Lipiflow: All You Need to Know in 2021
Lipiflow is a very common and effective procedure for dry eyes. It has been invented by Dr. Donald Korb with some of his colleagues at Tear Science. Dry eyes are something that affects almost every individual. The root cause of this issue is meibomian gland dysfunction also known as MGD. Before we move further on this topic, let me give you a brief about MGD. Well, our tears are made up of three layers, oil or lipid layer, water or aqueous layer and the last is mucin layer. These layers are the ones responsible for keeping an eye lubricated. The meibomian glands that are located at the rims of an eyelid secrete these tears. Now if a person has meibomian gland dysfunction, it results in clogging the glands which in turn causes insufficient oil production. Hence making it difficult to produce tears. The reason because the quality of tears decreases when there is such dysfunction in the glands.
MGD makes tears evaporate quickly. This dysfunction is the root cause of dry eyes. Almost every patient who has been diagnosed with dry eyes is suffering from meibomian gland dysfunction. Only a professional can adequately figure out if you’re having MGD. Let’s have a look at what lipiflow exactly is.
Until now, there was no exact treatment for dry eyes. It has typically been treated with eye drops, artificial tears, or warm compress. Lipiflow is an effective and safe procedure for dry eyes. It provides a warm and gentle heat to a person’s eyelids while giving them a gentle massage. This effectively removes all the blockage that is there in meibomian glands, hence allowing them to secrete the clogged oil. Once you’re done with the treatment, the glands will automatically resume to its natural state.
What Is The Procedure of Lipiflow Treatment?
So, now that you are aware of what lipiflow is, let’s have a detailed look at this procedure. Lipiflow is basically done by applying heat into both the inner and outer corners and massaging afterward. Your surgeon will use a device that will slip under the eyelids applying heat in an outward way. This procedure is very safe and affects the eye globes. This massaging is basically done in order to open the pores of these meibomian glands so that they can liquify.
If you’re thinking of having this procedure, you will have to go under a full eye examination in order to check whether you are eligible or not. This procedure does not take enough time and is absolutely painless. Although, you might face some discomfort that you’ll be given some anesthetics by your surgeon.
What Are The Benefits Of Having A Lipiflow Treatment?
Well, Lipiflow is the most advanced device that is approved to treat MGD. Let’s have a look at some benefits lipiflow treatment has:-
- Identifying the root cause of any issue is very important. Lipiflow treatment addresses the root cause of dry eyes and treats it from within. It is designed to unblock meibomian glands that are responsible for producing quality tears.
- Lipiflow also helps in restoring the natural balance of tears. As mentioned above, our tears are made up of three layers: The mucin layer, the aqueous layer, and the Lipid layer. If any of these layers fail to work together, it results in an imbalance in tear production.
- You might have also heard about eye drops as a treatment for dry eyes. But when used your eyes only receive a half or less of it. The rest of it rolls down through your cheeks. Therefore, it’s better to consider lipiflow. It is approved by the FDA and there’s zero waste in this procedure.
- Lipiflow treatment is completely natural. As mentioned before, the main goal of Lipiflow treatment is to address the root cause of dry eye problems. Hence, restoring the function back to meibomian glands will automatically restore the natural balance.
- If we talk about duration, lipiflow is the long-term solution for dry eyes. It is safe and way much better than any other treatment available for dry eyes.
What Causes Meibomian Gland Disorder?
Well, most people have meibomian gland disorder but some of them are highly affected by it. Having a low blink rate can also increase the chances of having MGD. Although, there are some medical conditions that may cause Meibomian Gland Disorder. These are mentioned below:-
- Some kind of bacterial infection.
- Allergic conjunctivitis.
- High cholesterol rate.
- Any kind of damage to eyelids or cornea, etc.
If you’re going for a lipiflow treatment in Delhi then you must note these things:-
- Do not use oil-based cosmetics before going for the procedure.
- Avoid using any kind of eye drops.
- Avoid swimming in a chlorinated pool at least 12 hours before the treatment.
After having this procedure you can go back to normal activities. At least most of it. You can also use your contact lenses immediately. Although, it is highly recommended to use lubricating eye drops for a few days.
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