My advice on Probing? Do it. And try anything else too.

[Phillips55]

Probing is not a magic cure all. I think it helped people like me who had a thin layer of tissue blocking the oil secretion from the glands. However if your simply not producing oil for other reasons I don't see how it could help. Having said that, if your on the fence about and can find a reputable doctor who will do it affordably, Go for it. And go for anything else for that matter. My point is that if your life is at the point that the dry eye is making it unlivable, you really have no choice but to press forward with any technique or therapy that may help. I'm not talking about seeing medicine men or using snake oil, but if you find something that has some medical merit: Do It. I felt completely shafted and ripped off after I had Lipiflow, I was let down after restasis and serum tears. But eventually I found things that did help. I am by no means boasting about my resolve, my family had to practically drag me to these appointments and spent many times talking me out of suicide. When you reach that point, you might as well start taking all the calculated risks you can, otherwise you will just continue to suffer. You need to basically beg borrow and steal to do whatever it takes to find answers. You may find them, you may not, but you have to take chances when your in such a predicament. That's just my 2 cents anyway.

[Santaklauzz]

Probing is not a magic cure all. I think it helped people like me who had a thin layer of tissue blocking the oil secretion from the glands. However if your simply not producing oil for other reasons I don't see how it could help.

I have had no relief from probing at all, but in my case there was probably fibrous tissue covering the gland orifices. (The procedure was very painful and you could hear a 'plop'-sound almost every time followed by some bleeding)
But I would do it again any time, because if your glands are blocked by tissue, there is nothing else that can be done to open them, save for cutting through it.
Now about 2/3 of my glands are open, but they don't produce the right quality/quantity which is another matter entirely.
Imho, it is possible that probing is a necessary, but not always a sufficient condition when talking about MGD...

When you reach that point, you might as well start taking all the calculated risks you can, otherwise you will just continue to suffer. You need to basically beg borrow and steal to do whatever it takes to find answers. You may find them, you may not, but you have to take chances when your in such a predicament.

This seems to be very true to me.

[No tears in ATL]

Does IPL have a similar effect, i.e., it "exfoliates" the layer of tissue covering the glands.

I was thinking about IPL but wondered if probing is the better choice...

Has anyone had IPL with decent results?

[LaDiva]

Hi No Tears,
I had IPL a couple of years ago. It zaps small blood vessels feeding into the eye and generates intense heat which liquifies meibum. The eye doctor said eradicating some of the small blood vessels often improves ocular rosacea symptoms. The procedure took my TBUT from 3 to 7 seconds. Helpful, but not great. I had three or four sessions, cannot remember exactly, and was supposed to go back yearly for another, but did not. I do not think it was that helpful in my case, although it did help open up the meibomian glands somewhat. The small blood vessels grow back.

I agree with you Phillips55, but would also consider medicine men and snake oil, and have. It is not without some merit.

[Phillips55]

"Now about 2/3 of my glands are open, but they don't produce the right quality/quantity which is another matter entirely.
Imho, it is possible that probing is a necessary, but not always a sufficient condition when talking about MGD..."

Mgd absolutely needs a multifactoral approach in most cases. However I think the first step would be is to make sure the glands are not blocked but unfortunately my guess is that 99% of eye doctors out there do everything but probing when they are treating mgd. And in my opinion blocked or clogged glands are far more common in people than generally recognized.

[Santaklauzz]

Mgd absolutely needs a multifactoral approach in most cases. However I think the first step would be is to make sure the glands are not blocked but unfortunately my guess is that 99% of eye doctors out there do everything but probing when they are treating mgd. And in my opinion blocked or clogged glands are far more common in people than generally recognized.

Yep. MGD, let alone non obvious obstructive MGD, is very underdiagnosed. I've had dry eyes for 4 years, going from mild to very severe, before I got diagnosed with MGD

[No tears in ATL]

[QUOTE=LaDiva;89023]Hi No Tears,
I had IPL a couple of years ago. It zaps small blood vessels feeding into the eye and generates intense heat which liquifies meibum. The eye doctor said eradicating some of the small blood vessels often improves ocular rosacea symptoms. The procedure took my TBUT from 3 to 7 seconds. Helpful, but not great. I had three or four sessions, cannot remember exactly, and was supposed to go back yearly for another, but did not. I do not think it was that helpful in my case, although it did help open up the meibomian glands somewhat. The small blood vessels grow back.

Thank you LaDiva. This is helpful. I don't know anyone who has had it. Sorry, everyone, I didn't mean to hijack the post on probing, was just curious how the two compare.