tear duct plug

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Diane - 30 Jun 2006 18:21 GMT

i've been having so much trouble with my eyes! mostly due to dry eye
syndrome. i've been using restasis, which has helped, but not nearly
enough. today, the doc inserted a temporary plug. if things are better
in a week, she'll insert a non-disolvable one. i'd love to hear
people's experiences with these plugs, good or bad.

thanks,

diane

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Jan O'Keeffe - 30 Jun 2006 20:28 GMT

Diane:
Punctal plugs helped me (Sjogren's) also using ointment (Lacrilube) at
night, Lacriserts tear replacements during the day, and preservative free
drops (Endura Refresh). Restasis made me worse. I use disappearing
preservative Soothe at night but it blurs my vision some. I'm busy with my
eyes 24 hrs/day. Jan O'

> i've been having so much trouble with my eyes! mostly due to dry eye
> syndrome. i've been using restasis, which has helped, but not nearly
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> diane

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Diane - 30 Jun 2006 22:54 GMT

wow, jan, you really are a slave to your eyes!
how did restasis make your eyes worse? mine are definitely no better
(feel very gritty), but the doc says i also have an allergic
conjuntivitis, so who knows. i use elestat drops for that, but no
improvement from a "feeling" (as opposed to what the doctor sees)
perspective. is the insertion of the permanent plugs about the same as
the insertion of the disoving plugs, which was pretty easy?

thanks for listing all the stuff that helps you.

diane

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Squirrely - 01 Jul 2006 03:31 GMT

Diane,

I used that same eye drop and it made my eyes dryer. So I now use Refresh.
It is better at doing something for my dry eyes and allergic eyes.

The gritty feeling could be pink eye too.

Oh I went back and read it again and you do have pink eye. I am surprised
he didn't give you antib. eye drops for it.

Signature

Love and hugs Jo

(\__/) .~ ~. ))
/O O ./ .'
{O__, \ {
/ . . ) \
|-| '-' \ } )) Warning: squirrels.
.( _( )_.'
'---.~_ _ _&

> wow, jan, you really are a slave to your eyes!
> how did restasis make your eyes worse? mine are definitely no better
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> diane

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Diane - 01 Jul 2006 04:33 GMT

> Oh I went back and read it again and you do have pink eye. I am surprised
> he didn't give you antib. eye drops for it.

she said it's allergies. also, nothing's pink. maybe you don't need a
pink eye to have pink eye.

diane

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Squirrely - 01 Jul 2006 07:28 GMT

I am not sure Diane,

I was sure I had pink eye so when I had to go the drs last week asked him
about it and he said no just severe allergies. I hope he knows what he is
talking about.

I have had the gritty stuff, weepy eyes even though they are so dry, pink
eyes, bloodshot to the max, and some kind of sticky gooey stuff in them and
in the morning get up and they are stuck together at times.

Signature

Love and hugs Jo

(\__/) .~ ~. ))
/O O ./ .'
{O__, \ {
/ . . ) \
|-| '-' \ } )) Warning: squirrels.
.( _( )_.'
'---.~_ _ _&

> >
>> Oh I went back and read it again and you do have pink eye. I am
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> diane

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DeeTee and Bob Taggart - 01 Jul 2006 23:25 GMT

I use Refresh as well. They're a God-send!

DeeTee

> Diane,
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>>
>> diane

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Newsgroup Spambuster - 03 Jul 2006 19:45 GMT

Hi Diane,

I originally had the temporary tear duct plugs placed and they did help,
but I don't think they had the permanent plugs back a few years ago when
I was having so much trouble. I had severe dry eyes and my corneas
were in bad shape. I had to quit wearing contact lenses all together
because my eyes were so bad. I eventually had the tear ducts
cauterized shut so that any and all tear production would stay in my
eyes and not drain out. This has improved my eyes and cornea's
significantly. My eyes used to always feel iritated, itchy, and like
there was something in them such as sand or something. Haveing the
tear ducts permanently sealed off had made a huge difference for the
better for me. I also continue to use refresh drops and some visine
drops on the days that I can tell it is more allergy related than just
dry eyes related irritation. It's kind of funny that when the eyes get
really dry that they actually tear up so much and the tears run down
your face. Kind of weird. I think you will find the permanent tear
duct blocking a big help in the long run and hopefully it will help your
eyes as much as it has helped mine. Be patient though, it does take a
while to get to a point where you actually notice an improvement!

Best of luck to you in what ever decision you make!!!

Hope you and John are both doing well and able to enjoy your new home
and even a romp or two with those beautiful pups of yours!!!

Hugs,

Donna G

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Diane - 03 Jul 2006 21:55 GMT

thanks for sharing your experience, donna.
i had the dissolvable plug inserted in one eye last friday. she wanted
to see how that one eye reacted before doing permanent plugs in both
eyes. well, saturday morning i woke up with a lot of irritation in the
eye and i could see the plug was sticking out of the tear duct. i
called her. she said no biggie, to use a lot of faux tears and that it
might end up popping out all the way, which it did an hour or so later.
so i guess that experiment didn't work. i see her friday and perhaps
we'll try again.

don't ya sometimes feel like our bodies are weirder than most and
things that go smoothly for "normal" people just don't behave for us?

:-)

diane

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