Dry Eye

Meibomian gland dysfunction occurs when the meibomian glands, which secrete oil, become blocked or stagnant. Dry Eye complaints are typically “my eyes water all the time,” they feel scratchy, itchy, irritated and “they burn.” Vision often fluctuates as well because of the inconsistent quality of the tears. The tears are made up of 3 layers: oil/meibum, water, and mucus. We often have enough tears but the quality of the tears is what is compromised.

Lower lid Laxity is also a huge component in dry eyes. The above mentioned meibomian glands are surrounded by the orbicularis oculi muscle. Essentially just a large muscle around the whole eye. As we get older we lose muscle mass in our face, which causes eyelids to lose support. If that muscle is falling away from the eye we get incomplete blinks which fails to apply adequate pressure to release the oils needed for stable tears.

Typical relief for mild cases are lubricating eyedrops as needed. For those who experience more severe issues warm compresses with lid massages are highly recommended. A mask that stays hot/warm for at least 10 minutes helps loosen the oils in our glands making them flow better (less like butter and more like olive oil). We recommend that you heat your eyelids, massage them, clean them, and then hydrate your eyes with artificial tears. This ensures that you are taking every step in improving your meibomian glands. The products we like the most are located on the Shop Page.

For those who are fed up with other treatment options, we encourage our Optimal Package. This is an intense pulsed light treatment combined with dynamic muscle stimulation that helps heal the glands by targeting inflammation and lower lid laxity. Visit our Optimal treatment page to get more information.