Constant eye discharge from left eye (has got worse over the years) - PLEASE HELP!

Hello there,

I have had this problem for many years and it's so frustrating. I just need someone to give me a correct diagnosis (even if surgery or something is needed).

It's really affecting my life - I'm 30 now and want to get it sorted out once and for all (no matter what I have to do).

I don't believe the eye specialists I have seen understand the problem and don't give me the time of day. Perhaps to them it's no big deal but to me it really is.

It's my left eye that constantly get's heavy and I can feel discharge there and it's always visably noticeable throughout the day (my right eye is fine).

It's almost as though the muscle or something has losened or perhaps a nerve in the left corner as when I rub that one (as opposed to my right) the muscle seems a lot looser and more liquidy. Perhaps it needs tightening or something.

It's always just in the corner of my left eye (a white discharge like sleep just hasnt been wiped out properly). No matter how many times I wipe it out it just there in the corner.

It's very embarassing and makes me self conscious (avoiding going out and making eye contact).

I've used all sorts of eye drops (preservative and no preservative) and tried no drops as well.

I've been to quite a few eye specialists now and they say it's a mixture of allergies and dry eyes and prescribed pathanol and non preservative eye drops.  The last eye specialist however said it's not "dry eye" at and told me to use johnson baby shampoo and a cream at night called Siguent Hycor.

However so far this hasn't helped at all - again not understanding the problem it's the left eye that has discharge coming out of it (yes the baby shampoo can help for cleansing but it will not resolve the problem in the left corner).

I've also recently started taking supplements because I don't believe that an eye drop can assist the problem and I'm tired of people not addressing the problem correctly. So I take:
* Silica (only started few days ago)
* Blackmore Macu-vision (just started)
* Flaxseed Oil (cold pressed)

I would really appreciate some help and thought on this!

There must be a solution out there!

Many thanks.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I doubt any of those supplements are worth the money you spend on them. Dry eyes and allergies and blepharitis are not highly likely because they are usually bilateral and not hard to diagnose.

I would say the most likely diagnosis is a partially blocked tear duct on the symptomatic eye. I would suggest seeing an oculoplastic surgeon Eye MD.  If you live in the USA find one near you at www.aao.or OR contact one of the ophthalmologists you've seen in the past and ask them to refer you to an oculoplastic surgeon. When you go in to see the oculoplastic surgeon DO NOT clean out your eye when you get up. Go in to see the MD with the mucous/discharge in the corner of the eye. ALSO do not let the technicians put ANY DROPS in your eye till the oculoplastic surgeons looks at you, the drops will wash the mucous out of the eye and destroy vital diagnositic clues.

JCH MD

[Kevin80]

Hi there,

Thanks very much for your response - best and most logical response I've heard to date.

OK I'm definitely going to try this. I wish I did live in the U.S as you guys are always leaders when it comes to the health field. Unfortunately, I live in Australia but I'm going to go about going through the process.

My main concern now is the cost but it's a problem I need to get rectified.

So that's my question - how much would something like this cost to rectify?

I'm bit nervous in regards to the cost!

However I would be ecstatic if I could rectify the problem.

Thanks for your help again - much appreciated!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Well a competent general ophthalmologist could probe and irrigate the tear duct as an office procedure and that in the USA in not very expensve (couple of hundred bucks). However if the system is closed or that doesn't take care of the problem then a more expensive drainage procedure would be necessary.

My suggestion is see an oculoplastic surgeon for an office visit and getting a valid diagnosis. Then explain your financial situation. Most surgeons will alllow a patient to make payments on surgical procedures if repayment is done in a reasonable period of time. One exception is cosmetic surgery but this isn't.  Another is to go to a medical school clinic. Often this is "free" or reduced with Residents and Fellows working under the supervision of the faculty.

JCH MD

[Kevin80]

Hi John,

I hope you are well.

Just a quick email to say a big thank you for your thoughts on a diagnosis to date.

Update:  I searched around for two of the best occuplastic surgeons in melbourne and booked for two (second one as a backup).

I finally got to see the first one today.  I did what you said and I went in without applying any eye drops and tried not to wipe out any mucus/discharge.

I'm not over the moon with the diagnosis because she didn't recommend an easy fix like "surgery" but she seemed to be the most logicial and thorough to date in terms of checking the left eye. Not just a 60 second job like previous people.

She performed a Nasolacrimal tube (unilateral) unblocking of the tear duct but said it seemed to be fine.

