What Is Dry Eye Syndrome? (DES)
Our eyes need tears to nourish, sustain and lubricate our eyes. DES, which is usually caused by insufficient tears or poor quality tears, leaves our eyes parched. This results in a variety of unpleasant symptoms, such as itchy, red, and sore eyes.
Many people suffer from this chronic syndrome without realizing that it can permanently harm their eyes. Because this is a progressive condition, it is critical to get treatment before symptoms exacerbate to the point that it harms the cornea. Without treatment or proper medication, DES often worsens over time.
What Causes Dry Eyes?
While over eighty percent (80%) of dry eye cases are due to blocked oil glands in the eyelids — a condition called meibomian gland dysfunction or evaporative dry eye — many other factors can cause this syndrome. These include:
Gender – the majority of dry eye sufferers are women. This tends to be caused by hormonal changes, whether through the use of contraceptives, pregnancy or menopause.
Age – there’s a higher prevalence of DES in those over 50 years of age
Environment – dry wind, dry air and dry climates can evaporate the tears. Home and car heaters, air conditioners, fans and hair dryers also cause tears to evaporate.
Medication – these include antidepressants, decongestants and blood pressure medications.
Auto-immune disorders – Sjogren’s disease and arthritis, among others.
MiBo Dry Eye Treatment In Tulsa
What is MiBo?
85% of Dry Eye Syndrome is due to Meibomian Gland Disorder (MGD), where the glands essential for producing the lubricating oils for our eyes are blocked, clogged, dirty, infected, or atrophying.
Effectively treating MGD requires directly addressing the dysfunction in the meibomian glands. There are currently a number of treatments that attempt to stimulate the meibomian glands to produce more moisturizing and protective lipids. What MiBo does is deliver constant heat (108 degrees Fahrenheit) and thermal pressure to dissolve and clean the blockages of the meibomian glands in a safe, comfortable, and targeted way. By applying ultrasound gel to the exterior eyelids, the MiBo system uses twin pads to transfer the heat uniformly to comfortably and effectively reach the meibomian glands.
In most cases, treatment will last for a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes.
For a complete effect, and especially for severe cases, we recommend that patients have three sessions spaced two weeks apart. Depending on severity, this may need to be repeated every six to twelve months for maximum long-term effect. That being said, one of the major advantages of the MiBo is that patients are far less likely to experience their dry eye symptoms again in the near future, so it provides real, lasting relief.
How is MiBo Different?
Until advanced treatments such as MiBo were developed, treatment of chronic MGD was mostly restricted to some combination of lubricating eye drops, hot compresses, and, in severe cases, the manual expression of the glands by an eye doctor. In such cases, these treatments are only rarely effective. What’s more, manual expression can be very painful and may only be partially effective.
Instead of a combination of painful or partially effective treatments, MiBo both massages out blockages while simultaneously applying heat. The process uses uniformly applied heat to the inner eyelids with directed gentle massage to remove blockages from the meibomian glands. This treatment is designed to restore the natural oil flow to the tear film that covers the eye’s surface.
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Learn More about Dry Eye Syndrome | FAQ
How are Watery Eyes Related to Dry Eye?
Excessively watery eyes may signal the presence of dry eye disease. While this might seem paradoxical, it is a common symptom of dry eye. Dry eyes can cause your eyes to produce too many tears in order to make up for tears that evaporate too quickly due to a problem with your eyelid glands. You might also have watery eyes if your tear ducts are fully or partially blocked.
Is There a Cure for Dry Eye Disease?
While there is no cure for this condition, topical steroids, punctal plugs, and other treatment methods can provide long-term relief, so that your dependence on eye drops is diminished and symptoms are significantly reduced. For more information, visit our Dry Eye Treatment Page
Do Gels, Ointments, & Artificial Tears Help Dry Eyes?
Healthy eyes need to remain lubricated. A dry ocular surface can lead to eye abrasions and erosions, which may — in severe cases — result in eye ulcers and reduced vision. While most people with dry eyes reduce discomfort by using lubricants, drops, and ointment, the relief is only temporary and doesn't address the root problem. Contact us for effective and lasting dry eye treatment today.
While nearly every eye doctor provides dry eye services, making the decision to find a dry eye professional that much more difficult, we encourage you to contact us for a phone consultation.
We’re happy to share with you information about our dry eye program, and the type of results we’ve provided other patients for significant lasting improvements within a relatively short period of time. Contact us to find out how we can help you relieve your dry eye symptoms and start managing your eye health successfully, today.
