Does MGD PROBING Hurt

[Max52]

OK...so I'm a wimp, but am thinking of going to see Dr. ******. I can't imagine anyone sticking a needle through my sore glands without going through the roof. To those who have been probed, did it hurt?

[spmcc]

Yes, it hurts. ****** has someone stand behind you and push your head into the chin stirrup so you can't pull back. He uses a jojoba topical anesthetic before probing, but it doesn't do much IMO (FYI I am not afraid of pain and have a high pain tolerance).

[Max52]

Yes, it hurts. ****** has someone stand behind you and push your head into the chin stirrup so you can't pull back. He uses a jojoba topical anesthetic before probing, but it doesn't do much IMO (FYI I am not afraid of pain and have a high pain tolerance).

Yowza!! You kidding me? Sounds medieval. How long ago? Did it help? I'd want to be knocked out.

[DCRdryeye]

My ophthalmologist in Australia gave me three painless needles in each inner eyelid before the probing. Two needles for anaesthetic, and a third was an anti-inflammatory. I then had to wait for it to kick in, and as a result didn't feel anything at all during the probing, no pain. I certainly heard a "gritty" sound as he was pushing through fibrosis. I could tell it needed to be done.

[Max52]

My ophthalmologist in Australia gave me three painless needles in each inner eyelid before the probing. Two needles for anaesthetic, and a third was an anti-inflammatory. I then had to wait for it to kick in, and as a result didn't feel anything at all during the probing, no pain. I certainly heard a "gritty" sound as he was pushing through fibrosis. I could tell it needed to be done.

That sounds much more civilized. I wonder if ****** is doing that now. I can't imagine him putting anyone through the scenario spmcc describes unnecessarily.

[spmcc]

Max,

I had probing three times. The first time was in Canada, but only one eye's upper lid was done (it was a first for the doctor, no anesthesia at all). Then I went to ****** twice in 2011. ****** also injected steroids into the MGs. Keep in mind a couple of things: my lids are uber-sensitive (rosacea), and altho I have a high pain tolerance, my eyes and nose were streaming because of the discomfort/pain. I felt (also heard) popping and grittiness (as DCRdryeye mentioned) in each gland (~25 per lid). But if you read others' posts, they seemed to tolerate it well (e.g., search DEZ using the term "******"). It's really an individual thing. You could ask for a "test run" of a few glands before you decide to go for all of them.

We certainly try everything to help our eyes...

All the best.

[jadavispcfl]

Probing is Tolerable

I have had Dr. ****** perform probing on me twice. He uses jojoba topical anesthetic before probing, and also inserts a contact bandage lens on your eyes for protection. There is a nurse that holds the back of your head while your head is positioned in the strap. The nurse is holding your head for stability. He could probably give you a shot if you wanted, but the procedure is simpler without a shot.

While it is not pleasant, it is tolerable. I know of another patient that had probing three times. She that told me that she prefers no anesthesia.

I focus on the benefits of probing. I correlate my experience with teeth cleaning. After the probing is performed, my eyes feel really comfortable my glands are open and functioning the way they are supposed to. It's sort of a feeling of how your teeth feel after they are cleaned.

[Max52]

I have had Dr. ****** perform probing on me twice. He uses jojoba topical anesthetic before probing, and also inserts a contact bandage lens on your eyes for protection. There is a nurse that holds the back of your head while your head is positioned in the strap. The nurse is holding your head for stability. He could probably give you a shot if you wanted, but the procedure is simpler without a shot.

While it is not pleasant, it is tolerable. I know of another patient that had probing three times. She that told me that she prefers no anesthesia.

I focus on the benefits of probing. I correlate my experience with teeth cleaning. After the probing is performed, my eyes feel really comfortable my glands are open and functioning the way they are supposed to. It's sort of a feeling of how your teeth feel after they are cleaned.

Thanks for your reply. Is this something that needs to be done regularly, or are those who have had it several times just working on different lids?

[Phillips55]

Yes it hurts. I've had probing done multiple times now with and without numbing drops and the drops don't really make a difference, at least with me. I have a high pain tolerance so I can stand it pretty well and probing has helped me considerably. It goes by pretty quick too. It may or may not help you but in the end you have decide to either continue a life of slow hell with dry eye or endure a short painful procedure that may provide the relief you are seeking so you can live a normal life again.

[jadavispcfl]

Probing Frequency

Thanks for your reply. Is this something that needs to be done regularly, or are those who have had it several times just working on different lids?

I have had it done twice, about 2 years apart. The first time was done with steroid injection, followed by resurfacing surgery with AMT. The second time was just straight probing with no steroids. Quite often there are co-morbid diseases that also need to be addressed. I wrote about this experience in 2011.

The bottom line for me is that Dr. ****** really helped me. The path to better eye health is a partnership between you and your doctor. I am thankful that this blog is here so I can tell others how he helped me get my life back.

[Max52]

Yes it hurts. I've had probing done multiple times now with and without numbing drops and the drops don't really make a difference, at least with me. I have a high pain tolerance so I can stand it pretty well and probing has helped me considerably. It goes by pretty quick too. It may or may not help you but in the end you have decide to either continue a life of slow hell with dry eye or endure a short painful procedure that may provide the relief you are seeking so you can live a normal life again.

Thanks Phillips...from the responses so far it seems that this is a procedure that it tolerable,but has to be repeated periodically.Correct? Also, one of my eyelids is very swollen from blepharitis caused by mgd. Posterior. I wonder if having that lid probed would reduce the swelling in that lid, but if I had to back every 6 months or so I doubt I could afford it.

[jadavispcfl]

If Dr. ****** is your doctor and he advised you to do it, I would. You may develop complications if you let dry eye go on too long. In my case, I needed surgery after probing to resurface my eye. I had conjunctiva chalasis.

[Phillips55]

I wonder if having that lid probed would reduce the swelling in that lid, but if I had to back every 6 months or so I doubt I could afford it.
Yes the tenderness and swelling went down considerably after probing. Dr. ****** sells his probes through Rhein Medical to other doctors. They have a list by state of the names of Doctors who purchased them. I didn't realize that my own Ophthalmologist had bought them and done some probing so he has been doing my mg probing ever since. And it's far cheaper and covered by insurance with him.

[grant555]

jada - didd you improve from the chalasis surgery?

[jadavispcfl]

Yes, it made a world of difference. I did a writeup of my experience dated July 31, 2011. Check my post entitled, "How Intraductal Meibomian Gland Probing and Surgery Relieved my Dry Eye Symptoms". I had a lot of problems.