Does LipiFlow® Work for Dry Eyes?

People often use warm compresses, prescription eye drops, meibomian gland expression, punctal plugs, and other treatments to treat dry eye. However, a new and even more effective drug-free treatment known as LipiFlow® is also offering a solution to this problem. It is a very effective alternative treatment.

What Is LipiFlow?

LipiFlow is a medical device that uses pressure and heat to clean out glands in your eyelids that may be blocked. These glands are responsible for oil production in your tears. It prevents your tears from evaporating, keeping your eye moist.

LipiFlow is a new medical technology that treats dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction. The thermal pulsation device clears and opens clogged glands in your eye. This enables your body to resume the natural process of producing lipids necessary for tears.

Evaporative Dry Eye

An optometrist can perform a comprehensive dry eye exam to determine whether an evaporative dry eye is responsible for your chronic dry eye. To find out if the LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System can effectively treat your evaporative dry eye, your optometrist can conduct certain tests.

• Monitoring and recording your lipid layer’s quality.
• Testing your tear’s evaporation rate.
• Examining and recording the redness of your eyes.
• Performing infrared light imaging of your meibomian glands to ascertain their health.

Your eye doctor then uses this data to formulate a treatment plan based on the LipiFlow technique. This treatment has been clinically demonstrated to unclog the meibomian glands by applying directed pulsatile pressure and heat. Typically, you should start feeling the effects of relief from your dry eye symptoms.

Is the LipiFlow Relief From Dry Eyes Permanent?

There is no known permanent treatment for evaporative dry eyes as it is a chronic disease. Sustained relief from LipiFlow depends on various factors, such as:

• Your physiology.
• How long you have suffered from dry eyes.
• Your overall health.
• Your age.
• Your continual engagement in activities that aggravate the condition.

Doctors tailor LipiFlow treatments to your symptoms and their causes. They will also consider your lifestyle and can recommend additional treatments.

What to Expect During LipiFlow Treatments

A typical LipiFlow treatment session takes about 45 minutes. The eye doctor will insert a drop of mild anesthetic in each eye and perform a debridement procedure. It is the loosening and removal of debris from your eyelids.

Next, the doctor gently places the eyepiece into each eye and asks you to close your eyes for the treatment. The LipiFlow treatment then commences. You will feel some warmth followed by mild pressure on your eyelids. According to patients, the treatment has little or no pain.

Conclusion

Dry eye is an issue that can become chronic (evaporative dry eye) over time. Once the meibomian glands fully deteriorate, they are not revivable. Without treatment, dry eye symptoms will worsen and could be devastating. LipiFlow is a painless and safe solution that can ensure your dry eye situation becomes a thing of the past.

For more on LipiFlow, call Ocean Park Optometry at (310) 452-1039 to reach our office in Santa Monica, California.