Is there any truth in the rumour that steroid eye drops for bleph can lead to complications? My GP will not let me have them for this reason, she says. I've been using wet ones for three or four months but past couple of weeks they just haven't worked and I'm miserable with the complaint and desperate for something that will help.
My Ophtalmologist told me that steroids can lead to serious complications. Among other things, he mentionned Glaucoma.
https://patient.info/doctor/blepharitis-pro
Have you read the page on Patient uk? It is very interesting and informative.
Steroids can cause cataracts. Doctors don't prescribe them unnecessarily.
Just looking at your photo Fiona, do you always wear eye makeup? My Ophthalmologist told me not to get any creams etc near my eyes because they block the meibomian glands and cause problems. He also told me to soak a flannel in a solution of baby shampoo or similar and place on the eyes for 10 minutes twice a day. He told me to use hand hot water. I seldom have a problem with Blepharitis any more. I have other eye conditions, which is why I see an Ophthalmologist.
Do you have dry eyes? It might help you to use artificial tears too. Personally, I wouldn't use Wet Ones.
Have you asked to be referred to the hospital clinic?
Good luck.
I understand now that steroids wouldn't be a safe bet particularly as glucoma runs in my family, however I am loathe to use baby shampoo as it would I feel sure sting my eyes, they are very delicate when I have these flare ups at least the wet ones do not sting.
The photo graph was taken about a year before I developed bleph, I seldom wear it now.
I have seen the hospital clinic once, they failed to diagnose bleph, it was down to my optician who diagnosed it at the time, some time after I had seen the hospital
PS If you really feel it helped you, mrsmop and it wouldn't be painful and sting my eyes, I will order some johnsons baby shampoo from my grocery outlet and start using the flanel with warm water twice daily, I am just a bit sceptical, but thanks it seems worth a try.
I've ordered the johnsons "gold" baby shampoo, is this the right one? Only I can change for one of the other ones if you don't think this is the right one.
Hi Fiona
Have you tried Systane eye drops. They are brilliant, you can use them as many times a day as you need them. My surgeon recommended them to me (he suffers with the same problem). Strangely he agrees with eye makeup. He said it makes you clean your eyes. As long as I promised to use a gentle eye makeup remover, then tearless baby shampoo, night and morning. Hope this helps.
Love
Jacqui
Thanks Jacqueline, I am seeing the doc Wednesday so will ask her about the drops you mention. Do you have any idea, once you have soaked your flannel, how much baby shampoo you should apply to it before putting the flannel on your eyes?
I do wear makeup if it's a special occasdion unless I'm having a flare up in which case they water so much and are so sore it comes straight off again! Thanks for your help.
Hi Fiona, I don't actually use baby shampoo but some mild handwash that I have at home and you only need a drop of it in the water each time.
The eye drops that I was prescribed, ar called Hyabak, they are preservative free. Are Systane preservative free, I'm not certain. It is the preservatives that tend to cause the problems. I also use VitA-POS gel at night, which helps a lot but Lacrilube also helps. It is very difficult to get hold of the VitA-POS sometimes.
But I am sure you will find the flannel helpful.
Hi I have heard of baby shampoo being used for bleph many times before but this is the first time I've heard of handwash being used, I'll try a little baby shampoo on a hand hot flannel anyway. I'll also check out the eye drops you mention, thanks. I'm using hypremellose drops currently, they help a little but not much.
Hi Fiona
It is good that you are seeing your doctor on Wednesday. I notice that there are very different ways of using the baby shampoo quoted on this forum. My Mr Johnson, who is one of the top surgeons in this part of Norfolk and a lovely man, very sympathetic to women wanting to look their best. Also I trust him completely, he removed ingrowing eyelashes from my right eye, the pain was unbelievable and nobody else could find out why. I was sent to him and within seconds he had pinpointed the problem and removed the eyelashes. (He is going to laser them properly next month!) Anyway to get back to the shampoo. He told me to get a small cup, put a squirt of 'tearless' baby shampoo in the bottom half fill with hot water. Then I put my middle finger in the solution and rub it very gently in a circular movement around the eyelashes top and bottom of each eye. Then repeat. Then remove with very gentle eye makeup remover. I use the L'Oreal one because it is the only one I do not react to. Then I put eye cream on as normal. It really keeps my blepharitis at bay, and now I only have to use the Systane eye drops twice a day. I have these on repeat prescription and my eyes hardly water at all when I am out in the woods now (I suffer badly with allergens, Norfolk is very bad for this!) so this treatment has really made life so much better for me.
