Dry Eye Disease
Do you suffer from any of these Dry Eye Symptoms?
- Watery eyes
- Gritty sensation
- Scratchy feeling
- Burning
Now your doctors of The Eye Care Institute, may have the answer for you. We have taken a leadership position in becoming one of the first in the region to offer LipiView II and LipiFlow to diagnose and treat Meibomian Gland Disease.
What Causes Dry Eye?
Dry eye can result from various problems. As we age, everyone’s tear production drops. This is especially true of women after menopause. Often, tear quality is diminished when the Meibomian gland is blocked because tears evaporate too quickly from the eye without the protection of the outer oil layer. A variety of medications can also reduce tear production: antihistamines, diuretics, beta-blockers, sleeping pills, nerve medications, and pain relievers.
Dry eye really comes down to one of these (or a combination of) three problems:
- Lack of saline water
- Dysfunctional Meibomian oil glands
- Inflammation of the glands that make the saline water and oil
Research has helped to understand what is behind most cases of dry eye syndrome — in 86 percent of cases it is Meibomian Gland Disease. The reduction or full blockage of these glands is what causes tear film to evaporate on the eyes, rather than providing necessary lubrication. That creates the irritation that is common with dry eye.
What is LipiFlow?
LipiFlow is the only electronic device cleared by the FDA for the treatment of Meibomian gland dysfunction. To gain this clearance, clinical studies needed to show the effectiveness of LipiFlow.
LipiFlow utilizes Vectored Thermal Pulsation technology and a patented algorithm of precise heat that is applied to the inner eyelids with directed gentle massage to remove blockages from the Meibomian glands. This treatment is designed to restore the natural oil flow to the tear film that covers the eye’s surface.
Benefits of LipiFlow For Dry Eye
LipiFlow is a painless treatment that provides immediate relief to most patients. By clearing the blocked or impeded Meibomian glands, normal tear production is returned. This condition can be chronic, so most patients will need to repeat LipiFlow treatments on a yearly basis.
LipiFlow Vs. Other Dry Eye Treatments
Many treatments for dry eye symptoms only provide short-term, fleeting relief. Eyedrops simply add fluid to the eyes temporarily. Warm compresses applied to the front of the eyelids also provide temporary relief because they don’t completely clear blocked Meibomian glands. Treatments, such as fish oil, can reduce irritation from other issues, but again they don’t clear the blocked glands.
Candidates For LipiFlow
You’re a good candidate for LipiFlow if the basis of your dry eye is the quality of your tears. When the Meibomian glands are blocked, necessary lipids are not released, so your tears don’t have the necessary oils to effectively regulate evaporation. To assess your candidacy for LipiFlow, we evaluate your tears’ lipid layer and identify gland blockage.
Why is The Eye Care Institute offering this treatment?
John C. Meyer, MD said “science has finally caught up to the symptoms and conditions of dry eye disease.” He continued “Previously, our treatment options were limited to only one prescription eye drop, Restasis, over the counter tears and suggestions such as eye vitamins and using warm compresses. Finally, there is an instrument which can diagnose and treat Meibomian Gland Disease, which is the cause of over 86% of all dry eye disease.” I personally had the treatment and it works. My eyes are much more comfortable, continued Dr. Meyer.
Is Dry Eye Treatment Safe?
LipiFlow has been cleared by the FDA for treatment of dry eye due to Meibomian gland dysfunction. To gain this approval, LipiFlow had to be proven safe and effective in clinical studies. This is a very safe, very low-risk procedure. LipiFlow simply delivers controlled heat and pulsating gentle massage movement to the eyelids. This is completely non-invasive and safe.
Certain patients with various eye conditions cannot have LipiFlow. These are patients who have had ocular surgery or injury within the past 3 months. Those with active ocular infection or ocular herpes within the last 3 months. Also, abnormalities with the eyelid, such as entropion, ectropion, severe ptosis, and others, can preclude a patient from being eligible for LipiFlow.
Is LipiFlow Treatment Painful?
At The Eye Care Institute, our LipiFlow treatments are not painful at all. The treatment simply involves the application of controlled heat to the inner eyelids while at the same time applying intermittent gentle pressure to the outer eyelid. This is akin to a massage of the eyelids, and it is very effective for then helping the eyelids secrete the lipids that have blocked the Meibomian glands. There isn’t any pain involved with a LipiFlow treatment.
If you’re not one of the 86 percent of people whose dry eye is due to blocked Meibomian glands, our other treatments for dry eye, such as various medications that can either control cornea inflammation, reduce eyelid inflammation, or stimulate tear production are all painless treatments. If your tears are exiting your eyes too quickly, we may insert punctal plugs to partially or completely close your tear ducts. These are painless treatments, and the plugs can be removed later if your condition changes.
Recovery After LipiFlow Treatment
There isn’t any recovery required after LipiFlow treatment. You can get right back to your normal activities.
What is Meibomian Gland Disease?
The Meibomian Gland is a protective gland which produces oils helpful to eye health and the production of tears. When production from the Meibomian Gland slows or is blocked, oil production is reduced. This stoppage, or reduction, in gland production causes tear film to evaporate. Since the surface of the eye is not being protected due to tear film loss, discomfort (dry eye disease) occurs.
What are some of the reasons for an increasing incidence of dry eye disease?
Cost Of LipiFlow Treatment
At The Eye Care Institute, we charge $600 for LipiFlow. Although Dry Eye Disease is a real condition, Medicare considers LipiFlow to be an elective non-covered, cash-paying service. Commercial insurance carriers generally follow Medicare rules, so this procedure is always considered elective. If you have an HSA or a consumer account with Care Credit, Lipiflow does qualify as a covered service, however. If you are wondering why Medicare doesn’t yet cover LipiFlow, please consider the matter of mammography where Medicare took more than a decade to approve payment coverage of this life saving diagnostic test; unfortunately, sometimes progress happens slowly.
Why aren’t LipiView II and LipiFlow covered by insurance?
It is estimated that almost 40 million Americans suffer from Dry Eye Disease. While Dry Eye Disease is uncomfortable, it is not usually vision threatening, nor is it life threatening. Insurance companies would bear great cost if this diagnosis and treatment were suddenly covered. So, for now, insurance carriers are not covering LipiView II and LipiFlow. By way of comparison, it took almost 20 years for most insurance carriers to cover mammograms from the time that potentially life-saving diagnostic test became FDA approved.
Schedule Your Consultation Today!
Interested in learning more about Dry Eye? Call (502) 589-1500 to schedule your consultation today! Our practice serves Louisville, KY & all nearby areas.
