Doesn't sound like fun?


Genteal came out with a new eye drop called gel for use during the day its not anything like the gel for night time. I absolutely love the stuff lasts way longer than my Alcon.
http://www.genteal.com/info/products/genteal-gel.jsp?WT.svl=CM

Very oily drop. Blur not really an issue amazingly.

I had the plugs put in my lower lids almost two years ago and have not had any problem,; I wonder if the plugs you had were too small and came out. It may be worth having larger ones put in. Do not know too much about having the ducts cauterized

I have the plugs also, and I have had no problems. One question you must ask, is it reversible? Because you might have too many tears down the road and that could leave you with a watery eye.

Dugeb

Tom: Does this new eye drop contain that preservative that disappears on contact? I tried one of the GenTeal products before and was told that this preservative shouldn't bother my eye. But it did cause me irritation that got progressively worse. My eye doctor said that it can bother some people with very sensitive eyes. I would really like to get away from having to use those preservative-free single vials, but that's all I seem to be able to use.

Twodryeyes: The plugs I had put in were collagen and the doctor pushed them deep enough in so that they couldn't be seen. But one worked it's way out. I'm thinking the second time I had them put in the first ones hadn't disolved competely. They are supposed to last 3 months but I told him I couldn't feel the effect after 2 months, so he put another set in. This may have caused the second one to keep coming back out. Two years without your silicone plugs coming out is pretty good. I've read that 6 months is average before they fall out or become dislodged.

Dug: I've read that it is reversible but I will definitely ask before I have the procedure done.

ummm, i don' give advice, but if it was me, no way would i go with the cauterized tear duct. Could prove to give you a whole new list of problems, such as eye infections. You'll have to way the pros and cons very seriously. Perhaps you can read more about it on line, b/4 making up your mind. I am going to try and get my hands on the Genteal gel drops Tom spoke of. The plugs never stayed in for me either, so I understand your frustration Sam. Let us know how it goes either way.
thanks!!
ss

Hi Slees. I did a little research on-line tonight and there seems to be more issues with infections being caused by dry eyes or plugs scratching the corneas. I'm not finding much about infections caused by cauterization. Have you heard that cauterizing can lead to infections?

Hi Sam! :) No i have not heard of it causing infections...as a matter of fact i never heard of it at all......it just sounds kind of drastic. As long as you are informed i think you should be fine...
good luck to you!!
ss

I had punctal plugs as well, and they scratched the living heck out of both eyes... I pulled them out myself with a tweezers a few days after they were inserted. I'm now seriously thinking of cauterization. My dad had all his tear ducts cauterized (top lid and bottom lid) and feels they were a life-saver as far as reducing eye pain. His eyes do water excessively if wind or cold air hits them, but he feels this side effect was worth it. As a woman who is still reasonably young (36), I like to wear make-up and wonder if excessive tears will be a problem. I think in the end pain will win out over vanity, but I'm still contemplating what I should do.

Thanks Slees - I'll let you know how it goes.

DeathWarmedOver: If I have it done I'm only going to have the bottom tear ducts cauterized. I am concerned that if I have the top ones done also that I will have the excessive tearing. I agree with you - I don't want to mess with the plugs anymore.

I had the plugs inserted about 6 months ago and thankfully have had no problems. The plugs seem to help me retain what little moisture I do have in my eyes and helps keep the artifical tears in longer. I also started prescription Restasis eye drops a couple months ago and am starting to notice a bit more moisture. My Eye Dr said it can take up to 3 months to get the full effect of this medication, so I continue to have high hopes.

I have my left lower eye duct cauterized and have had no problem with that eye. I first had plugs put in on both eyes but for some reason the one on the left eye kept falling out. I decided on the cauterizing, but did not do the right eye since the plug was in nice and tight. Recently my right eye started having lots of pain and reddness. I had actually lost the plug and had terrible corneal erosions of the eye. It took many many different eye drugs to finally heal it. I was going to have that eye also cauterized, but had to wait for all infection and healing of cornea to take place. In the mean time I started using restasis in that eye and it has been great. I see my opthalmologist in a couple weeks for a recheck. If everything is okay in eye I will continue with restasis, unless doc wants to cauterize.

I had no problems with the cauterizing procedure, of course they numb the area first. It was a little irrated for a few days then fine. For awhile I did have over tearing, but then that stopped and that eye has been fine. I would recommend it for anyone who can not tolerate plugs.

Lacey50 - my left eye gives me the most trouble and seems to be the most sensitive. When I have my appointment next week I am thinking of having only the right eye cauterized just to play it safe. If that goes well then I will have the left one done. Right now I still have the temporary collagen plugs. I did have a week of over tearing with the left eye but it also cleared up.
Thanks for letting me know about your experience. By the way, I stopped using the Restasis. Since I've had the plugs put in I don't seem to need it. Plus it always irritated my left eye a little.

i had the pluges in my lower lids for 3 years ago and its improved my eyes tears and i feel much more better than before and as drops i use both celluvisc and systane and both of them is preservative free
can anyone help me to find preservative free saline solution for contect lenses??

I've never been able to wear contact lenses due to my dry eyes. In my twenties I could barely tolerate them for a few hours and then it was down hill from there.
By the way, I meant my appointment to have the cauterization is next month not next week.

For anyone interested, just wanted to give an update on this topic. After a rough start with the dissolvable collagen plugs (one protruded and scratched my eye) they started working wonders. I had about 3 weeks of my eyes feeling great and allowed me to reduce having to use my artificial tears by about half. Then I had one week of overtearing in my left eye. It still felt moist but I had to periodically dab it dry with a kleenex. Very annoying but my eye still felt good. Then after that week of overtearing it cleared up and I had another 3 weeks of great relief with no complications.
When I went to my appointment to have my tear ducts cauterized, the eye doctor wouldn't do it. He said since I had one week of overtearing that I might have continuous problems with it if he cauterized.
So then he convinced me to try the "permanent" silicone plugs again (I tried them 7 years ago and had a bad reaction). Same thing happened this time. My eyes were constantly irritated and red from them. I had him check them out and he said they were in place properly and to give my eyes a chance to adjust to them. I never adjusted to them and had them taken out.
The eye doc said that he doesn't usually put collagen plugs in on a regular basis but would do it for me since I seemed to tolerate them well.
So the final result right now is that I will be going back every 3 months and have collagen plugs inserted (it takes 3 months for them to dissolve completely). If I have to put up with a week of overtearing I can stand it. It's worth it to me for the relief I got the rest of the time. I'm sure this isn't a solution for everyone, but right now it's the best for me. I'll let everyone know if my opinion of them changes as I keep using them.