! I know, I felt very depressed yesterday whereas I had been hepeful before that test. Yesterday I took a vicotin about a half hour before that test due to tooth pain..the doc didnt think that could affect the tear break up but I think it must have! Plus, it was a bad day overall in the office...do you think though that compresses 2 times a day is better? Again, thank you!

[stella]

Hi Autumn
Glad you are feeling better.
It is soo hard to be objective about oneself and your own condition
I am totally deaf in one ear at the moment and i know it is only wax and i am to have it syringed tomorrow (after 5 days of softening it with oil) but i have worked myself into a state already - thinking the what if's -- perforated ear drum and all that nonsense - so i am as bad as everyone else - thats why we need each other for support
Regarding compresses - I do them twice daily
In the morning i just use a hot face cloth for about 3 minutes and try to express the mebomian glands with clean fingers - Takes about 5 mins in all
last thing at night is a more elaborate affair - I like to steam my eyes - Thats my preferred method I boil a kettle and fill a jug with the water and place a towel round my head and allow the steam on my closed lids at first while it is v hot ,then as it cools a bit i half open my eyes.After 5 mins the lids get really itchy and i stop and massage them ,then steam again for a while then i massage some more and then do the lids with v diluted baby shampoo 6 drops shampoo to 100mls boiled water (about that proportion)Then i rinse off with non fleecing round cotton pads - that you would use to remove make up dipped in the water in the jug and cooled .Next i use wet cotton buds and press all along the lid margin ( like in Dr Latkany's book)and then irrigate my eyes with chilled minims artificial tears ( those are thin eye drops and i use a vial each eye)
I always feel a whole lot better after doing that and sometimes cant wait to do it - usually at 11 pm
Whole procedure lasts about 15 mins i suppose
Then just before bed i put in celluvisc wiping the residue off my Lashes and lids with well washed wet fingers which i find the best,(to prevent crusting in the morning), and then pat eyes dry ,squirt with claramist and put on my onion goggles
I have been pretty good lately with this regime - then claramist (tears again in USA) as and when needed during the day and I sometimes need celluvisc if i am staring - TV ,computer , preacher in church , lecture anything like that
My way of doing things is a bit unusual - but it works for me
Sometimes during the day i might lie down with one of Rebeccas heated gel spa masks - Very soothing - 30 seconds in microwave heats that up
Hope you find the right combination - you need to experiment and see
The principle is the same - Heat to the eye lids -then clean the lid margins and express the glands
Take care
Stella

[yoganut]

how do you massage your eyes?

Stella:

I read your routine and you metioned about expressing your oil glands. I believe that is what is causing my dry eye... I'm 40 and 2 years ago had a bout of blepharitis, this summer I wore my contacts a whole week (I usually wore them weekends only) and 2 weeks later I started getting dry eyes... one doc told me to massage my eyelids with a warm washcloth. I also read online about warm compresses and them 'expressing' the glands by running your index finger over your eyelid from left to right, applying gentle pressure, been doing it mornign and night for 3 days, so far it just makes my problematic right eye hurt a bit more.

[stella]

Yoganut
I wonder are you doing it right- If indeed there is a right way to do it
I have found that I can hurt my eye ball if I press against it too hard
After steaming I find my eyes are nice and wet and slippery so i can work with the lids without hurting them as much as if they were dry
Also my lids tend to be itchy after heating and it is a great relief to jostle pinch and run my finger just under or obove the lid margins (from nose to ear type of thing) Then i use a wet q tip to press upward on the bottom lid margin all along, and press downward on the top lid margin all along IMPORTANT - It really helps if you stretch your eyelids side ways - towards your ear making it taught with your other hand so your eye is like a slit- that way you tend not to have to push on the eye ball as much since the stretched lid takes the pressure.I am not very gentle either as that does'nt work for me
Sorry - but it is hard to explain in words - It would be so much easier to demonstrate