MGD probing expression in the UK

[Angela810]

Hi all,

Has anyone had experience with MGD probing/expression in the UK. Was the experience good or bad? Is there a doctor that you can reccommend? I'm quite worried to take the risk with this. Although I'm guessing that if done by an expert the results could be good.

[dnivara]

I m not from the UK. I got probed by Dr ****** who is supposed to have invented the technique. My eyes felt worse within a day. The progress that I had made with my eyes over a year got wiped out, which was quite depressing. I dont know if I have scars or what exactly happened that made my eyes worse - Dr ****** wouldn't tell. There are people in this forum for whom probing has helped.

Anyway, whatever you decide, I hope your eyes feel better.

[Angela810]

So sorry to hear that it made you worse I hope it's back to normal now.

I seem to only read major success stories about probing. My doc also is a bit cautious about probing because he feels it would cause inflammation that would make the MGD worse.

Maybe that's what happened with you? Hmm I think I may try expression for a while longer to see if that improves things. If that doesn't work, probing will be my VERY last option.

My doc asked me to increase my omega 3 to 2000mg since at present I am only taking 1000mg. Also I am doing more lid massage and using ocusoft to try and keep my eyelids clean to reduce inflammation.

Strangely my doc also recommended putting eye ointment (like vitapos) on the lids at night. He suggested that it might soften the meibomian glands to help them secrete more. I'm not a fan of ointment in my eyes, but on my lids is ok. His reasoning sounds like it could work. Especially anyone with MGD typically cleans their eyes a lot - right?? with blephasol, ocusoft and warm compresses, I guess the glands could get dry and stiffen up. Who knows.

I'm also using ikervis which is super strong at 1% so I hope that reduces the inflammation to help them secrete more.

Also does anyone have any thoughts on whether having both punctum plugged is good or bad for MGD? I have my lower done. I'm considering my uppers, but have mainly heard bad stories about this increasing inflammation.

[PG]

I read that it keeps the eye from flushing out bacteria, etc, but I don't have plugs myself.

[lizzyk]

Hi, Angela 810, i will be having IPL treatment (hopefully) after a private consultation in London. I had Lipiflow in the past and it did nothing for me. Im not sure if i would try probing - seems quite invasive - but i wouldnt rule it out completely if this IPl does not work! Seems that "dry eye" treatment through the NHS is woefully inadequate. If you do go ahead and have the MGD probing please let me know how it goes? Many thanks

[lizzyk]

I have 4 plugs in - it certainly helps me (I do not suffer with overwatering surprisingly) I also clean my eyes every morning with blepasol liguid (available in Boots) and i use it regularly to clean my eyes throughout the day, i use hylo-forte eye drops every hour or so, and a heated eye mask for 10 mins every day, i also take one lymecycline capsule daily and have a spoonful of milled linseed on my cereal - even with all this my eyes can still be sore but my condition is just about manageable with this regime (and its taken me years to get here!) I also wash my hair in the shower every day! - IPL is my next line of treatment - so fingers crossed lol

[Angela810]

I will definitely keep you updated.

I'm a bit worried to have all 4 plugs because I had a stye previously which I know is caused by bacteria. I have no plugs at the moment because my lowers fell out.

So I am going to try meibomian gland expression 1 more time later this month. I have only tried it once before. If it doesn't work I again I have an assessment for probing in early December.

[lizzyk]

Thanks, can i ask where you have the expression done, (i assume that is different to the probing?), how much and how successful?