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Blepharitis update: SOME success(!!!!) & some advice needed

Posted , 8 users are following.

girl32479
girl32479

So... Just to backtrack for you all: 

My first post after diagnosis was over 2 months ago. I'd had weeks of crusty eyes in the morning, new cysts all the time (maybe a cyst/stye every 2 days!), eyes occasionally sore or itchy but not very often and very very red eye lid margin.

My second post was 1 month ago: I had just been back to my GP who had given me oral antibiotics and told me to continue with lid scrubs, soaks etc. Told me I had no improvement. Didn't want to take antibiotics from a general doctor as I feel they dont know enough about the condition so I got referred to a private eye doctor.

** NOW *** 

SO.... my first visit to the eye specalist. He used a stain on my eyes and looked around a lot to assess my condition. he told me...

1: my upper oil glands are damaged by overuse of 2-weekly contacts. He said dailies are much better. This would make my eyes slightly dry.

2: my lower oil glands were not producing oil due to MGD from posterior bleph, making my eyes even more dry

3: my lids were so red and inflamed due to allergic conjuctivitis (as a result of bleph).

He told me not to take the oral antibiotics the doc prescribed. He told me no lenses (but that the eventual lens prognosis is good)

He told me: Vexol (steroid drop) 2x daily. 

                   Opatanol (allergy drop) 2x daily

                   Hylo-forte (lubricating drop) 2x daily

                   Flax seed MGD heated bag (on amazon) + massage 2x daily

                   To take flax seed capsules 2x daily

                   Blephaclean lid wipes 2x daily. 

(NB: flax seed capsules were too big and couldnt find any smaller ones so took omega-3 instead which he said is good too. Smaller sizes more concentrated available on amazon)

He told me to come back in 4 weeks.

I followed his advice religiously (except I wore contact lenses twice- once for around 12 hours and once for 5 hours). 

For anyone interested: I wore some eye make up too. I used Rimell liquid eyeliner maybe 50% of the days, not right on my eye lid but at the edge of my eye (as a flick). I wore Rimell mascara on the ends of my lashes maybe 3 times and Rimell eyeliner on the waterline once. 

SO.... 

4 weeks on was yesterday and I went back!

He looked at my eyes and told me the lid irritation is virtually gone e.g. the allergic conjunctivitis part is gone!!!!!! He said it may flare again with the summer pollen count, but I don't feel that pollen has any effect on me (maybe im wrong).

He therefore said stop using Vexol drops.

However, he said a lot of my glands are still blocked. I have been using hot compress followed by lid massage with q-tip/cottonbud every single day twice. I don't see any oil coming out though. Should I press harder? Does anyone have any extra advice on how to unblock these glands? :-( There are still several lumps around my right eye under the skin which I can feel (one is so big it's visible).

(PLEASE dont suggest I use pliers or anything or needles to remove the oil. I'm not risking my sight. Safe measures only please!)

So I'm off Vexol but still hot compress and massage x2, blephaclean x2, opatanol x2 and hylo forte x2. 

So yeah. sorry this post is so long but I know us blepharitis sufferers always want to hear eachothers experiences and what works and what doesnt. So it seems that the Vexol worked at curing the inflammation. Doc said my eyelids had a 'cobblestone effect' i.e. were bumpy before and now they do not. Super happy about this. Just REALLY want to get rid of these blocked glands!!! Going on holiday for 5 days this weekend so will probably be wearing lenses etc a bit more . Hope it doesnt ruin my progress.

Hope you guys can maybe give me some extra advice and hope that my experience helps someone a bit. xx

0 likes, 26 replies

26 Replies

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  • kaz21
    kaz21 girl32479

    Posted

    Hi.    The only thing i can suggest is to use heat pad / eye scrub 3 times per day when my eyes are at their worst and gently pinch my eyelids with clean fingers to encourage the oils to run !!  I did read that it is best to avoid steroid eyedrops as it can make things worse but you were only using them a short time !! Thank you for the advice tho !!!
  • david24522
    david24522 girl32479

    Posted

    Hi , if your holiday is by the sea , you may find that the "salty" air may help . It certainly helps me I've noticed . Ref. flaxseed , you can always get the packaged stuff and put a couple of desert spoonfulls on your breakfast cereal / salad or whatever .Fresh Salmon  is the best way to get your omega 3s as there are omega 3s and there are omega 3s if you get me . I too have problems expessing any "lube " from my glands and will probably try and find a clinic to do so for me .
  • lee12629
    lee12629 girl32479

    Posted

    Wind isnt good for dry eye get some wrap around sunglasses. Have fun. Xx
  • truman39053ww
    truman39053ww girl32479

    Posted

    Hi - I've struggled with mgd for 10 years. Never giving up.

    I have one eyelid that is always red and sore, with little or thick meibomian secretions.

    You name it I've tried it from diet, to tea tree wipes and ipl.

    I've recently , 3 days in, started using Optimel. A Manuka honey based product. Although the eyelid redness isn't fixed it definitely helps with the soreness and dryness of the eye.

    Worth a try - it's $30nzd for a eye dropper full. Which is 2 months supply.

    For me got compresses get oil flowing but only for The time I'm doing it and perhaps an hour or so after.

    It's such a stressful condition. On deeper research I see some common roads leading to the cause being stomach inbalance of bacteria therefore causing inflammatory response. (Sbio) and Rosacea.

    I havent had success with trying to fix that yet

    Hope that's helpful to someone.

    • lee12629
      lee12629 truman39053ww

      Posted

      Its extremely stressful. Wish people in my family understood that.
  • Tripadvisor
    Tripadvisor girl32479

    Posted

    Lee, sadly most people dont understand any sort of pain or discomfort unless theyve experienced it themselves, this condition has made me very mindful in general of whatever complaint anyone is struggling with. In the past Id sypmathise with someone but would really just be payn lip-service...Hopefully we can all help each other on this forum, Im delighted I joined it,
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