Dry Eye Syndrome can leave patients with sandy, gritty, itchy, uncomfortable eyes. Patients with dry eye can also have absolutely no symptoms of the feeling of dry eye – but are left with fluctuating vision from blink to blink. This is one of the reasons it is called Dry Eye Syndrome. Syndromes present differently in each patient, making it very difficult to diagnose and treat. In general, dry eye syndrome does not get better on its own. It comes from more than one underlying factor that usually traps the patient in a cycle of discomfort and reduced vision.
Your doctor will likely be able to determine one cause, but some can be quite difficult to pinpoint. Around 85% of patients with dry eye have the type that involves meibomian gland dysfunction. The great news is that usually doctors can catch meibomian gland dysfunction before the patient becomes symptomatic or at the beginning stages. These cases are much more manageable with home-based therapeutics and supplements. Using drops alone for dry eye can help soothe the eye temporarily, but does not help the disease process. Most cases will continue to decline even with use of artificial tears and lubricants.
At home dry eye therapies can help to temporarily reduce symptoms, but tend to not maintain as well as in-office treatments. The most effective in office treatments are ones that can liquify the meibum within the meibomian glands and get them flowing again. Some popular versions are Lipiflow, Tear Care, and Mibo Thermoflo. At our office, we use the Mibo Thermoflo, which requires no shields and is used with ultrasound gel over the eyelids. The patient is able to remain with their eyelids closed during the entire treatment. The Mibo Thermoflo treatment is 10 minutes per eye. In addition, the Mibo Thermoflo does not have any restrictions based on skin type or previous conditions. It is very safe.
Generally, the patient is seen for 3-4 sessions each 2 weeks apart. At your final session, the doctor can better assess whether there need to be more routine maintenance or if it can simply be repeated yearly. Patients usually state that their symptoms of dry eye feel better the day of or day after their initial treatment and results last longer and longer with each treatment.
After reaching maintenance, the patient will be able to maintain at home with supplements such as Omega-3 fish oils or Heyedrate. These supplements help to maintain the effects of the treatment. In extreme cases of dry eye, the patient may need to have quarterly treatments if the dry eye is severe.