For External Lid Weight Users.......

[CROOKEDSMILE]

I've been using mine for the last 5 months and had started wearing it to bed at night. Well.....My eyelid started to get irritated and really red. I am now taking it off at night to give my eyelid a break and I wear a silk eyemask while sleeping and that keeps my eyelid closed at night and protects it from the fan which my husband loves to run at hurricane speed. I woke up to a happy eyelid this morning ready to wear the weight again. No tenderness and no redness. Whew!
Also...I was wondering......as your eyelid gains strength..have any of you ordered a lighter external/smaller weight?

[Kaybo]

Crookedsmile~
Hey!  I don't have much experience w/the external weight YET but am having my weight removed Tuesday morning and then will probably wear one until my lid heals & I can get another one put in!
Just wanted to say HI though!
K 

[Debbi]

Not sure about the lighter weights and have been wondering the same thing.  I've developed a rash with my Blinkeze so am only wearing it for "special" occasions now.  However, my eye has gotten a little better and appears to be at least trying to blink.  I still can't totally close it, but find sleeping with a soft eye mask (lined with Glad Press 'n' Seal) and puralube works just fine.

Debbi

[saralynn143]

Hi Angie -- glad your eye is feeling better.

Debbi -- did you ever try any of the other adhesives in that e-mail from MedDev?

I used to think that BlinkEze was a great concept, but I'm maybe changing my mind. Seems like there have been problems for quite a few of us.

Sara

[robinstwo]

My eye doctor says I'm not ready for internal eye weights.  I'm  only 8 weeks since surgery.  He wants to wait & see if any movement will come back in 6 months. I don't want to wait so long.  My eye doesn't blink & I'm tired of patching it closed.  I have one stich in the corner of the eye.  The thought of external eye weight is appealing.  How long did you wait before getting the external weight??

[Debbi]

Sara - I haven't yet tried the other adhesives, but may do that.  I really still love the blinkeze when I can wear it.  I am hopeful that I will get a blink back sometime soon; if not, I'll look at implants or possibly a combination of a lower lid tuck/punctal plug. 

I just saw my parents last week (went to Oregon for a visit) and they were amazed at how much better my face looks - of course, they last saw me 3 weeks after surgery when I had NO movement!  Still, it's good to know that others can see an improvement. 

Debbi

[saralynn143]

robinstwo -- I got an external weight at five weeks, then an implant at ten weeks. I really wish I had done the implant sooner but I didn't know then what I know now.

Are you seeing any kind of movement yet? My reservation with your eye doctor wanting to wait six months is that for most of us the eye and forehead will be the last to recover, because they are connected to the longest branches of the facial nerve. And if you don't have any movement at six months, then you have lost all of that time, and he may well say, well let's wait another three months. You deserve relief NOW!

Can you get a second opinion? It was an otolaryngologist who gave me my referral for the ophthalmic surgeon; he is also the head of the Facial Nerve Center at Washington University in St. Louis.

Sara

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

I just kept my heavy stick on eyeweight and have not got a lighter one.

2 weeks ago I had to wear it 5 days in a row   ....and this week I do not need it at all  . Go figure.

I like the stick-on as it gives me flexibility. Also you can choose as to how high (or low) you position it to change the weight's effectiveness.

Be sure to clean your eyeweight with antibacterial soap on a regular bases, rinsing and drying it well before putting it back on. Always have clean hands when you work with the adhesive stips and weight. This should cut down on irritation or infection.

DHM

[robinstwo]

Saralyn143,

Thanks for the advice.  I will have to ask around for a new eye doctor at Emory in Atlanta.  I think they  (hospital) just dumped me on this guy I have now.  He is a young eye surgeon who specializes in plastics, whatever that is.  I have another appointment on the 10th with him.  He is supposed to be looking for a new eye dr for me close to my home in FL.  Doctors aren't always right.  It's nice to be able to ask and get advice here