Systane Balance

[newhorizons]

HEY SJOGGIES, This month's  Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation Moisture Seeker newsletter has a full page ad for Systane Balance with a $2 off coupon. Please read on...
It is made by Alcon and company makes the following statement: Your dry eye symptoms may be caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). MGD is a common type of dry eye that often affects sufferers with Sjogren's Syndrome.

MGD is associated with insufficient oil getting to the tear film. This causes increased tear evaporation, which results in signs and symptoms of dry eye.

SYSTANE BALANCE Lubricant Eye Drops was specifically designed for dry eye patients with MGD. Systane Balance works by restoring the oil layer and re-establishing the natural film to relieve your symptoms.

Talk to you doctor today about MGD, and find out if Systane Balance Lubricants Eye Drops is right for you.### end of quote

Duke(DUMC) corneal specialist diagnosed me with MGD last May and also said I might get eye glands unclogged by doing the following:  apply moist cloth and 'my warmed clay pack' and keep it on for about 30 minutes.
(Specialist also mentioned a new drop would soon be available for MGD and here it is.) I apply a drop in each eye before applying warm compress.

My eyes are requiring far fewer sterile vial drops per day.  Can see my glands are not clogged and secreting oil to cover the little moisture my eyes produce.  

Two other things I must mention had already helped stabilize my eye moisture... last May, lower plugs and pilocarpine prescribed for dry mouth possibly seems to be helping eye moisture, or at least I think so!

Joy

[ohiolady]

Joy,

I saw the ad and coupon as well.  I will definitely give them a try.  The warm compresses do help, don't they?  Thanks for your input.

Anna

[Shani]

I have been using Systane ultra eye drops for quite a while now, and I love it.
Aswell Ocugel is quite nice for at night, if anyone would like to give it a try.

[Prairie Gal]

I used to use the warm compresses on my eyes when my eyes bothered me a lot.  After 4-5 minutes of use, you stroke your finger along the lash line -- this is where the oil glands are.  The warmth coupled with the massage got things moving again and relieved the burning pain.

I use Systane Ultra now and will probably buy the Systane Balance to keep on hand for the rare times I have burning eyes now.  I think  the Black Currant Seed oil capsules I take help; they're rich in GLA (gamma linoleic acid).  I also take 4 g. of fish oil daily and put flaxseed meal on my breakfast cereal, so I'm getting plenty of omega 3s. 

If you read the TheraTears Nutrition label, you'll see flaxseed and fish oil listed, along with Vitamin E.  My rheumy has me take the latter only 3 days a week now.