Fuzzy focus - too dry or too wet?

[spgreenfield]

Now that I FINALLY went to an eye doc that took care of me I have a tear duct plug and will be getting prisms in my lenses!  She said that I could have the 2nd tear duct plugged but wanted to wait and see how this one worked first.  I went to another eye doc 1 month after surgery who didn't stain my eye....bad choice.    I got the shock of my life when she showed me an illustration of how dry my eye actually was!  But now that I have the tear duct plug I'm having problems "telling" when it's actually dry or if I have a buildup of tears or lubricant in it.  Any suggestions?  Doc said blur can be from dryness too - so it was ok to wet all the time until I get used to things.  Curious to see if anyone has any tips or advice...

Pam

[Suu]

Hi Pam and what a good question!

I've never heard of a plug for the tearduct but I suffer with the dry eye.
I also have glaucoma so have to put drops in both eyes every night and then I follow with LacriLube or 'tear drops'.  The eye specialist showed me how dry my eye was about a year ago so I've seen him every 3 months since then.  The last visit he finally said that whatever I was doing was working 

My eye has a couple of stitches put in the corner to close the eye a little bit to try to prevent damage to the cornea but when it begins to sting even the slightest bit, I put drops in it.

I'd love to read what others are doing as well.

Suu xxoo

[spgreenfield]

I'm surprised your doc hasn't suggested the tear duct plug!  It's even covered under MY medical insurance!  What it does is prevent the little tears I have from draining into my nasal passages.  If you begin producing *enough* tears again you will know it because the eye overflows and it's like you're crying. (or at times when your eye produce tears I guess)  Last night was the first time I saw a difference (I had it inserted on Thursday - so maybe the eye was irritated a day?)  But I was able to stay up much longer without my eye stinging or burning - or even out of focus!  She also gave me Sustane gel drops - they do have a preservative, but they are one step thinner than the ointment - very thick and I think I like them.....

[Suu]

Hi again Pam and Happy Easter

Sometimes my eye 'overflows' when I eat or hold my head down.  The tears also fill up my cheek sac just below my eye and it looks like I haven't had any sleep for a long time but it eventually gets absorbed into the body    It never comes out of my nose.

I'm definitely going to ask about the plug after I googled it.  My doc seems to think that I'm doing a good enough job with keeping the eye moist and we're hoping the that 12/7 graft gives me better eye closure as well as more blinking reflexes.

I've been using Viscotears which is also a little thinner than the lube and it seems to last a lot longer.

Regarding whether or not you think your eye may be dry or that you may have a build up of lubricant in it - I carry a couple of freshly ironed handkerchiefs with me and pat my eye if I feel my eyesight go fuzzy.  It usually means there's a film over my eye of some sort.

Cheers,
Suu xxoo