Central Oregon is the perfect place to live – but as your cracked hands and itchy eyes can attest to, we live in a very dry climate. Infocus Eye Care is proud to offer several different treatment options for sufferers of dry eye.
Treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome
Treatment of dry eye syndrome requires more than simply prescribing eye drops. In order to fully treat the problem, a comprehensive understanding of your medical and ocular risk factors must be considered. With this understanding, our physicians can customize a treatment option to meet your personal needs.
Options include:
- Over the counter artificial tears and topical ointments that work to keep your eyes lubricated
- Prescription medications for patients who cannot find relief from other forms of eye drops
- Punctual occlusion, in which plugs are inserted into the tear drain in the lower eyelid
- Surgical procedures that close the ducts that drain tears into the nose
- A NEW treatment from TearScience called LipiFlow
Infocus is proud to be the only clinic in Central Oregon offering LipiFlow by TearScience.
Unlike traditional treatments (e.g., warm compresses, wetting drops and ointments) that address dry eye symptoms, LipiFlow treats a root cause, the obstructed Meibomian glands located in the eyelids. The goal of unblocking the glands is to allow them to resume their natural production of lipids required for a healthy tear film.
How LipiFlow Works:
- LipiFlow uses a disposable eye piece to apply controlled heat to the inner eyelids and intermittent gentle pressure to the outer eyelid.
- LipiFlow facilitates the release of lipids from the blocked Meibomian glands allowing the natural flow of lipids to resume.
- LipiFlow is an in-office procedure that takes approximately 20 minutes. Both eyes can be treated simultaneously.
What to Expect from LipiFlow:
In a controlled clinical trial, a majority of patients treated with LipiFlow reported an improvement in overall dry eye symptoms at 4 weeks post treatment.
You would not be a candidate for LipiFlow if you recently had eye surgery, eye injury, herpes of the eye or chronic eye inflammation. LipiFlow may not fit all eyes. Possible side effects from LipiFlow include redness, burning, stinging, discharge, blurred vision, dryness and sensitivity to light.
If dry eye is hindering you from the activities you love, we are here to help. Please contact us at (541) 318-8388 or email our office to schedule an appointment for a dry eye assessment.
