Dry eye is more common than you may think. Part of this is due to the wide range of things that can cause it.
The main reason that dry eye occurs is the eyes produce low-quality tears or there are not enough tears. If this is the case, sometimes the only way to get your dry eye under control is with treatment.
Keep reading to learn if LipiFlow may work to treat your dry eyes!
What are Tears Made of?
There are three things that are in tears: water, mucus, and oil. If you have tears that do not have all three components, your eyes will suffer.
Water hydrates and nourishes the eyes, mucus allows your tears to spread across the eye’s surface, and oil coats the tears so they last long enough. Typically, if dry eye occurs because of an imbalance in tear composition, it is because the eyes are not producing enough oil.
Without a protective layer of oil, tears evaporate before they have the chance to nourish the eye.
The first thing doctors will look at when trying to determine why your eyes are no longer producing enough oil is your meibomian glands. These lipid-producing glands are inside the edges of your eyelids.
They should be free-flowing. They can become backed up with a waxy substance, inflamed, or swollen. If this occurs, it’s known as Meibomian Gland Dysfunction or MGD.
MGD affects many people every year. One way to treat MGD is with something called LipiFlow.
What is LipiFlow?
To remove the blockage that causes MGD, your doctor may suggest LipiFlow. LipiFlow is a gentle therapy designed to safely and effectively remove blockages in the glands. Here’s how it works.
Using an FDA-approved procedure that occurs in-office, the LipiFlow system delivers a combination of warmth and gentle pulses of pressure to the eyelids. These two factors open up the glands.
This allows any material that has built up inside to be released, freeing up space for the oil to pass through.
The therapy itself is fast and simple. It requires no downtime or recovery, and some patients have even described it as relaxing!
Assuming the cause of your dry eye is, in fact, being caused by MGD, you will likely feel relief after only one treatment. It may take several treatments to take full effect. Many patients find that they get the most relief after several treatments.
LipiFlow For Dry Eyes and MGD
LipiFlow does more than provide temporary comfort to your dry eye. By eliminating the underlying cause of MGD, LipiFlow is a safe and effective way to cure dry eye.
If you suffer from MGD and dry eye syndrome, LipiFlow can be a truly transformative treatment.
You may need alternative treatments depending on your particular case of dry eye. Issues with tear production may need medication or inserts.
Tired of struggling with the frustrating symptoms of dry eye syndrome, day in and day out? Schedule an appointment at Eyecare Specialists in Berwick, PA, and find out if LipiFlow may be the right treatment option for you!