She also seemed to rule out "allergies" which previous specialists have mentioned because it's only in one eye and it doesn't get really red and itchy etc (which makes sense).

A five point plan was outlined (not sure if you have any thoughts on this yourself).

1) Use Johnsons Baby Shampoo only 1-2 times a week with a cotton ball and warm water

2) Omega 3 fatty acids were mentioned inc:
- Fish
- Eggs
- Seeds, and
- Nuts

However in particular Organic Flaxseed Oil was mentioned from Blackmores (something I mentioned previously and have already been taken).

3) This is one of the biggest things she mentioned - she said there seemed to be partial narrowing of the tear duct in the problematic left eye but she mentioned there would be no need for a surgeon at this stage.

4) Rather than Systane (which) I have been taking for a while she recommended Refresh Liquigel - 4 drops a day at least.

5) She also gave me a cycle of FML Steroid drops to be used over a short period in conjunction with the other eye drops.

Overall, she asked me about how long I've had it and I said really 10 years but it's progressively got worse.

She also mentioned that my body might be producing "excessive mucous" (something that I've read about too).  I believe that's why the steroid and the fatty acids were mentioned.

Draining was not mentioned and again not surgery at this stage because she said I'm a young guy (30) but I said I will assess how it goes. She mentioned too about the side effects of some other patients having surgery e.g excessively drying of eye etc..

Now it seems a bit crazy but I have the second appointment with the other leading occuplastic surgeon locally.  I'm not blessed with money at the moment but not sure if it's worth getting a second opinion in this matter (I'm disregarding all the previous people to date because they simply aren't as specialised as these people).

Not sure what you think on this front.

I guess everyone has some sort of medical problem these days but I guess I was hoping for something more definitive.

I might just see how I go on these drops etc and assess again in 4 weeks..

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,
Kevin

[jaysta36]

Ive suffered with sticky eye the same and redness in the corner sore eyelids like scaly,I was told its blepharitus,ive cleaned my eyelids religiously,with no real results..had it for years,tried every drop ,I can think off the same always comes back..so I really studied what's causing this,is got to be some reaction to something..yep its is a allergy what you have,and i bet I know what it is  No1 Alcohol   No2 Aspartane these two chemicals are through out a life on a weekly basis
No1 I dont drink in the week at all but weekends I do I drink beer,spirits etc moderate amount,I always wake up with a hangover,which consists of headaches,stomach ache red eye,sore eyelids discharge etc,eyeache,.I noticed my symptons would get better round about thurs of the week if Ihad drank on the fri or sat, of course by then the weekend comes round again,its a vicious circle..10% of people have an allergic reaction to this with causes rashes ,eye problems,discharge,its body fighting the poison and allergens like,wheat barly, artificial products whats in these drinks.
So I changed my drink to vodka purest form of alcohol and soda like coke.
but I still noticed sore eye lids ,discharge..etc etc.
No2 So i looked into ingredients of soda pops which we have everyday,in some type of form i.e pepsi max ,coke,lemonade,flavoured water and an ingredient called ASPARTAME kept popping up this stuff is terrible for you google it and check out the side effects especially for the eyes,and linked to cancer
2 weeks Ive cut these drinks with this ingredient ASPARTAME in ,I drink water now,and i havent had alcohol and I would say my eyes are about 90% better and getting better,
This weekend I might try vodka and water,with slight lemon,because in the past I had it with sodas,which I had reactions to see how I go,trying to work out if its the alcohol causing more problems or the ingredient ASPARTAME,BUT CUTTING BOTH HAS DONE IT FOR ME   TRY IT1

[Kevin80]

Hi Jay,

Thanks for your well thought reply and taking the time.

Jay, I don't drink alcohol at all and haven't touched a drop in 6 months (good I know but I did use to binge drink in the u.k when a lot longer lol).

So that would certainly dispell that theory on alcohol. Also, I don't drink many soft drinks either but I guess my one bad thing is sometimes I have 3 coffees a day.

That's the thing I'm a healthy type and not really sure is this is allergies to be honest.

Remember again it's my left eye and it's just small strains in the left corner that keep reforming through-out the day no matter how many time removed.

I'll see how I go with the current prognosis from the specialist.

I kind of think it might be a mixture of excessive mucous production and what the specialist mentioned about the slight narrowing of the tear duct in the left eye.

Again, certainly not definite but would thought allergies would be in both eyes. My eyes don't get red either it's just the annoying white discharge.

I will see how I go and still deciding whether or not to see the second specialist. Just wish it would be a quick fix.

Thanks,
Kevin