Punctal Plug Causing Eye Pain

[Aaron77]

I had a lower punctal plug inserted for my right eye last Wednesday. It now seems as though that eye is bothering me even more than before. I can feel the plug when I move my eye to the side and the eye seems to have an increase in the burning sensation. I have had a plug in my left eye for 3-4 months it has not really bothered me much at all. Left punctal plug is clear in colour but visible while the right punctal plug is white in colour, doc says they are both the same kind just different colours.

I'm going to give it a week or so to feel a little more normal, if no improvement is seen I'll go back to the opthamologist and see if we can do something different. All this trial and error stuff is just so frustrating, so worried that I'm going to have to suffer with this problem for the rest of my life

[rubyslippers]

Mine did exactly that. I went in and the doctor said it was not deep enough and therefore irritating the eye. About a year and a half ago this happened and I have not had a problem with them since. They are a godsend for me.

[Lucy]

I'm going to give it a week or so to feel a little more normal, if no improvement is seen I'll go back to the opthamologist and see if we can do something different. All this trial and error stuff is just so frustrating, so worried that I'm going to have to suffer with this problem for the rest of my life

Aaron, you're right, give it a week or even more before you make a move to change things. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks to settle down. The insertion could also have caused a bit of inflammation that will come down. Don't wait too long, use your good judgement.

Also, you won't have to deal with this your whole life! It probably seems like it. I doubt if that will be the case, though. I hope the plug things works out for you. Lucy

[indrep]

Aaron,
There is a difference in plugs. The new could be a diffrent "hardness" in silicone. I would ask which plugs are in which eyes. There is a new plug that is advertised as "one size fits all". It is much harder than other plugs and larger. It has been known to be quite uncomfortable to patients.

There is also a difference in your eyes. Your right lid could turn in toward your eye more than the left causing the discomfort.

The important issue is, is the plug rubbing and scratching your cornea? Is the scratching constant or only when you look toward your nose? Look in a mirror and notice where on your eye the pain starts when you look toward your nose. Is it on the white part (sclera) or the clear covering(cornea) that covers the colored part(iris)?