Eyelid weight vs Spring?

[amymeri]

I know there are several here who have the eyelid weight implanted, and I may go that route next month as it has been over 3 months with no blink.  Has anyone had experience with the spring instead of the weight?

[Static]

Sorry Amy, no experience (Amy is my youngest daughter's name), but I was up around 2AM this morning and saw something on the discovery channel (I think that's what it was) where they did a surgery to fix a spring that a women had that wasn't working after 3 decades (that is what they said) after her having a brain tumor removed (I could only guess that it was an AN because of her facial paralysis, they didn't say tho).  Anyway, they tried to fix it but after the surgery it still wasn't just right.  It seemed like a tricky surgery to me.  Make sure you find someone with lots of experience so they get it right the first time, it didn't look like fun!  Good luck.

[Jeanlea]

Static,

I was watching the same show.  llol  After seeing that I think I'll stick with my gold weight in the eye.  Made me feel not so bad about my facial paralysis.  I already look better than she did after her plastic surgery.  It's good to know that you can always wait to do the plastic surgery.  I'm hoping that in the future they will come up with something better for people with facial paralysis. 

Jean

[DeniseSmith]

I have a platinum weight.   I am very very happy with it.  I don't know anything about the spring but I do like the weight.

DS

[amymeri]

I was going to hold out on the weight to see if I will get better, but I am 3 months out and have a tiny bit of movement in my mouth but only a 50% eye close and NO blink.  I wear an external weight and it helps, but it is funny looking and slips.  I am thinking about getting the implanted weight. 

What is the procedure like?

Thanks!
Amy

[DeniseSmith]

The surgery took about 30 minutes, day surgery.  I was awake for the surgery,  i walked into the operating room, instead of being on a gurney.  They numbed my eyelid and area around my eye.  The surgeon talked to me during the surgery.  He played Johnny Cash on the stereo. My eye surgeon is a fun and upbeat guy.  He's GREAT!!


After a couple hours in recovery was taken home by my boyfriend.  My eyelid was pretty swollen and purple.  i had the surgery on a
Thursday and went back to work the following monday.  I was given pain meds and some ointment for the incision.  I went back 10 days later and had the stiches removed. 


All in all it was not traumatic.

Denise

[Pembo]

Amy, I am 2 years out and still no blink but my eye "looks" normal and I can force it shut. I had a plug put in the tear duct and that has helped cut down on the amount of eye lube I need to use.  My eye doc said he would consider a weight but it would affect how I look.

[amymeri]

Hmmm, Denise does it affect how you look?  Right now my eye weight is 1.4 and pretty big.  I thought about the duct plugs also, because I think they can just be done in the office? 

I hate the thought of another procedure but the dry eye and no blink takes up way to much of my time.

Amy

[DeniseSmith]

It is inserted in your eyelid,  they make an incision in the crease of your eyelid.  No one notices it, unless I tell them it's there. when you eye is open it can't be seen.  My eye still does not blink all the way closed, my eye dr. said if he put in a heavier weight to get a full blink, my eye would droop noticeably.  I still use drops during the day as needed, and lacrilube every nite before bed.  My eye closes all the way.  I do not have to tape it, and I can run a ceiling fan (on low) at nite and not wake up with dry eye.

I wasn't able to get the weight until 6 months after my surgery. During those six months, I would have my eye taped each and every night.  I had a couple bad eye infections and scratched my cornea.  Since the weight, I have had no infections and my cornea has repaired itself.



Denise

[amymeri]

I would adore a night without the tape!  And I can totally relate to the fan situation, because a breeze of any kind dries my eye out in seconds.  How big is your weight?  My eye doesn't close all the way with the external weight but good enough to spread tears and bring my drops down from every 10 minutes (saline) to every couple hours on a good day.  I try not to use gel or lacrilube during the day because of the blurriness.

I am going to investigate the implant.  I feel a little defeated because I was hoping I wouldn't need it, but I think it would help my quality of life. 

Thanks!

[DeniseSmith]

Amymeri

The taping was the worst! My boyfriend would do it for me and most times we would end up arguing. Not good.  Anyway, I don't remember how big my weight is,  They showed it to me prior to insertion.  It is smaller than my fingernail on my pinkie finger.  I have small hands.  I can try to find my paperwork and look it up, if you want.  Let me know.

My drs. suggested the weight while I was in the hospital, but had to wait because of swelling.Also, had to wait due to insurance problems. (Bastards!)    Also, the drs. were hoping it would start blinking on its own, but no such luck. 

Denise

[Jeanlea]

Amy,

I had a 1.4 weight put in while I was still in the hospital.  I still can't blink, but I can close my eye all the way.  In the beginning I taped on a shield to keep my eye moist at night in case it opened while I slept.  Now I just put in ointment at night, close it and go to sleep.  During the day I use Liguigel.  I can go about 3-4 hours between drops now.  I also have no feeling in my eye which called for extra precautions.  I had my lower eye lid lifted and a tiny portion of the corner sewn.  My eye was starting to droop because of the paralysis.  Even with that and the gold weight you wouldn't notice it if you saw me. 

Jean