LipiFlow Treatment
Did You Know Your Dry Eye Can Be The Result Of A Disease?
Chronic Dry Eye is often caused by obstructed oil glands located in your eyelids, known as Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, or MGD.
Common MGD Symptoms Include:
Burning
Scratchy/Gritty Feeling
Dryness
Red, Itchy Eyes
Blurred Vision
Tired, Puffy Eyes
Excess Tears
UNDERSTANDING MEIBOMIAN GLAND DYSFUNCTION
As a result of MGD, your eyelids cannot produce the necessary quality or quantity of protective oils to keep your eyes healthy and moist. Without protective oils, our eyes become more susceptible to the negative effects that dry climates, air conditioning, computer use, reading and other daily activities can have on the long-term health of our eyes.
The good news is that MGD is treatable with LipiFlow®.
SAY HELLO TO LIPIFLOW®
The proven LipiFlow® treatment is a simple 12‑minute treatment completed in your doctor’s office that can help improve gland function, thus maintaining the necessary protective oily layer to keep your eyes moist and healthy.
LipiFlow® Activators are single‑use sterile devices that comfortably deliver a combination of heat to the inner lids and simultaneous therapeutic massage to the outer lids, removing blockages from the Meibomian glands.
As a result of removing gland obstructions, your glands are then able to produce the oils essential in protecting your eyes from progressive Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING A LIPIFLOW TREATMENT
The 12-minute in office treatment will begin with you seated in a reclined chair. 1-2 drops of mild anesthetic will be placed in the eyes. Next the disposable eyepiece (activator) with the lid warmer will gently be placed under your lids and the eye cup outside your eye lids. You will be asked to close your eyes once the eyepiece is in place.
The Lipiflow will be activated. You will begin to feel warmth and gentle pressure on your eyelids. The eyepiece will become gradually warmer until reaches a therapeutic range then will remain at that temperature for the rest of the duration. The gentle pressure you will feel will remain constant for 2 minutes as the appropriate temperature is reached to begin melting the blockages within the glands. At the end of the 2 minutes the pressure will be released briefly.
Next, as the temperature is maintained the pressure will go through different modes, including slow increasing pressure and pulsation for several cycles throughout the remaining 10 minutes of treatment. This is done to facilitate removing the blockages from the glands.
Once the 12-minute treatment is up, the activators will be gently removed from your eyes. It is normal to have some discharge and slight stinging or irritation which may make interfere with vision right after. These symptoms should go away shortly after and you are able to put contact lenses in and drive home after.
DO YOU KNOW YOUR FUNCTIONAL GLAND SCORE?
Your Meibomian glands are the key to maintaining and producing the protective lipid oil your eyes need to stay moist and healthy. Knowing your functional Meibomian gland score is important. Maintaining a higher score will help benefit your eye health.
MGD & DRY EYE FACTS
86% of all dry eye patients have MGD
96% of glaucoma patients (using prostaglandin drops) have MGD
59% of cataract (pre-surgery) patients have MGD
50% of cataract patients with MGD do not show symptoms pre-surgery
60% of contact lenses wearers have MGD
QUICK LIPIFLOW STATS / FACTS
LipiFlow is designed specifically to treat MGD
FDA-approved, over 36 peer review studies on it/ 10+ yrs of research
42 degrees C constant heat directly on the glands from within (to ensure all obstructions are melted)
“Peristaltic movement” of pressure directly on glands to clear out obstruction
100 expressions on the glands in a single 12-min treatment
FDA-approved study shows 1 SINGLE LipiFlow treatment effect lasts about 12 months
BUT, it’s shown across patients that if they are highly compliant with their home-care therapies (warm compress, omega-3, lip wipes, blinking exercise), it can increase effective time to up to 2-3 year
Same FDA-approved study shows 1 SINGLE LipiFlow treatment increases “gland function/ secretion” by at least 3x-fold
One study shows that 1 SINGLE LipiFlow treatment reduces “mean dry eye symptom scores” by more than 50%
One study shows that 1 SINGLE LipiFlow treatment prior to cataract surgery improved “mean post-operative dry eye symptoms” by 2-fold and improves “meibomium gland function” for patients 3 months after surgery
One study shows that 1 SINGLE LipiFlow treatment increases 4+ hours of contact lenses comfort wearing time, shown by study
All of the above points are based on published papers/ studies. References are available upon request.