Meibomian Gland Disease - What works for you?

[SonicEm]

So my Eye doc has me doing the following:

1. Azasite 1% opthalmic solution - one month on, one month off. By the end of two weeks without this, my eyes get really bad. This is supposed to be for "inflammation."

2. Systane balance OTC drops 4X/day

3. Hot compress 2X/day, massage eye lids with Q-tip dipped in warm water. I stopped using the baby shampoo as it irritates my eyes.

4. Preservative-free OTC drops as needed (using Systane gel drops or Systane Ultra).

This seems to hold off the symptoms from getting worse but my eyes still feel burning, irritated and are red.

What works for you?

[artistangie]

I had to look up MGD    and was suprised to find a word I learned last year...chalazian, my daughter had a huge one!  I was so scared because we had never dealt with this... Do you suffer with these because of your MGD? 

[SonicEm]

I had to look up MGD    and was suprised to find a word I learned last year...chalazian, my daughter had a huge one!  I was so scared because we had never dealt with this... Do you suffer with these because of your MGD?

A chalazian a lump in the eyelid which I think is more progressed than my condition. My eye doc called my condition "roquefort dressing" and not a thicker consistency or a lump as I'm doing the warm compresses religiously. MGD is also known as "posterior blepharitis" - thanks for your interest and taking the time to look it up!

[artistangie]

it all sounds painful and frustrating .. im glad the warm compresses give you some comfort

[hheath]

I aso have MGD and am doing the warm compresses, lid cleaning, and massage.  I'm also on restasis.  My doctor has mentioned Azasite but probably next we are going to do the increased percentage of cyclosporine drops from a compounding pharmacy.  Has anyone tried that?

[jazzlover]

What about eye ointment at bedtime?

[SonicEm]

I aso have MGD and am doing the warm compresses, lid cleaning, and massage.  I'm also on restasis.  My doctor has mentioned Azasite but probably next we are going to do the increased percentage of cyclosporine drops from a compounding pharmacy.  Has anyone tried that?

Thanks for your reply. Are you on the cyclosporine drops now? Why increase the percentage?

What does the Restasis do? I mentioned that to my eye doc and she said I wasn't a candidate for that - yet. It's also very expensive.

[hheath]

SonicEm,

Clyclosporine is an immunosupressant aimed at reducing inflammation.  Reducing inflammation can help both tear production and help the MGs stay unblocked.  It's the active ingredient in Restasis. 

Cyclosporine drops from compounding pharmacies were used before Restasis ever came on the market.  Some believe that the amount in Restasis is too low to do anything so prescribe the drops with a higher dose.  There are good discussions of this and all things dry eye related at DryEyeZone.com. 

The price of Restasis is crazy.  Fortunately my insurance pays for it with a modest co-pay.  It breaks my heart to think that there are people who are suffering and paying $125 for an Rx in hopes of some relief.  I'm told that the compounded drops are much less expensive but I don't know that first hand.

Right now I am using Restasis.  After six weeks (3 weeks from now) we will evaluate and perhaps start the higher dosage drops.  If the doc thinks it could have some benefit, them I am going to try it.

[iraisin]

This has been and interesting and educating thread. I love this site!

I quit taking the Restasis. For less money and the same relief, I use eye drops. I have to use them all day long and ointment at night, but the REstasis hurt, and it did little. I still had to use the drops along with it.

I am going to talk to my optho about the Clyclosporine drops...and the combo of plugs and blood serum drops. see what she says - hopefully it'll be something good.

SonicEm,
I do hope this passes quickly for you. I imagine it is very uncomfortable and scary.

[valene2009]

hheath..
i have severe mgd.. it makes my sjogrens eyes horrible... i have been dealing with it for 5 years.. i take doxycycline, do warm compresses and massage wtihq tip like u described-usualy 2x a day but if my skin is getting very dry i skip at night.. i also have to get my glands expressed by my doc montly.. and take a high grade tryglercide fish oil by PRN... very $$$  ..mine just wont get under control..

i have tried compounded cyclosporine-.2%-for about a year--didnt help my tears or mgd at all.. i tried azasite but am allergic to anything with bac in it...

i am still on the hunt for more help..also go onto dryeyezone.com.. register there..they can be more helpful with all the eye stuff when you have it severe...

ps i also tried serum drops a year ago at 20% concentration for 12 weeks.didnt notice a difference but may ask if i can get them made at 50-100% and just try. very $$$ tho...

unfortunatley. mgd doesnt go away.. good luck tho and please keep us posted if anything helps..u are one of the few people on here to mention it besides me..

[hheath]

Valeen2009,

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles to manage MGD.  I'm still holding out some hope for the higher clyclosporine drops, so we shall see.

Like you, I'm surprised not to read more about MGD here.  I was really glad to see it when SonicEm posted.  In fact it caused me to post here for the very first time instead of just lurking.   

I hope everyone who has MGD will post their experiences and hopefully we can help each other.

[SonicEm]

Thank you everyone for your responses! This forum is great. I went on DryEyeZone and got very little response, weird. Will try again.

I also am going to talk to my optho about the Clyclosporine - never heard of it until I posted here so this is a good thing. I had tried the Restasis but it irritated my eyes and hurt a lot so quit it  - maybe too soon but also my insurance won't cover it so it's very $$$.

I am taking fish oil this brand: Now Super Omega EPA (360 EPA/ 240 DHA). I take four a day and it has really made a big difference, especially with my dry mouth. It has helped me to the point I don't need to take Evoxac any more. If only my eyes would respond better!

I am so glad to have found this place. Getting lots of great ideas and support - thanks so much! It does give me hope my eye situation can improve.

[hheath]

If I wind up going on the compounded cyclosporine drops I will post again and let you know how it goes.  I hope you all will post what is working for you.  Thanks for getting it started, SonicEm.

[SonicEm]

If I wind up going on the compounded cyclosporine drops I will post again and let you know how it goes.  I hope you all will post what is working for you.  Thanks for getting it started, SonicEm.

I hope have good luck with the cyclosporine drops. My eye doc has literally just thrown the towel in. I talked to her assistant today and she nixed the cyclosporine - said I was on the Azasite and Systane Balance. With the warm compresses that was all she could recommend. I have spent a lot of time on the Internet today searching for another solution or doctor or OTC product that could help.

I felt very discouraged and down today - in addition to my eyes feeling very burning and irritated. I went back on the DryEyeZone and posted a plea for a doctor in the area who knows about MGD. I feel I need to find someone who can help!

My eyes seem to have gotten worse since the past few weeks I had a bad head cold and had to take an antihistamine which dries the membranes and eyes out. It did that and helped with my congestion. But now I'm feeling better, off the cold meds and STILL my eyes feels burning and irritated. My eye doc was not much help today either.