Refresh PM?

[nancyann]

Hi Goldie:  Everyone has great suggestions, & as said,  you will find what works best for you.  For the past 4 years, due to my total facial paralysis,  I use Refresh PM (lubricant) exclusively, all day & evening.  At night, before sleep I have to wear the NightEye bubble bandage - it is a plastic bubble that adheres to the eye area to form a 'greenhouse' effect while I sleep to maintain moisture/protect my 'open eye' while laying down sleeping.  I have learned to adjust to the constant blurriness in my right (AN) eye.  Always good thoughts,  Nancy

[Goldie]

Just a little update since I first wrote.  My eye doctor said "I see something new since last year" which turned out to be a tiny nodule on my cornea, which in turn has been irritating my eyelid, made worse by the dry eye, and on and on.  I saw a dry eye specialist later who said it was a "no-brainer" to remove the nodule, so I'm having that done tomorrow.  So we'll see how my eye feels after that.  It won't affect the tear production, but hopefully it won't feel as irritated and get as red.  He said we could also try a second plug in the upper lid, but we're taking one thing at a time. 

I guess it's just something to keep in mind...not all of our problems are necessarily related to our AN's - although it does seem that way sometimes!  Thanks for all the good advice.

Denise D.

[nancyann]

Hi Goldie:  so the nodule isn't AN related ??  Let us know how you are doing.  My oculoplastic surgeon told me that b/c of my paralysis, even though I produce lots of tears, they're useless b/c I don't have the 'horizontal shift' that allows the tears to lubricate the eye.  Don't know if you have paralysis in your eye (I hope not), b/c I don't know that plugs would help if you do.  Anyway,  I'm hoping you are feeling better.  Let us know.  Always good thoughts,  Nancy

[Goldie]

Thanks, Nancy.  The surgery went fine and you'd never know anything was done by looking at my eye.  The pain is almost gone and I wear a "contact bandage" (basically a clear contact) until Sunday.  It doesn't appear to be related to the AN (he explained it as the cells miscommunicating - can't say I understood it all!).  I don't have eye paralysis.  I go back in 6 mo and then we can revisit if I need to do anything else, like an upper plug.  Hopefully my eye will at least feel less irritated now.  Keeping my fingers crossed!

Denise D.

[nancyann]

great news Goldie !  hope all continues to go well. Continued healing my friend,  always good thoughts, Nancy