What is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)?

Tiny glands in your eyelids called meibomian glands secrete an oil over the ocular surface to keep it moist and protected. Healthy meibomian glands secrete oil with every blink. This oil serves as a critical component of a healthy tear film. When these glands get blocked, it can cause symptoms of dryness, a burning sensation or blurry vision that can worsen over time. If left untreated, MGD is a chronic progressive condition and may worsen over time, leaving eyes feeling more irritated, inflamed, and dry.

How does Lipiflow Work?

Lipiflow is a safe and FDA-cleared, in-office procedure that treats the root cause of MGD. The treatment lasts 12 minutes and both eyes are treated at the same time. After an initial anesthetic eye drop, sterile activators are gently placed into your eyes. During the treatment the meibomian glands are heated and then gently massaged to loosen the oil trapped within the glands. The contents are pushed up and out while protecting the delicate structure of the eye.

Treatment Day Instructions:

 • Be sure your eyelids are clean and free of any lotions 

• Do not apply eye make-up

• Do not wear contact lens

During the Treatment

•  The entire treatment lasts 12 minutes

• First you will feel a warming sensation on your eyelids that is very comfortable and soothing

• Once the eyelids are warmed to the ideal temperature a therapeutic eyelid massage will begin expressing the clogged oil and debris from the glands in a very specific pattern

• Patients love how this procedure feels. It truly is a massage like experience for the eyes.

After the Treatment

• Contact lenses can safely be reinserted, but due to extra oil being expressed it may cause them to be more blurry than normal. For this reason we recommended wearing glasses on the day of treatment.

• There are no activity limitations after treatment.

 • You may feel immediate relief and improvement from dry eye symptoms 

•Symptom improvement will continue over the next 5-8 weeks.

• You may be instructed to perform additional at home therapies to supplement Lipiflow treatment

• You will be scheduled back a follow-up appointment