film in eyes

I have been told I have blepharitis, eyelid margin disease and meibomitis. It will never go away, it just gets worse, had it about 3 years, can barely see. I also get this film on my face and now get picky itchy rashes that can scar and the dermatologist gave me a highly concentrated cortisone cream which doesnt help and she wont help me anymore. I also hve chalazon, gritty stuff that comes out of my eyes all day long. Use the baby shampoo for my eyes. Stopped using eye makeup. Through out old and bought new. Still get conjuctivitis. My eyes are disgusting. The only eyedrop that sometimes works is Zyltet which is an antibiotic and prednisone. I have severe dry eye. I will go blind if I continue to use these drops unless something else can help me. I am allergic to Erythromycin. Sjogrens is in my family and I have a very severe disabling unknown form of arthritis and get no more help from the medical community. Are there any ideas out there that can help me with this swelling, film, glop and crystal grit that ails me 24/7?
Elle11964



This discussion is related to film over eye.

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

Yes I do have some important suggestions. Use the search feature and read all about blepharitis and dry eyes.

See a Eye MD conea/external disease specialist associated with a medical school.

You should use Occusoft foam eyelid cleaener , Occusoft eye wipe patches (or TheraTears Sterilid foam eyelid cleaner) daily instead of baby shampoo.

I would put you on minocycline or deoxycycline  for 3-6 months.

Keep your hair out of your eyes (no bangs, shampoo often)

Take fish oil Omega three  capsules 2 or 3 per day.

Ask the Eye MD about a 4-5 month trial of restasis.

JCH MD

[elle11964]

Thank you very much for your response. I have use Steralid, after while it caused eye irritation. Fish oil made me sick to my stomach. I did ask my eye doctor for antibiotics and his nurse told me he declined that and also restasis. The only two left are the minocycline or deoxycycline and the restasis. So, should I beg the guy, I went to high school with him 30 years ago. Insurance wise there is really no one else I dont think I can see in this area and I am disabled so getting around is not easy. I would like to stay with him, he knows my history. Should I call the office and bug him again. By the way, if I didnt mention the film gets on my face and now have a rash on face and scalp and the derm wont help out either. They are passing the buck so to say. Thanks again, elle11964

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

You can take fishoil without an upset stomach. Buy ENTERIC COATED fish oil you can get it in Walmarts or from Cardiotabs. Put them in the freezer and freeze them. Take one per day with your evening meal for one week. Second week take one with breakfast after a month take two with evening mean and one with breakfast. After two months you can probably stop freezing them. Enteric coated means it goes through your stomach into the small intestine before its absorbed.

What you do is up to you. You present yourself as at the end of your rope. Why don't you just ask him to refer you to a corneal/external disease specialist. He would probably be more than happy to get another opinion.

I don't know why he would not want to use oral tetracyclines they're standard thereapy for resistant blepharitis and very safe and very inexpensive.

Your call

JCH MD

[elle11964]

I spoke to him today and told him what you said, he claims my corneas are fine because he looked at them. Doesnt want to prescribe me any medicine over the phone, need to come into his office, dont have time because I am scheduled for C5 C6 fusion out of town. He is afraid for my liver he stated because I was on Methotrexate and Humara for 4 years for arthritis and take other meds. He also commented when he sees me my lids look fine, but he doesnt see my in the evening or morning when they are horrendous. He has told me at other appts he can see the flakes and swelling but he forgets. Too busy. I will  try the fish oil, and freeze it, thank you. He asked me to call my primary who will just pass me along because after a while a doctor will just get sick of complex problems, blow you off, call you psychosomatic and eventually recieve no help. He told me to discontinue the Zylet so now I have nothing, should I call my primary and pray I dont get blown off. She is new. Also, my Mother thought I was allergic to tetrocyclines but now claims I am not. Never took them so not sure. She said she just cant remember she had 6 kids. So I always wrote it as an allergy. Any extra input! By the way you are very nice and I thank you for the time you have spent with me.

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

I suspect your family MD will not want to treat an eye condition and that your best bet is to get a second opinion even if you have to drive some distance for it.

JCH MD

[elle11964]

Thank you for your answers sir. I must add my eye doctor didnt seem too happy that I made these suggestions to him and did say to me on the phone and "You dont have dry eyes," when they gave me a case of Thera Tears 2 years ago. He made me feel like a fool and abandond. Thank you again for your time. PS Wish you were my eye doctor!!!!

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

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[Libra2u]

I've had a lack of lipids in my tears for 15+ years.  I also have occasional enlargement of the glands (mostly the top lid of my left eye) which makes the feeling of grittiness even worse. I have almost constant dry crusts in the inner corners of my eyes.  Doing research, I just found out what I have is called meibomitis and it can occur most often in people like me who have rosacae.  To make matters worse, I live in the desert southwest and some of my meds can increase eye dryness.

Ten years ago, my HMO sent me to an ophthalmologist with a bad attitude.  He told me in my four minute appointment that there was no treatment other than to use hot compresses several times per day and OTC eye drops.  He said it was probably related to my rheumatoid arthritis and he would not prescribe Restasis because my HMO would not cover it. (They cover it now w/approval.)  I gave up trying to get help.

I take fish and flax oils daily and eat a diet with a lot of fruits/vegetables and fiber.  Drinking a lot of water is also helpful.   Lack of sleep exacerbates the problem.

Recently, I found out by accident that using my Clarisonic facial brush (delicate brush head) twice a day on my eyelids helps a lot. It's a little pricey at $150 online, but it's still less than my drug copays over the course of three months. I plan to ask my Doc about trying Restasis and possibly antibiotics.

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

Other things that help Rosacea are oral tetracycline and topical gels like Metro gel

Restasis is very helpful

JCH MD