Preventative Care | Sparrow Eyecare Texas

Mibo Thermoflo

keith — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 02:47:50 +0000

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.

Why you should blink at the computer

keith — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 21:25:58 +0000

This seems a little odd to say, but we as a society do not blink as much when we are on the computer or on a device. This is a problem when you’re trying to work all day. Incomplete and infrequent blinks were reported in several studies when viewing a computer vs. viewing hard copy. This contributes to a condition called Computer Vision Syndrome. But, why is this a problem?

Every 12 seconds, we are supposed to make a full and complete blink. This blink must include the two lids firmly pressing against each other to create suction and stimulate the glands to release oils. If the blink is incomplete – meaning the lids don’t actually touch or create suction – then the oil glands and lacrimal (water) glands do not release the tear film OR spread it over the surface of the eye.

Imagine missing blinks ALL DAY. Your eyes would certainly dry out by lunchtime. Sometimes the dryness can be felt – that sandy, gritty, dry feeling. OR it can be seen by noticing your vision fluctuates and changes every time you blink.

Imagine missing blinks consistently for YEARS. What happens to glands when they are not used as much? They get blocked and eventually they atrophy/die off. Many patients have been exhibiting loss of their meibomian glands, which cannot be regenerated once they completely atrophy. Hot compresses, nutraceuticals, blinking exercises, and some in-office procedures can be extremely effective to improve the glands over time. Remember, it takes years to get them to this point, so it can take some time to recover. And likely it can be a long-term management situation.

This is one of the more frustrating things to manage because part of it has to do with the lifestyle of ensuring you’re making complete and squeezing blinks to stimulate the production of tears. There can be some days that are good and some that are bad, but a general movement towards improvement is the most important.

Chu CA, Rosenfield M, Portello JK. Blink patterns: reading from a computer screen versus hard copy. Optom Vis Sci. 2014 Mar;91(3):297-302. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000000157. PMID: 24413278.

Mibo Thermoflo

keith — Mon, 15 May 2023 18:42:31 +0000

Supplements for Macular Degeneration

carl-elementsgroup — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 14:56:47 +0000

AREDS 2 vitamins have been recommended for a long time and have been shown to reduce the likelihood of intermediate stage dry macular degeneration from becoming the “wet” form. The wet form is where bleeding of the retina occurs and often a series of injections need to be performed to clear it up.

AREDS 2 vitamins include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Copper, Zinc, Beta-carotene, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. They must be formulated in certain concentrations to be effective. AREDs vitamins have ample availability at most drugstores. The trouble is that a lot of these companies do not have quality control, and so the vitamins are often not bioavailable.

There are several companies that make a very high quality, professional grade macular supplement that is a great option for patients requiring the AREDS 2 formula. My favorites at the time that I’m writing this is Physician Recommended Nutraceuticals / PRN numaqula and Science Based Health Macular Complete. The Macular Complete formula also replaces a multivitamin. There is also some evidence that a high-quality omega-3 can benefit macular health. Again, these formulations are known to help those who have intermediate ARMD or higher.

Options to protect against Macular Degeneration / ARMD: These companies also make formulations for those of us who have a gene for macular degeneration but don’t show signs of drusen yet OR have the mild version of macular degeneration. They DO have publications to back up these claims. Physician Recommended Nutriceuticals / PRN has the numaqula omega-3 formulation and Science Based Health has their Ocular Protect formula. The Ocular Protect formula also replaces a multivitamin.