There’s a good chance that you have experienced dry eyes at some point in your life. Itchy, burning, gritty eyes happen for a multitude of reasons.
Causes of dry eyes include allergies, screen use, and side effects of some medications. However, many people suffer from dry eyes, not just once-in-a-while but chronically.
Chronic dry eyes can take a toll on the quality of your life. Even worse, the condition can continue to worsen if the cause goes untreated.
Untreated chronic dry eye can cause severe and permanent damage to your eyesight. Keep reading to learn about LipiFlow, an excellent treatment for chronic dry eyes.
What is Causing Your Chronic Dry Eyes?
The first step in treating chronic dry eye is diagnosing the problem. One of the most common causes of chronic dry eye is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
There are three vital ingredients in tears. These key components are water, mucus, and oil.
Water holds the necessary nutrients for your eyes to stay nourished and hydrated. Mucus helps the water spread across your eyes. The oil prevents the water from evaporating too quickly and drying your eyes out.
The meibomian glands are what produce the oil, or lipids, for your tears. They sit at the edges of your eyelids.
These glands can become blocked or inflamed, which means the lipids can’t mix into your tears. A lack of oil in your tears results in increased tear evaporation.
Lipiflow, What is it, and How Does it Work?
MGD is the leading cause of clogged oil glands in your eyelids. While MGD may seem like a big problem, there is a solution.
The LipiFlow dry eye treatment deals with obstructive MGD. Lipiflow is a device designed to remove meibomian gland blockage.
LipiFlow is a painless, gentle, in-office procedure. It is non-surgical, takes minutes to complete, and does not require any recovery period.
The device uses sterile activators placed on and under your closed eyelids. These implements deliver low, pulsating pressure and heat to the eyelid glands.
The heat softens and melts the wax that clogs the glands and prevents oil from mixing in your tears. The gentle pressure moves the melted wax out of your glands. Removing the wax creates clear pathways for oil to flow into your tears.
Will LipiFlow Get Rid of Your Dry Eyes Immediately?
Changes in your dry eye symptoms will likely not happen immediately after LipiFlow. It may take between six and eight weeks to achieve the full benefits of the treatment.
To determine whether Lipiflow will be effective for you, you need to undergo a comprehensive examination. This examination will determine the actual underlying cause of your dry eye.
These diagnostic tests will check the lipid production in your glands. They will also test other possible causes of your chronic dry eyes. Your eye doctor must ensure MGD is causing your chronic dry eyes before they administer LipiFlow.
If MGD or other meibomian gland blockages are causing your dry eyes, LipiFlow can give you relief. Schedule an appointment at Eye Care Specialists in Scranton, PA, to determine the cause of your dry eyes. You could get rid of them with LipiFlow dry eye treatment!
