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Looking for a specialist in Dry Eye and Blepharitis

Posted , 10 users are following.

alison01185
alison01185

Hi there, I have been suffering on and off with Dry Eye and Blepharitis for over a year now and I am looking for a Ophthalmologist that deals speciaifaclly with Blepharitis and Dry Eye. Does any know of any in the North London/Hertfodshire area?

I have been researching and in Americal they can now test what 'type' of dry eye you have and what causes it - this is what I am trying to find out so if anyone can shed some light that would be great? I think mine is make up (sadly!) but I would like to know what type - so I dont get on going problems.

I am currently taking Omega3, Flax Seed (started taking thid last week) and using Warm Compresses (EyeBag) and doing the Eye Massage and Eye Hygenine everday. When I dont wear make up my eyes feel better. Sadly with the type of jb I do I need to wear make up and look presentable - so from a vanity side of things it doesnt help not looking at my nest when cleint facing.

My Dry Eye and Blepharitis triggered again two weeks ago and I have only just began aking all the suppliments etc so hoping it will take effect soon - I hate the watering of eyes!

If anyone ca reccomend eye drops and others things that can help I woud greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

1 like, 27 replies

27 Replies

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  • david24522
    david24522 alison01185

    Posted

    Hi Alison , your Gp should be able to arrange for you to see a specialist at either a NHS hospital or privately if you so desire . that's what mine did for me . i saw one privately ( to reduce waiting time for an appointment ) only to find that i could have seen the same consultant at my local NHS hospital at NO cost .

    regards David ( currently suffering with a resurgence of the dreaded Bleph' and typing with a bloodshot , dry stinging right eye )

  • alison01185
    alison01185

    Edited

    Thank you David for your comments and advice.

    I saw a good secialist through NHS but all he told me was to use warm compresses and take flax seed. My private specialist gave me steriod drops which didnt do a thing - so I am really strggling to find one that keeps up to date with treatments etc, so if anyone can reccomend someone I would gratly appreciate it!

    Apparently there are specialists who can give drops such as:

    1. Lumecare gel

    2. Eyesiccal

    3. Also apparently certain ophthalmologist that are specialists in Dry Eye can test the tears your eyes create to find out what type of 'dry eye' you have (there are a few).

    I am not sure if anyone can shed some light on any of the above?

    Also I thought some of you on here may find this interesting: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-81455/A-cure-dry-eye-misery.html

     

    • david24522
      david24522 alison01185

      Posted

      hi Alison , just got back home . Yes  you're right . Nearest to me is Bournemouth , they grade it 1-4 I believe . strange the subject to materialise at long last in the Mail ! 

      Did you google lipiflow ? It's not cheap , you can't get it on NHS but if you have insurance you should be ok . About £500. per is what it used to be . Could be cheaper now .

      Don't laugh but I'm going to put my aerospace engineering background to work and see if I can come up with something less sophisticated to do a similar job . I've already come up with a " more systematic " approach to the lower eyelid massage . Temperature , time exposed to enough constantly and squeezing out the stagnant "gooh " followed by manual cleansing . Obviously the goo glands squeezing has to be done over a period of time so I can't obviously copy in it's entirity the lipiflow machine but can go for total immersion in constant temp water with stops for a better squeezing technique .

      Dinner to get , talk later .

      David

    • alison01185
      alison01185 david24522

      Posted

      Hi David,

      I have heard of Liheard mixed reoports - so a little apprehensive -have you tried it?I will try anything!

      I am trying to find out my cause, and hoping lots of vitamins will help. I think wearing to much eye-make-up caused my eye issue bu blocking the glands, but am hopig it will clear up. As soon as I stop wearing make-up - it improves!

      I am going for a blood test nest week to check if I am low in Iron or in need of Vitamin A - am hoping taking these pills will help...

      Have your eyes improved, and do you know what caused yours i the first place?

       

    • david24522
      david24522 alison01185

      Edited

      Hi alison , mine are dry but not sore today . I have no idea what caused mine in the first place but I'm recognising things that appear to trigger it's re-occurance . this last summer was the worst for me . The consultant surgeon that I saw said that there is NO cure once you've had it once and that you can keep it at bay but not totally get rid of it ( they say the same about athlete's foot , once you've had it , you're more prone to a repeat dose ). He said that he performed surgery which by the info on line suggested that either you could have the glands permanantly blocked off and rely on lubricant for the rest of your life or have stents put in to keep the glands open . The Lipi' treatment would evidently lead to them being " washed out " though .

