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The Process
A thorough evaluation of your condition is necessary to determine if you are a candidate for dry eye treatment.
The team at 20/20 Dry Eye Spa is specifically trained in this field, but your regular optometrist or ophthalmologist may not be.
We focus on the causes of any problems that patients might have, address the symptoms and develop a treatment plan.
Dry eye syndrome occurs when there is a deficiency of oil, water, or mucus on the surface of the eyes. The causes could be from
contact lenses, medications, or living or working environments.
Understanding the tear layers is essential to understanding why you might suffer from dry eyes. There are 3 layers of tears: oil, water (aqueous), and mucous. Without sufficient oil in the tears, the tears evaporate quickly, leading to dry eyes.
The Oil Layer is the top layer and the most critical layer.
It is where the meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) occurs.
The Water/Aqueous Layer is located in the middle and is the
most treated. Eye drops, liquid, gel or ointments are the most
common treatments, but are only temporary, short term solutions.
The Mucous Layer is the base layer. During the allergy season, it’s overactive, causing it to be unstable and not providing a good foundation for other layers.
Many people do not realize that more than one layer might be deficient. People often try to treat their dry eyes with eye drops. This often provides limited relief, because they do not realize that the oil layer is generally the main culprit of dry eyes and the aqueous layer is second to that. When using eye drops, it might work for a short period of time and then wear off, so they might continue to use them hoping for some relief. Drops can only offer short term relief. When this fails and the discomfort continues, it is probably because the aqueous layer is not the only layer that is deficient.
Let’s start by examining you.
At 20/20 Dry Eye Spa, Dr. Lee and her team use state of the art technology that scans the meibomian glands. This medical imaging device is called Lipiscan. The scan will show how many glands are structurally available for both the top and bottom lids. These meibomian glands secrete the oil layer of your tears and prevent the water layer from evaporating quickly. If the glands are blocked for a period of time, they can “die” or atrophy. Once they atrophy, they will never grow back, which can cause one to have permanent dry eyes.
Contact 20/20 Dry Eye Spa for an Evaluation
During this evaluation, we will find out how many glands are
blocked and how many active glands you have. By looking
at both the function and structure of your glands, we will create a treatment plan specifically designed for you.
We’re one of the few optometric practices that offer both the MiBo Thermoflo and LipiFlow treatments for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). We will gently massage the outer skin of the eyelids using ultrasound gel and apply controlled, continuous heat with the Mibo Thermoflo device. The heat absorbs into the tissue and helps to break down the hardened lipids allowing the glands to produce thinner, clearer lipids and a healthier tear film. This is a relaxing process with immediate relief. LipiFlow is a 12- minute treatment also designed to remove blockages from the meibomian glands. Heat is delivered to both the inner and outer lids along with a therapeutic motion. This helps reduce blockage and allows for production of oils to help with the tear film, too.
20/20 Dry Eye Spa treats the cause of the eye problem not just the symptoms. We evaluate the environment and lifestyle of a patient to see if changes can be made to reduce the symptoms of dry eyes. Once we identify the causes, a program is customized to each patient. The mode of treatment varies depending on the severity of the condition. The goal is to help our patients experience relief from the watery, itchy and painful dry eye symptoms. With the proper treatment plan in place, the team will work with the patient to maintain relief over time. Using holistic approaches, combined with recommendations to your lifestyle, we can address and treat your problems and help you function better.
An evaluation will help determine which treatment is right for you. Stop suffering and don’t risk a loss of vision. Feel Better! Find out if you have an oil or aqueous deficiency. If you don’t make enough tears because your meibomian or oil glands are blocked and your tears are evaporating quickly, and eye drops aren’t working sufficiently, come in and be seen.
Financing Options
At 20/20 Dry Eye Spa, we offer the dry eye evaluation free with your regular eye exam. If you have vision insurance the eye exam is often covered; however, the treatment for dry eyes is normally not covered by insurance. Because treatment plans vary, it is important to develop one that allows for follow up and maintenance. We understand treatments can be cost prohibitive that’s why we’re pleased to offer a finance plan with 0% interest. The team at 20/20 Dry Eye Spa is here to help find a solution for you. Inquire today.