LipiFlow® Treatment For Dry Eyes | Dry Eye

According to studies, there are tens of millions of people in the United States diagnosed with dry eye. Most of them depend on eye drops and other forms of treatment to get temporary relief. Others live with the condition and learn to bear the eye discomfort due to a lack of understanding of treatment options.

In most cases, the root cause is a progressive or chronic condition known as meibomian gland dysfunction. The easiest way to determine the cause of your dry eyes is to visit your eye doctor and take a dry eye test.

What Is Dry Eye Disease?

This is a common eye condition that occurs when the tears in your eyes are unable to provide adequate lubrication. Your tears may be unstable and inadequate for several reasons. For example, you may produce poor-quality tears or insufficient tears. This can lead to damage and inflammation of the eye surface.

Dry eye disease is quite uncomfortable. People with this condition often experience a burning or stinging feeling in their eyes. You may also experience dry eyes when you are in an air-conditioned room, on a plane, after staring at a digital screen for hours, riding a bike, and many other situations.

Symptoms of Dry Eye

Symptoms of dry eyes usually affect both eyes. Some of the most common ones include:

Red eyes
A scratchy, burning, or stinging feeling in your eyes
Eye fatigue or blurred vision
Stringy mucus around and in your eyes
Watery eyes
Difficulty driving at night
Light sensitivity
Trouble wearing contact lenses

Treatments for Dry Eye

Most of the treatments for this eye condition may make you more comfortable. They can include eye drops and lifestyle changes. But to treat the symptoms of dry eye, you may need to take these measures indefinitely.

What Is LipiFlow?

This is a treatment device specifically designed to eliminate blockages from the meibomian glands in the eyes. Most eye specialists consider it as the standard treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction. This device comes with a single-use activator and a console.

How Does LipiFlow Treat Dry Eye?

LipiFlow® uses vectored thermal pulsation technology that sends heat pulses through the eyelids to the glands. Essentially, it deals with the root cause of your dry eye disease. This device generates gentle and warm heat to the eyelids, in addition to applying a gentle massage.

This works to remove blockages in your eyes’ meibomian glands, allowing them to secrete clogged oil. Following the treatment session, your meibomian glands should resume their natural or proper level of oil production for your eyes’ tear film.

With an adequate level of oil in your tear film, your tears will not evaporate too fast. Consequently, your eye surface will be healthier. Patients with dry eye disease can experience significant relief after one treatment session.

Does the Treatment Hurt?

This treatment procedure does not hurt. However, your eye doctor may apply an anesthetic eye drop to your eyes to ensure a more comfortable treatment process. According to many patients who underwent this procedure, it feels like a gentle eye massage.

To learn more about LipiFlow, contact Brandon Eyes at our offices in Middleton or Madison, Wisconsin. You can call (608) 833-7256 or (608) 833-0301, respectively, to schedule an appointment.