Tear Duct Implants?

[LaMar]

Hello, how are you all?  I am good. I have a question....Has anyone had to have a tear duct implant and if so what was the procedure like?

I am a 22 year old female and was diagnosed with a 3.3cm A.N. on the right side in July 05.  It was removed in Dec. 05.  During the surgery, they had to take out my hearing and equilibrium nerve, and they hit my facial nerve and took out some of my eye tracts. I am in the military and I have been seeing a LTC on post, but was sent to a civilian for a second opinion because the military doctor said there was nothing wrong with my eye other than no tearing and I half blink.  The doctor off post recommended the tear duct implant.  Has it worked for anyone?  Has anyone else had one?  Is it just a doctor recommending something or is it something that could help me? 


Thanks for any imput anyone has...


LaMar

[Battyp]

I've personally never heard of it and would be interesting in what you find out.  My left eye no longer tears which causes problems esp with wearing contacts.

[Jeff]

Hi LaMar,

I am not familiar with the term tear duct implant, but I have something called a punctum plug that works very well for me. Basically, the opthamologist plugged one of the ducts that drains tears away from the eye. A dry eye is the only problem I had after surgery and the plug is a great help. I rarely have to use eye drops now. Here is a link to punctum plug info: http://www.agingeye.net/dryeyes/plugsetc.php I hope this helps.

Jeff

[LaMar]

 I went ahead and agreed to the insertion of the tear duct implant and it is an insertion of a Jones Plug which I think is similar to the plug that you are referring to.  It is suppose to allow for more tear production, or in my case tear production - because I have none.  There are different sizes depending on the size of your lacrimal channel.  You can actually see this channel on other people.  All you have to do is pull your bottom lid down and look up and it exposes itself in the corner of your eye. 

[Pembo]

For those who have the tear duct plug, does it work? Do you have tears?

I would love to be back in contacts again and I'm wondering if this would help speed up that process.

[Jeff]

Hi,
I have a single plug in my lower eyelid. It has helped tremendously. I went from needing eye drops frequently to almost never. The only times I have problems is when I sit at the computer too long or when I am awake too long. Long days make my eye burn and itch, but it is usually better the next morning. My experience with punctal plugs has been great. I hope this helps.
Jeff

[antoinette]

I do not competely understand how they took anything out of your eyes while removing an AN.
This, dry eyes and cornea getting so much damage from the dryness, is happening often, but it is because the eye or eyes do not irrigate the area and the lids end up sticking on the globe or the cornea, tearing the surface when eyes move, even during sleep.
Could you tell us a bit more about what happened?
I have been able to recall my moisture and recreate almost normal tear system, but for years the dryness has creatreed even other problems in my nose as so much dryness provoke lesions and abces. The drops in the eyes every 19 minutes were not enough
I found a way to recreate the automatic irrigation without drops, but I have to exercises once in a while to maintain it.
antoinette

[Pembo]

Antoinette, my eye problems are a direct result of the facial nerves.

[msuscottie]

I had the first stage of my sugery in 2004 and my left eye still isn't producing tears. Is there hope that this will ever come back, or are tear duct implants really the only option?

[LaMar]

I had the tear duct implant on Friday and it went well.  I have not noticed any difference.  I still dont produce tears in my right eye.  I wsa told that whatever I have now is what I will have.  They think that what ever you have six months after the surgery is what you will have.  But miracles happen right?

[Pembo]

What was the implant procedure like? I'm going on Friday to have a temporary implant put in. Just wondered what I'm in for.

[wind6]

I have the plug in my tear duct. It was a very simple proceedure...took about two seconds. I felt only a slight sting...nothing I could really call pain. Ever since then my eye has been so much better. My doctor said it is kind of like putting a plug in a sink drain...it just keeps the tears, whether artificial or natural, from draining away. I use medication only once or twice a day now. Before I was putting in drops or ointment constantly.
LaMar,as far as your doctor saying what you have at six months is what you will always have...I disagree totally. I am just over eight months out and still improving. My doctors told me recovery takes 6 to 18 months..so please dont give up hope.
If there is an implant that helps restore tears I would like to hear more about that. My eye is making tears again finally but not on a regular basis...I may have a day or two where I need no drops or ointments and then I have a few days needing ointment all day long. Strange how all this stuff works.                                                          Luvs 2U all, Sherry

[Pembo]

Thanks Sherry. I hope that the implant does reduce my use of the ointment. I have noticed more natural tears.

And as for recovery, I am 22 months post surgery and have had more recovery in the last 6 months...so don't give up hope.