I do hope Fiona that you can find the perfect system for you and that you can get your belpharitis under control. Miserable isn't it when you can't. Let me know how you get on at the Doctors.
Love
Jacqui
I am allergic to formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers, which are in some baby shampoos, so I use the hadnwash that is free from them!
Hypromellose tends to have preservatives in it, which is why my Ophthalmologists don't prescribe it for me
Are you in the UK Fiona?
Hi Mrsmop
Love your nickname! I use Vita-Pos gel too isn't it wonderful. I have it on prescription but like you say it is extremely difficult to get. The manufacturers are really messing about. I did manage to buy one Tube off of Amazon, and am really being very careful with it! I cannot find any ingredients on the box of Systane (Boots have printed their label right on top!) but as it lasts for 6 months it must contain some preservative, oh but it is so so soothing!
We all seem to have slight modifications on our methods, it is just pinpointing the right one to work!
Warmest Wishes
Jacqui
Thanks Jacqueline for your helpful response. I must admit I am up the wall this morning as not only a really unpleasant bleph flare up but I also incidentally have a rectal prolapse (perhaps I shouldn't mention it here) but anyway it's kept me "on the go" eight times this morning but thankfully everything seems to have settled down a bit now.
I find your method, with the cup, might be more suited to me, so thanks, as you say there are different ways of using, thanks to everyone who has advised me on here today really, when you get I'll it is so good to be able to reach out to fellow sufferers isn't it?
Hi Fiona
It is wonderful isn't it to have this forum and to get all the tips and help from everyone.
With regard to your rectal prolapse have you been on the Hysterectomy site on Patients UK yet? I suffered a rectal prolapse, bladder prolapse and vaginal wall prolapse. Had my op in April (fantastic result!) got some fantastic help on the site, met some very brave women, and hopefully helped some others on their way. They will help you right from seeking help, through any treatment, and recovery. Sorry I've gone right off the subject!
Really hope you find the magic touch to help your eyes Fiona. Fingers crossed.
Love
Jacqui
Hi Jacqueline, just saying, I think it's a dead cert that my doc won't have the Vita pos gel as she never has anything I ask her for! So no worries, I'll try Amazon instead
Hi Fiona
Yes Amazon is your best bet, or sometimes E-Bay.
Love
Jacqui
Hi fiona51388
I was prescribed steroid eye ointment by the eye hospital, first for 2 weeks, and then later for 4 weeks. The doctor at the eye hospital told me that prolonged use of the steroid antibiotic cream can have side effects so she wasnt happy for me to keep using it after that.
When I was using the steroid cream I had to go to the hospital regularly for check-ups. I think they need to test your eye pressure.
I imagine it's something that would be beyond the level of general practice, so maybe a referral to the hospital may be needed? See what your GP or optician says.
At the moment I am using lacri-lube/xailin at night, and washing my eyes with hot water and baby shampoo.
Thanks Heuchera, I think I can rule out steroids now as glaucoma runs in my family so it wouldn't be wise. Is the lacri-lube an eye drop?
Hi Jacqueline, I've just seen your response, I believe my prolapse is purely rectal so a hysterectomy wasn't recommended me, it's great you got some sound advice though. I've had my rectal prolapse four 1/2 years and had a ventral mesh retropescy operation which truly helped only very marginally and they now say surgery isn't "indicated" I live in hopes really of it getting Bette but seems unlikely.