Increasing the sebum production in oil glands for dry eyes

[Ariel]

So "not producing enough oil" is not possible?

[fellowresearcher]

increasing oil production

In theory your meibomian glands secrete oil to keep your tears from evaporating...This rapid evaporation of tears is what causes dry eye. The meibomian glands are the sebum producing glands that you are talking about. BUT, they don't produce sebum like the rest of the pores/glands on your face and body. They are different. They produce a substance that is called Meibum, which is a different consistency of oil from sebaceous gland secretions. Though you are right in saying that hormones such as androgens (testosterone) control sebum production. BUT this is not the case in the meibomian glands. In theory I believe the amount of oil the Meibomian glands produce is controlled by Estrogen's or estradiol in men (Hormones). BUT I also believe the viscosity and the quality of the secretions themselves is also controlled by Androgens (testosterone) too. In the case where you talk about how androgens cured some women in Menopausal forms of dry eye. What I believe to have happened was this...

In menopause the womens hormone levels dropped below normal. Since testosterone is already not a huge player in the womens bodies. I believe when the hormone levels plummeted due to menopause the testosterone in their body's was non existent. Thus I further believe that in this absence of testosterone there was an over abundance estrogen that was present in the cells of the meibomian glands that the time...This estrogen I believe caused their Meibomian glands OVER produce secretions (Oil). This over production of oil caused dry eye...How? I believe this over production of oil that happens in puberty that causes acne on your face...the SAME causes the meibomian glands to clog up causing MGD and blepharitis in a similar way.

So to explain how the women were cured of their dry eye. When the doctor gave the women androgens (Testosterone)...I believe that the testosterone caused the glands secretions to slow down and be made consistent. Thus their glands didn't clog up and there secetions were returned to normal curing blepharitis and MGD in their cases.

As for men an the rest of you who suffer with dry eye whose hormone levels are correct. I believe blepharitis is caused by a specific hormone imbalance in the meibomian glands cells themselves. This hormone imbalance is caused by the use of topical corto steroid eye drops used to treat conjuntivits.

In this case, Simply stated Your blepharitis was probably caused by a temporary hormone imbalance in your body...and when you took corto steriods for pink eye during that temporary hormone imbalance in your body...It some how changed the hormone metabolism of the specific cells inside the meibomian glands themselves. Thus causing them to metabolize too much estrogen causing them too over produce oil causing them to clog up and cause Blehparitis and MGD an infection.

Once the infection set in...the bacteria that ate on those oils secretions produced toxins which broke down the oil and oxidized it. Which mean the oil turned into air that was being produced from the glands. When the bacteria if it got in to far enough stages possibly had the potential to damage the meibomian glands cells themselves. This damage would cause the cells to produce anti androgens causing them to refuse hormones to create oil.

So where does this come into increasing that oil production?
Ill explain here
to increase said oil production, you must first eliminate the infection and get rid of the clogs in the meibomian glands that is causing the inflammation.
To do this would be to use antibiotics and an anti fungal eye drop.
You would also have to keep the eyes as moist as possible constantly with artificial tears, AND introduce more estrogen's than androgens to the meibomian glands cells themselves to stimulate gland production of oil (meibum). when the anti androgens are gone when the infection and inflammation is eliminated...when the hormones are introduced the glands will secrete oil, and the right amount of it again.

Like I have heard, It is even possible to heal the glands as well...As two German eye experts would say. See even if the glands pores or cells have atrophied(meaning scarred over), It is possible to open them up again with duct probing. It is a new procedure that takes a special surgical device and pokes it through the scarred over gland pore, thus opening it up again to function. If the infection is eliminated and constant moisture is present...the cells will finally have a chance to heal, so when said estrogen's and androgens are introduced they will be jump started out of death into producing oil.

So let me know what you all think about this theory folks.

[rob]

fellowresearcher I think this is a really strong theory & will be trying it out myself. Just wondering if you thought a topical testosterone cream/gel applied to my eyelids would be effective in restoring function once the initial infection is under control? I'm 28 male. thanks

[ziggy]

I also will be trying the probing in August with Dr. ******s in Tampa. Currently trying to get infection under control. You are spot on!!