A Question (another one!)

[acarol]

I finally seem to have got some kind of diagnosis - my Optician said 'the problem most definatley seems to be the oil glands'.

I done the eye spa this morning last ngiht and this morning as illustrated in 'The Dry Eye Remedy Book' - no matter how much i massage (and i do it gently), i don't see ANY oil whatsoever coming from glands - does this mean i'm doing it wrong or not using the warm compress long enough. What i use for a warm compress is one of those eye masks - i know there is holes for the eyes but i pull it down over my eyes. Is this ok? Are we susposed to squeeze the 'pimples' till they 'erupt' (sorry i know horrible question). I don't see that many visible 'pimples' only one of two.

Also they do feel bit dryer after the heat - is this normal - i use drops straigh after it.

[Arcaeon]

I would really like to know an answer for this one as well. I do the technique exactly as described in the book and I don't really feel like any oil is being expressed from my glands. If I use my fingers REALLY hard, I can definitely feel oil coming out, but I don't know if that is bad for my eye or what. They sure are sore after I do it, but it seems to be the only way to express the glands. I've really been looking for another technique to do the eye massage other than Dr.Latkany's method. Unless it IS working and there's not meant to be really obvious oil pouring out.

[acarol]

I think oil being expressed is a good thing - isn't that the whole purpose of it? I think you are doing it correct if you can see oil being expressed. When i do it i see nothing coming out - i will have to try the warm compress for longer maybe.

[rhad]

when I try to express the oils from my eyelids, I use a Q-tip, and pull my upper eyelids down over my lower eyelids, and then roll the q-tip down to the base of the eyelashes, that seems the best for me...but yeah, their are times when I couldn't get any oil to express from my upper lids, the bottom lids you can usually tell if any oil comes out.... good luck!

rhad

[gz9gjg]

Unlike the lower eye lids, the upper lids have cartilage, which makes it more difficult to express blockages from the Meibomian glands.

[bernmee]

Acroal,

What about trying this.

Wash your face well so there is no grease on it. Give your eyes a wipe to get rid of any grease.

Put a piece of brown paper over both eyes and put your rice bag...or warm compress over it.

if there is oil on the paper where your eyes are then this means oil is being express...I think!

I got this idea from our Home Economics class,,,you know the one, how to get candle was out of a carpet...knew those Home Ec. classes would come in handy!!

I just tried it myself but didn't wash my face first...bioy do I have greasy skin

[clairvoyant]

I have one gland that gives me trouble... I have to do the compresses about 3 times a day for about 15 to 20 minutes each to get that sob unclogged. The massage isnt as important as the prolonged heat. I just massage it with the spa or with a washcloth/water or with my finger after the gland feels unclogged. It can be a real pain, I wanna get some preservitive free azasite instead, 60 minutes of compresses a day is a lil much

Also... normally if I have to massage it hard to get it unclogged then it is really still clogged and will clog shortly after but the weird thing is, is sometimes it will settle down after a shower/metrogel so... yea

[rubyslippers]

I have been told by my doctor that you really won't see much or anything at all. I did it for 3 months before I got the blur that you are supposed to get. I now get it 4 out of 5 times. My eyes are SO much better. My doctor says it can take up to 6 months to get results.

[acarol]

Acroal,

What about trying this.

Wash your face well so there is no grease on it. Give your eyes a wipe to get rid of any grease.

Put a piece of brown paper over both eyes and put your rice bag...or warm compress over it.

if there is oil on the paper where your eyes are then this means oil is being express...I think!

I got this idea from our Home Economics class,,,you know the one, how to get candle was out of a carpet...knew those Home Ec. classes would come in handy!!

I just tried it myself but didn't wash my face first...bioy do I have greasy skin

Thats a great idea - i will try that.

[acarol]

I have one gland that gives me trouble... I have to do the compresses about 3 times a day for about 15 to 20 minutes each to get that sob unclogged. The massage isnt as important as the prolonged heat. I just massage it with the spa or with a washcloth/water or with my finger after the gland feels unclogged. It can be a real pain, I wanna get some preservitive free azasite instead, 60 minutes of compresses a day is a lil much

Also... normally if I have to massage it hard to get it unclogged then it is really still clogged and will clog shortly after but the weird thing is, is sometimes it will settle down after a shower/metrogel so... yea

Thats a LOT of massaging, i think i need to 'heat' up my eyes longer - maybe 15-20 mins.

[acarol]

I have been told by my doctor that you really won't see much or anything at all. I did it for 3 months before I got the blur that you are supposed to get. I now get it 4 out of 5 times. My eyes are SO much better. My doctor says it can take up to 6 months to get results.

Thanks for that - ya i read somewhere there that the oil is not really visible to the naked eye. 6 months to get results is such a LONG time... I will keep struggling on!

[clairvoyant]

I should have been more clear. Alot of times I have to do about 3 compresses a day for about 15 to 20 minutes each to get my one trouble gland unclogged.

After the 15 minute compress I massage* it with my finger or with a warm washcloth. You can defenitely see the white goo after u take the eye spa off and go wipe it off in the mirror.

I think Dr. Tseng (one of the best dry eye doctors in the world) does 4 warm compresses for 15 minutes each a day.

I have had other doctors explain the importance of them too.

Also some other stuff I have noticed. Compresses right after waking and before eating can be more effective so can compresses after a hard workout or long periods of not eating. For me though I just do them after eating or computer cause I think that is what clogs them.

And scrubs will clog those glands even more.

[acarol]

"And scrubs will clog those glands even more".[/QUOTE]

What do you mean by this? That the eyelid scrubs are not effective, i don't really scrub anyway just wipe with cotton bud and warm water. Is this ok?

I think that maybe i don't heat them for long enough, i think steaming is much more soothing than the dry heat and they are nice and moist after it so it helps with the massaging.

I still don't see any white goo or anything like that coming out though.

[clairvoyant]

Scrubs are great for cosmetic/ant bleph but I am pretty sure they can aggervate the glands, as can shampooo and face wash.

You should be able to look in the mirror and see the clogged glands. Some of my glands on the right side that aren't clogged much are very hard to see but those are easily warmed away.

Also it should feel really really good when you massage it after the compress. Where that good feeling is is where the gland is probably clogged. I guess you gotta find that spot though...

[acarol]

Ya sometimes i can see tiny little 'bubbles' on the eye lid margin. It does feel good after the steaming for a while but then they dry out again.

Do you find your eye lashes feel kind prickly at times too?