Opthalmology Visit Update

[Patze]

I couldn't stand the dryness anymore and I finally went back to the Opthalmologist, and found that I now have dry spots on my left eye (the right eye is okay). 

Oh boy, got the eyes numbed so he could look at them closer (I had forgotten how much that stings, ouch!), and he rechecked the evaporation rate again.  The first time they were checked it was 2 seconds in the left eye and 3 seconds in the right eye.  With Restasis and regular OTC drops, the rate went up to close to normal (normal is 10-12 seconds).  Today's count is zero in the left eye and 3 in the right eye; not so good. 

I choose to have plugs put in, I said no to more drugs!  I have a temporary set in (bottoms only this time), and it's a strange feeling, but not so bad.  And here I was worried about too many tears after they were implanted, nope, the eyes are still dry and no extra tears.  Is it supposed to be so dry after insertion (scratching my head on this one)?

Okay, I know, I know, many lashes with wet noodles for me!!!  Just be gentle!  


Patze

[Bucky]

Patze,

You poor thing.  Sorry to hear your left eye is so dry and your right eye isn't in the "normal" range either.  (I could make a comment about "normal", but I'll pass . . . .  ) 

I hate those numbing drops too.   Did you have someone with you when you left the office?

So now what's the game plan?  Just continue with Restasis and OTC drops?

Do you wear glasses?

I've never had a dryness test.  I don't think the Opthalmologist I saw last year knew anything about Sjogren's.  Gonna check in the "group" and see if there is someone who has dealt with Sjogren patients before when I make my next app't.

Take care Ms. Patze . . . . hope the plugs will help you.  How long do you keep the temporary ones?

Bucky

[Patze]

Hey Ms. Bucky,

It was a "painful" visit, but I've always gone by myself, it's easier that way for me (it limits how much driving I have to do after the appointment).  I was amazed that my eyes were that dry, I knew they weren't "normal", but I didn't think they were that off.  I guess you never know until you see the doctor.

The plan is to see if these plugs will help, and if they're not helping so much, then I'll have to have all four plugged.  If I still have problems, not enough tears, plugs coming out and the like, then they'll recommend cauterizing as  a last ditch effort.

These are dissolvable ones and should be gone in about ten days or so, but I have an appointment to have a permanent set put in.  This practice has five or six doctors in it, and each one has a different specialty.  I get to see another one - the new one specializes in dry eyes, so this ought to be interesting.

Thanks for hoping the plugs work, and I wish you find an eye doctor that is familiar with SJS, it's a bit of a pain, but they're out there.

I do wear glasses, do you? 

And oh, I've never been "normal" in anything I've ever done or plan on doing!  I'm the one most likely to be out in the rain and jumping into the puddles!  If I have to grow up, I won't know what the heck to do with myself!

Take care my friend -

Patze

[Scottietottie]

Hi Patze 

Bummer!

With the temporary plugs in do you find your eye drops stay in for any longer? It's good you're going to see someone who actually specialises in dry eyes. I hope the plugs help. I think Pooh ended up with 4 plugs and felt they helped quite a bit - so I hope for the same for you.

Take care - Scottie 

[Patze]

Thanks Scottie, it was Pooh that keep kicking my backside trying to get me moving!  A long time later and she was right after all or should I say again?

So far my eyes are still pretty dry and I have to put in a lot of drops every day.  Hopefully with the permanent ones, I'll be better.


Patze

[ohiolady]

Patze,

I believe when you have the permanents put in you will see more benefit.  The temporary ones will allow some tears to drain away and they really don't last ten days..  The permanent will occlude the eye and keep more tears around the surface.  My eyes are very dry.  I manage with plugs, Restasis, and preservative free drops.  Also, I have moisture chamber glasses.  In my left eye, the worst of the two, I have a permanent plug in lower tear duct and 3-6 month dissolvable one in the upper tear duct.  This has helped me the most.  When I had a permanent plug in the upper, I had constant tearing, which I believe was irritation, not good tears.

Hope thiings get better for you.

