Do you ever feel like you have sand in your eyes despite not having visited the beach? Do your eyes ever burn, sting, or itch? Do your eyes sometimes appear red or bloodshot? Although these symptoms could be due to allergies or an environmental irritant, you likely suffer from dry eyes. And if you have dry eyes, they may be caused by a common condition known as Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). Scheduling an appointment with your eye doctor is the best way to find relief. A variety of treatments are available for MGD, including an innovative new technology called Systane® iLux²®. It provides quick, long-lasting relief for dry eye sufferers.
What Is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction?
If you’ve never heard of MGD before, you’re not alone! In fact, many dry eye sufferers aren’t aware they have MGD to blame for their discomfort. So, before we go any further, let’s discuss how MGD works.
Your upper and lower eyelids each have about 25 to 40 meibomian glands. These vertical glands secrete an oily substance called meibum, which keeps your eyes moisturized by preventing your tears from quickly evaporating. When the glands become blocked, however, they’re unable to secrete these beneficial oils, which means the eyes will be less moisturized. If the glands remain blocked, they will eventually die. Meibomian gland dysfunction occurs when the glands no longer function properly, either producing low-quality oil or low quantities of oil. Symptoms include all of the following:
- Dryness
- Burning
- Itching
- Redness
- Stickiness or crusting
- Irritation
- Watery eyes
- Gritty eyes
- Blurry vision occasionally
- The sensation that a foreign body (such as sand or dirt) is in your eyes
- Styes or chalazia
If you suffer from dry eyes and think you may have MGD, there’s no time to waste! Schedule an appointment with your eye doctor to learn how to alleviate your symptoms and prevent them from worsening.
Exploring iLux2
Heffington’s is proud to offer iLux2®, an effective and innovative all-in-one device that can both evaluate and treat MGD.
How does it work? First, our doctors use the portable handheld device to check the condition of patients’ meibomian glands and pinpoint areas of concern. Then, we exfoliate and cleanse the eyelids using BlephEx to ensure the eyes are ready for treatment. Next, we target dysfunctional meibomian glands using the iLux2®‘s customizable, localized heat, which warms and softens the clogged meibum. After that, we express the meibum to unblock the glands and encourage the healthy production of meibum. The quality and quantity of your tear film should improve within a week, reducing your dry eye symptoms and providing relief.
The procedure takes about 45 minutes and typically provides several months or even a full year of relief. Your doctor may recommend regular treatment sessions going forward to keep your meibomian glands unclogged and healthy.
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Did you know that approximately 86 percent of dry eye sufferers show signs of MGD? If you think you may be one of them and you live in southwest Missouri, stop by Heffington’s. Since 1975, the Heffington family has assisted the Springfield community with top-quality eye care and affordable eyeglasses and contacts. To learn more about our products and services, please get in touch with us online, send an e-mail to asktheexperts@heffingtons.com, or give us a call at 417-869-3937 (Optiland location) or 417-882-3937 (House of Vision location).