Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)

• There are several meibomian glands all along the upper and lower eyelids. These glands secrete the oily layer of tears (yellow in the diagram) onto the surface of the eye. This helps keep the watery layer (blue) from evaporating too quickly.
• MGD occurs when those glands are blocked so they don’t secrete enough oil into the tears. As a result, tears evaporate more quickly than they should.
• Glands can get blocked with hardened oils, dead skin cells, makeup, blephritis debris, etc.

​LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System
Addresses the root cause of the issue

• ​​LipiFlow is the only FDA-approved medical device designed to treat the root cause of meibomian gland dysfunction. Several clinical studies (31 peer-reviewed articles) demonstrate LipiFlow’s safety and effectiveness. It addresses evaporative dry eye by unblocking the meibomian glands so they can secrete oily lipids normally to restore balance to the tears. 

All natural

• ​LipiFlow uses gentled heated pulsations to unblock and clear the meibomian glands, so your eyes can produce more of their own perfectly balanced tears. Restoring function back to your glands will restore the natural balance and proper biological makeup of your tears so they can function as they should as opposed to drops which contain chemicals to clear blockage and lubricate artificially.

Long-term solution

• ​Though there is currently no permanent cure for dry eye or MGD, LipiFlow is a viable, long-term solution. On average, patients do LipiFlow every 1-2 years to maintain the results as needed. 

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1. Understanding MGD

2. How Does LipiFlow Actually Work

FAQs:

• How Does LipiFlow Work?

Using very gentle pulsation and heat, LipiFlow unclogs the Meibomian glands. When those glands are free and clear, they’re able to function properly to restore balance to your tears.

• Does it Hurt?

Not at all! Before the procedure starts, numbing drops are added to give total comfort. The treatment is non-invasive and is fully automated to insure safety and comfort. The warmth and pulsation can be described as a gentle eye massage and often feels spa-like!  

• What Happens on the Day of My Procedure?

The total length of your visit will be about an hour. Initially, the technician will take pictures of your meibomian glands to assess the current structure. Dr. Tolchin will then review the images and discuss the treatment. The treatment will be set up and preformed by the technician. The treatment itself lasts for 12 minutes. Once the treatment is over, Dr. Tolchin will check your eyes and give you "homework" to do as maintenance. There are no after-treatment restrictions and it will not affect your vision. 

• How Quickly Will it Work?

Many of our patients report a noticeable improvement in just a few days, with relief continuing to improve 3-4 weeks following the procedure. It is very important that you keep up with "homework" to insure the long-term success of the treatment. The number of treatments required can vary from patient to patient.

• Is LipiFlow Covered by Insurance?

At this time, LipiFlow is not covered by any insurance plans. However, we offer several affordable financing options to help you comfortably afford your dry eye treatment. Please contact our offices if you have any questions. 
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