Does using ointment all day hurt more than help?

[Sandra]

Hi, I am in that "desperately need some help category". I have post lasik dry eyes, since August 2001. I have been a member of this forum for a long time, but stopped participating a few years ago because I tried everything and nothing helped me. I see that lots of new things have been posted since then, so I will go through and see if there is anything that might be promising for me. Anyway, my question is this - I use Refresh PM ointment two to three times during the night and 10 to 12 times during the day. Before using the ointment this much, I had corneal erosions that would not heal. Is this ointment clogging my meibomian glands, or hurting my eyes in any way? Not that there is any alternative, since eyedrops alone (I have tried at least 8 different kinds) only bring me relief for about 10 to 15 minutes at most.

Also, I was wondering if anyone else who is prone to acne has the experience that taking flaxseed oil makes the facial acne about five times worse, but seems to do nothing at all for the eyes?

[dianat]

Hi, Sandra.

I cannot comment on using ointment as you are. My guess is that it is less than ideal to be using ointment that often, though I would understand your need to avoid corneal erosion at all costs.

I can most definitely report a bit of acne associated with taking omega fatty acid capsules. I'm not as consistent with supplements these days, but when I was I had acne flare-ups. It took me a while to understand why it was happening.

Welcome back to the forum. I hope you find something useful this time around. You've been suffering a long time. Have you considered scleral lenses? There's been a lot of chatter about sclerals in the last 18 mos. You might truly benefit judging by your constant need to use ointment six years post LASIK. Do a search on this forum. You may also go to

http://www.bostonsight.org/patients.htm

My best to you.

Diana

[Terri]

I used ointment 24 hours per day for more than 6 months following neurosurgery that left me unable to close or blink my right eye. I couldn't find a drop that was viscous enough to stop the pain, and I couldn't wear a temporary eyelid weight because it kept falling off 10 minutes after I put it on. The neurosurgeon told me I would regain the ability to blink within 6 months, so I didn't take more permanent steps.

Using ointment blurred my vision on the right, so I put ******g tape on the right side of my glasses and learned to drive using only my left eye. Here's what 6 months of continuous ointment use did: 1) my myopic right eye (-1.25 prescription) returned to normal 20/20 vision because the muscles around the eye relaxed since I couldn't focus it (a good thing); 2) I developed double vision because, once I began using my right eye again, it turned too far inward and created double images of anything 20 or more feet away (a very bad thing, requiring a 5 prism in my glasses); after a couple of years of waiting for it to return to normal, I began working with a vision therapist, and I'm finally beginning to regain normal, stereoscopic vision; and 3) increased irritation and damage to the eye surface (another very bad thing).

After I stopped using ointment during the day, I continued to use it at night for another couple of years. I began to suspect it was part of my increasing dry eye problem because my eye was uncomfortable and irritated in the morning, instead of being rested and refreshed. I believe that extensive ointment use suppresses the signals that trigger your body to create basal tears and, because ointment doesn't contain all the nutrients, or perform all the antibacterial and cleansing functions that tears do, it creates surface damage over time.

If I were to do it all over again, knowing what I know now, I would get a great pair of moisture-chamber glasses and sparingly use a good eye drop during the day, and use Dwelle plus Tranquileyes goggles at night.

[Sandra]

Ointment use

Thanks for your responses. I will discuss the scleral lenses with my ophthalmologist at my appointment next month. In the meantime, I will persue the wrap around glasses with a reading prescription, and without a prescription for outdoor use. Although it has prevented more erosions, I need a better solution than the ointment.