replace plug with another or cautery?

[jskidmore]

I have had lower plugs for several months. One eye is just fine now. The plug seems to be coming out of the other and is greatly irritating me. I'm going to see my doc tomorrow and have it removed. He had already told me that if these plugs didn't work he wanted to cauterize me. Should I insist on another plug first? Can he put in another plug or cauterize me on the same day that this one is removed? Or should I wait and let my tear duct heal a little bit first?

Does it hurt to have eyes cauterized? I'm assuming that my eyes will be deadened and I won't feel the actual procedure? What about afterwards? My plugs bothered me the first few days.

Also, just wanted to mention that deep tissue massage has greatly helped me. I have a muscle right under my right eye that gets so tight that it hurts my eye. I think a lot of the pain I thought I was having from dryness was actually this muscle. My therapist (and sometimes my dentist) actually massages me in my mouth. It's like a torture session, but after a five minute torture session, my eye feels great for several weeks.

[indrep]

I would ask for a 90 day plug first.

[EyeSpy]

Hi there!

I had my tear ducts cauderized about 10 years ago as my plugs kept coming out. It made a huge difference for me.

I do have to warn that it hurt a lot getting it done but I would do it again in a heartbeat versus the plugs.

The shot to numb the area is the worst part, after that, you won't feel the cauderizing much.

I have been looking at this website for others who have this done and can not find very many, which surprised me as it worked very well for me.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Good Luck!

EyeSpy from Atlanta, GA

[Lucy]

Go with Indrep. Cauterization should not be gone into prematurely as it is considered irreversible. (Even though it comes undone by itself sometimes.)

[izzy3usa2002]

I am thinking about doing cauterization myself as pulgs just wont stay in. My doctor advised me it can be un-done if it doesnt work for me so i am thinking of giving it a try.

[indrep]

I would get a very detailed explanation of what he means by "undoing" cauterization.

[djb]

Cautery works if it is done right. My cauterizations reopened many times. I finally found a doctor who did it right and they are now closed. To be successful you need to reduce inflammation with meds for two weeks prior to cautery. Then the day of cautery, don't use anti-inflammatory meds because you want it to scar up and close the duct. That is what worked for me. If a doctor doesn't know what he's doing, he can lacerate the punctum and you'll have a rough time like me! Ask your doc if he had any punctum reopen in time. If he said yes, find another doc who knows his procedure will succeed. It may save you some grief down the road.

[Lucy]

djb---No doctor can tell how you will respond to a medical procedure. If a doc says he has had no failures for cauterization, I'd think he was lying. Patients can develop scar tissue that can cause problems. It may in part be the skill of the doc, but again they cannot promise how you will heal after this flesh burning. Lucy

[djb]

Lucy,

I responded to this thread based on my personal experience and to help others considering cautery. I don't want them to go through the needless suffering that I suffered. I realize you're not a fan of cautery and I only went to it because I was out of options. I cannot see unless my punctum are closed. I tried every kind of plug out there and nothing would stay put. I was cauterized several times and my punctum kept reopening. My doctor told me they were closed and that there was nothing he could do for me. When I went to Dr. Tseng, he told me that they were all open and one was lacerated. He offered to close them and I asked him if his cauterizations reopened. He told me that one punctum in 20 years of practice reopened. He cauterized me over 5 yrs ago and they are still closed. He told me that cautery has to be done a certain way in order to be successful. As I look back, the doctor whose cautery reopened, always gave me an anti-inflammatory after the procedure. Dr. Tseng only used it prior, not after the procedure. I believe this could be the secret to successful cautery. Cautery is no fun, but it was a blessing to me. It was my last option at that time....djb....

[Lucy]

djb-as a sidebar on my punctal conditions: one is cauterized, one has a plug and two are scarred shut from multiple plugging/unpluggings. I am totally closed off as this has been "proven" by a Jones test by a couple of different doctors office. I thought you might laugh at my combination. Lucy

[djb]

Lucy,

I'm happy for you that you found 'closure'. It's hard to laugh at what we go through sometimes. I tried to find closure on my lacerated punctum, but all I get is a prescription for restasis. No doc is willing to try except Dr. Tseng. I just don't want to travel back if I don't have to. That's why I'm going local with the Maskins probing procedure. If it's effective, I may have found a local doc who will care for my condition and I won't have to make any Florida runs in the future. It's a risk I'm willing to take...djb....

[dryeyes4ever]

I've had my tear ducts cauterized twice & it was a simple procedure both times. For the first few days, my eyes actaully watered a lot, but that stopped. I tried the plugs first which didn't work.

I say DEFINITELY get your ducts cauterized!