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LipiFlow & Eyelid Hygiene

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Cleaning Your Eyelids Daily Can Help Prevent Dry Eyes

One of the leading causes of dry eyes is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), which describes a condition in which tiny glands in your eyelids are blocked. This blockage disrupts the natural flow of fatty lipids to your tear film. Without enough of these oily fats, the watery layer of your eye surface is left exposed and your tears evaporate too quickly.

As a result, you suffer the irritating symptoms of dry eye – such as scratchiness, stinging, redness, and excessive watering. When this happens, our NYC optometrist can help alleviate your painful vision; book a Manhattan eye exam so we can diagnose the cause of your dry eyes and recommend the most effective treatment.

LipiFlow Offers Relief for Dry Eyes in Manhattan

When dry eyes are due to MGD, LipiFlow is a state-of-the-art, effective solution that we offer in our advanced dry eye center in New York. Presently, the LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System by Johnson & Johnson, is the only electronic device that is FDA-approved for treatment of MGD. Many clinical studies have shown that this specialized technology meets high safety standards and provides a lasting treatment for MGD and dry eye irritation. By removing blockages from your meibomian glands, LipiFlow enables the fatty components of healthy tears to disperse over your eye’s surface again.

How does LipiFlow work?

LipiFlow consists of a console and a single-use sterile Activator tool. After performing a thorough Manhattan eye exam to inspect your unique condition, Dr. Schlussel will insert numbing eye drops so that the procedure is pain-free. Then, a contoured eyepiece will be placed gently over your cornea, vaulting over your eye’s surface in order to protect the delicate parts.

When activated, LipiFlow uses peristaltic energy pressure and therapeutic heat to massage your eye. Numerous sensors are built into the device to regular the pressure pulses and temperature precisely. The combination of massage and heat works to expel any meibomian gland obstructions; any stagnant content in your glands is liquefied and pushed out. Start to finish, the entire procedure takes about 12 minutes in the comfort of our NYC eye care office.

How You Can Prevent MGD & Dry Eyes with Eyelid Hygiene

Would you neglect brushing your teeth or washing your hands forever? Just about everyone would answer no to that question! So what about keeping your eyelids clean? Following a proper eyelid care regimen (before and after LipiFlow) is just as essential to healthy eyes.

By following these guidelines to eyelid hygiene, you can help prevent MGD from developing – and thereby help to prevent dry eyes that occur due to a poor quality tear composition.

  • Lid cleaning: moisten the end of a cotton swab with sterile mineral oil, petroleum jelly, or coconut oil, and rub your lower and upper lid sections about five times. This simple action will help prevent the buildup of debris on your eyelids, which can lead to meibomian gland obstruction. This is particularly important for people who wear daily makeup. You can also purchase specially designed eyelid scrubs for lids and lashes.
  • Blink training and exercises: you can do this a few times a day; close your eyes and then squeeze them and relax them before reopening your eyelids. Open your eyes and repeat the process about five times. Many of our patients with dry eyes in Manhattan attest that these strong blinks (which trigger your meibomian glands to release protective oils) help to significantly relieve their irritating symptoms.

The Connection Between Digital Tech & Dry Eyes

We all depend heavily upon computers and digital devices. Regardless of which electronic gadget you prefer – computer, tablet, smartphone, TV – you blink less while using it. This reduced rate of blinking interferes with the smooth function of your meibomian glands, leading to blockages and potentially damaging the gland structure over time. A direct and obvious outcome of this is dry eyes. Blinking more, practicing the blink training exercises outlined above, and practicing good eyelid hygiene all go far towards helping you avoid dry eyes in our high-tech era.

Tired of suffering with dry eyes? Book a Manhattan eye exam and dry eye consultation with our experienced NYC dry eye specialist. Dr. Schlussel will evaluate your condition, identify the cause, and treat it to bring you lasting relief.

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