      Bolstering one's own immune system surely is a must as my eyes sometimes "heal" themselves ( hence me trying the disgusting cod liver oil ) . The "expressing of the glands " surely is a must to keep the oils on the move and stopping stagnation and warmth to the gland areas surely is a must to make the oils more viscous and flow . If then one DIDN'T wipe over the gland openings with an appropriate cleansing agent , then surely all of the previous would be a waste of time an effort .

    • david24522
      david24522 alison01185

      Posted

      To add to making things more comfortable I'm searching for my dive mask to fill with suitabley warm water so that i can use it as a "giant eye bath " ( eyes closed ) and keep the temperature raised around the gland areas for longer . I'll then do some massage using the eraser end of a pencil to be more precise and gradually move this sideways motion nearer to the eyelash ends hoping to "chase" the bad iol out . I;ll the cleanse the surfaces ( have just got the official pleph ' Gel in the pump action container ) and remove anything and everything from the eyelashes, dry them and then change the water in the dive mask and repeat the submergence thinking that by keeping the gland areas warm it will give  the new oils a chance to flow more easily and hopefully lubricate the eyeball surfaces . Following a suitable time submerged , i think that drying only , carefully , should ensure that i don't wipe the oils away .

      It has to be worth a try for me .I'm thinking 12-15 mins submerged each time would be enough ?

      Oh , and of coarse to remember to breath through the mouth and not the nose !

      How has yours been throughout the week ?

  • mrsmop
    mrsmop alison01185

    Posted

    I haven't been able to use makeup for so long that I don't even think about it now.

    My Ophthalmologist told me not to get creams near my eyes either.  The last time I saw him he changed my prescriprion for dry eye drops to Hyabak and VitA-POS gel.  Apparently VitA defficiency can cause dry eyes.  I don't know whether I am defficient in Vit A but my eyes like this current regime.

    Have you been to your GP or Optometrist regarding these conditions?  One of those would be able to refer you.  You could look at Moorfields' website and see who takes Private Patients

    • vanessa02778
      vanessa02778 mrsmop

      Posted

      Hi mrsmop

      i have been reading about vitamin A eye drops ,can you get them in the uk on prescription ?

      I would like to surgest  a book that I have have been reading with great regard,it  has been of help to me full of information on all things eye,I believe that inflammation plays a big role in blep ..along side the infection side of things, the book is ...the Eye Care Revolution by Robert Abdel , JR. M.D.if I lived in the in the states I would go and see him....but I do not however the book is great.

      Take Care...of your eyes...

    • alison01185
      alison01185 vanessa02778

      Posted

      I would also like to know where you can get Vitamin A eye drops - so if anyone knows I would greatly apprecicate it! I am going to try that book Vanessa - thanks for reccomending.

      Mrs Mop - - thank you for reccomending Moorfields - I am going to try them. All the provate doctors are so expsnive, and the one I saw didnt mention anything about testing tears, vitamins to take etc, they just offered striod drops which did notihng sad

      From a vain point of view, dos this mean I can never wear eye make up ever again?

       

    • vanessa02778
      vanessa02778 alison01185

      Posted

      You can wear makeup,just use a through away brush for each eye,and be sure to take it off every last bit ...all of it before bed ,I take mine off when I get home.

      Hope you like the book let me know what you think.

      Vanessa .

    • vanessa02778
      vanessa02778 mrsmop

      Posted

      I have been thinking about trying Vit a eye drops,I gess since you say GP 

      you live in the uk?

  • mrsmop
    mrsmop alison01185

    Posted

    Years ago, I was under a Consultant at Southampton Eye Hospital [now close, I believe] called Mr Iain Chisholm, he first identified my dry eye syndrome and then, he told me that I was producing tears but they didn't have a specific oil in them which lubricates the eye.

    I see Mr Chisholm is still Practising at Southampton General and also privately.  He obviously knew about the different constituents of tears and was treating the problem appropriately.  Whether he has any clinics in London, I am not certain.  I see he is now listed as Mr Iain H Chisholm - there seem to be several others.  He was very good when I used to see him and I wouldn't hesitating seeing him again if he worked in my area.

  • henryj527
    henryj527 alison01185

    Posted

    In America Blepharitis is not a medical priority. Hope you have better luck in the UK
    • david24522
      david24522 henryj527

      Posted

      Hi Henry , do you mean that Bleph' isn't a problem to those in the USA ? maybe it's our weather then !

      I noticed that on our own NHS site they do make mention of trials in the USA and following the NHS links they published part of a report where in the USA they were looking for volunteers for Bleph' treatments .

       

    • carl22975
      carl22975 david24522

      Posted

      hi sorry i late to the party here! Can I ask how your eyes are doing and did you find a solution in the end? Ive had dry eyes pretty bad now that im over 40 and ive not been able to work for 2 weeks as a result

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