Dry eye is a condition in which there are insufficient tears to lubricate and nourish the eye or when the essential oils to protect our tear film are not being produced properly. People with dry eyes may experience symptoms of irritated, gritty, scratchy, or burning eyes, a feeling of something in their eyes, excess watering, and blurred vision. Advanced dry eyes may damage the front surface of the eye and impair vision.
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Dry eye and MGD can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination. Testing, with special emphasis on the evaluation of the quantity and quality of tears produced by the eyes and proper gland function may include:
When the meibomian glands, the tiny glands located in the eyelids, do not sufficiently produce and release the oils needed for protecting and ensuring a healthy tear film, this is known as MGD. Often over time, due to a lack of blinking or general debris in the eye, these glands become blocked and stop producing the needed oil to protect the watery layer of the tear film. speedTest Early diagnosis is essential because if left untreated, the glands will deteriorate over time and there is no way to recover from gland loss.
MGD can occur at any age but is more prevalent in adults over 40. The increase of MGD is largely due to the common use of digital display devices today as we are teaching ourselves to blink less creating “evaporative stress”. Over time, the oil in the glands thickens, creating blockages of the gland opening and often oil production ceases.
Treatment for MGD may include various methods, including at-home lid hygiene, prescription eye drops, and in-office procedures.
IPL, or Intense Pulsed Light, is a non-invasive and non-laser treatment for rosacea, dry eye, and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) that uses pulses of light to reduce inflammation, soften gland secretions, and rejuvenate the meibomian glands. Get more info about IPL.
iLux is a handheld device that applies heat and compression under direct visualization to remove gland blockages.
LipiFlow is an automated procedure that uses thermal heat pulsation to liquefy gland blockages and a light massaging action to remove those blockages.
TearCare delivers adjustable heat via an adhesive device that is placed on the upper and lower eyelids. Manual gland expression is performed after the contents of the glands have liquefied.