Anna

[Patze]

Hi Anna,

I'm sorry to reply to you so late!  I sure hope that the permanent plugs help more, even with the temp ones in, my eyes are no better than before.

I know that I still feel the temp ones, and I was hoping that this feeling would go away, guess it'll take time.  Do you feel your plugs?  What kind of plugs did your doctor put in? 

I've been looking at the moisture chamber type glasses, are they really good?  Which ones do you use?

Take care and thanks for the info -

Patze

[Scottietottie]

Hi Patze 

There are moisture chamber glasses advertised at the Dry eye Zone site I think. The ones I've seen mentioned most in here are Panoptyx. Not sure about the spelling. I believe prescription lenses can be fitten. Can't seem to get them in the UK though and I'd be wary about buying without trying.

I also read that as a last resort someone was using 'onion goggles' and found them better than nothing!

Take care - Scottie 

[Patze]

Hi Scottie,

Thanks for the recommendation and I'll look into it soonest...pray tell, what are "onion goggles" other than what they sound like?


Patze

[lynnmarie219]

Hi Patze,

Sorry to hear about your dry eyes acting up. I had a temporary plug put in one eye a while ago and it did help me a little. He just did one eye so I could tell if there was a difference, but of course when I was thinking about permanent plugs there was a problem with my insurance paying for them since I don't have eye insurance...so I never got them put in. I manage now with OTC "eye stuff" and Restasis.

When I had the plug in my eye though, I didn't feel it at all. Its very important to make sure that its the right size...not too loose to fall out and vice versa....so an ophthalmologist that knows how to fit them is very important!

Good luck with this Patze....I hope you get some relief from the dryness soon!

[lesmom]

Hi, Patze
I had to go right to the permanent plugs. I still have to use Rystasis and regular eye drops, but it is a lot better than it was. I still feel sometimes that I'm looking through a tube in my left eye. I just have to stay on top of my drops.

Hang in there and I certainly hope that this is just the ticket for you!

Hugs,
Leslie

[Scottietottie]

Hi Patze 

I didn't understand 'onion goggles' either until I was dragged round a whole variety of cooking utensil shops when I was visiting my son. His wife is just finishing a cordon bleu cookery course.

They are goggles to be worn while peeling onions.  I have to admit the ones I saw were lime green or dayglo pink - but that was only one store.

Take care - Scottie 

[Patze]

Hi Leslie, I sure hope that this takes care of it, it's getting a bit frustrating. 

Did your doctor ever say why you feel like your looking through a tube with your left eye?  Do you have any spasms around either of your eyes?

Hi Scottie, ah, I remember that conversation!  It figures, about the time that I realize that there are googlies made for that, chopping onions no longer bother my eyes.   Thanks for reminding me!  

Take care -

Patze

[Bucky]

Patze,

That must feel weird to "feel" something in your eye.  That would drive me nuts (according to my hubby, that's a short drive . . ha ha)! 

Yes, I wear glasses, but only for distance - driving, movies, etc.  Next time I go see the eye dr. I'm going to check my options for glasses - I really need something to keep all this IL wind away from my eyes.  It really, really dries them out.  This summers air conditioning and fans are another problem. 

Have you ever gotten sweat into your eyes?  Ouch . . I did that today while working in the yard.  I had to stop - it was burning so much.  Salt in already dry eyes is not a good combination!!   

When do you go back to the dr.? 

Take care,
Bucky

[Patze]

Hi Bucky,

Yep, it's a short drive for me too and most folks who know me would pretty much agree.  

It is a strange feeling in deed.  You know the feeling when you wake up and remove the gunk from your inner eye?  It's that same feeling, but there's nothing to remove.

I have those short/half glasses that are so popular these days, and the wind/fans/air conditioning always find the way around the glasses straight to the eyes.  I need to buy bigger glasses next time, and hopefully it'll slow down the breeze a bit.

Ouch, sweat in the eyes is painful anyway, but with dry eyes, wow, that must be very painful.

I gotta go back in a couple of weeks, so hopefully, I'll survive the temporary plugs in the eye blues until then!

Take care -

Patze