We know that there are different approaches to treating dry eye. Drops to support tears, medications to be used, and many similar treatment methods. Aside from these treatments, there are also different treatment methods that go to the root of the dry eye problem and focus on solving the problem fundamentally. Lipiflow is one of the most popular among these treatments. Unlike other methods, Lipiflow treatment aims to eliminate the factors that cause dry eye. For those who are curious, let’s go into the details of the treatment and take a deeper look at what kind of system we are talking about.
Relationship between Meibomian Glands and Dry Eye
We will start from the very beginning. We are going to talk about one of the main causes of dry eye: obstruction of the meibomian glands. The sebaceous glands, also known as the oil glands at the base of the eyelashes, are vital for the quality of tears. The sebaceous glands located in the upper and lower eyelids are responsible for the secretion of the fat layer that directly affects the quality of the tear and must be present in the tear.
In a healthy eye, the fat layer in the tear prevents rapid evaporation of tears and keeps the eye moist. Otherwise, the tears evaporate too quickly, leading to dry eye.
If the Meibomian glands are blocked, the chances of developing dry eye syndrome increase considerably as the necessary oil cannot be secreted. This is the cause of a large part of the dry eye problem. Lipiflow treatment is a treatment that targets the blocked sebaceous glands at the base of the eyelashes and gets to the root of the problem.
What is Lipiflow?
In Lipiflow treatment, a slightly pressurized hot compress is applied to the upper and lower eyelids with special devices placed on the eyes. Together with thermal vibration, the blocked sebaceous glands at the base of the eyelashes are opened.
The treatment is non-invasive and the procedure is completed almost without contact with the eye. In other words, there is no need for long recovery periods after the operation or long waiting times for vision to improve.
The application lasts for an average of 10-12 minutes and the patient returns to his/her daily life in a short time. With the removal of the blockage at the base of the eyelashes, we also see that the eyes relax in a very short time.
The treatment is repeated at certain intervals in order to maintain this effect and to keep the sebaceous glands of the eyelash base clean, which may become clogged again.
Conclusion
Lipiflow treatment is one of the effective and FDA approved treatment methods used against dry eye. The fact that it goes to the root of the problem increases the permanent effect. Let us remind you that the patient should contact his/her specialist doctor to get detailed information about the suitability of the eye and the treatment process.
