About dry eye syndrome

Dry eye syndrome is estimated to affect a huge percentage of the population. Recent studies have found that nearly 5 million Americans aged over 50 are affected, as well as a proportion of patents who are younger. In fact, most people will experience some degree of dry eye during their lifetime. In many cases, it will resolve itself before you have the need to seek treatment, but for some people, chronic, ongoing dry eye or repeated episodes of the condition mean that they need to seek professional help to alleviate their symptoms and reduce the impact that the condition is having on their day to day life.

Dry eye syndrome occurs when you do not produce enough natural tear film to keep your eyes properly lubricated, or the tear film that you have drains too quickly. There are a number of factors believed to contribute towards the development of dry eye syndrome. These include:

• Being older, since dry eyes are more common in people aged over 50.

• Being female. Female hormones are considered to be a key reason for the development of dry eyes.

• Taking certain medications that list dry eyes as a side effect.

• Being diagnosed with certain illnesses and conditions, such as Sjogren’s syndrome.

• Working in a dry, dusty environment.

• Spending too long looking at screens without a break.

Symptoms of dry eye syndrome

Dry eye syndrome doesn’t sound like it would be particularly debilitating, but it can be unpleasant and make life more difficult than it should be for the person experiencing the condition. Some of the symptoms associated with dry eyes include:

• Dry eyes that feel stiff

• Feeling like you need to blink excessively to produce tear film

• Burning, sore eyes

• Eyes that feel gritty

• Eyelids that stick together when you wake up

• Temporarily blurred vision

About LipiFlow

The LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System, often referred to simply as LipiFlow, consists of a console and a single-use sterile device, called the activator, and has been proven to be successful in eliminating the symptoms of dry eye syndrome. It is also used to treat a condition called meibomian gland dysfunction or MGD for short. The meibomian gland is one of the glands responsible for producing tear film.

LipiFlow is designed to target the root cause of dry eye, rather than just treating the symptoms. It works by sending gentle pulses of heat and pressure to the meibomian glands, and these clear any blockages that are contributing towards to the conditions. By removing these blockages, the gland can begin to function normally again, resulting in a good flow of tear film.

LipiFlow offers patients a number of advantages, including the fact that it is non-invasive and virtually painless. Patients may feel some warmth or slight pressure, but no significant discomfort. After treatment, you can resume your usual activities immediately with no downtime, and you should start to see an improvement in your symptoms within just a few hours.

Research has found that 86% of patients with dry eye can benefit from Lipiflow therapy. If you would like to learn more about this innovative and highly successful treatment, please get in touch with our offices where our team would be happy to schedule you an appointment to see if LipiFlow may be the right solution for your condition.