MEIBOMIAN GLAND IMAGING AND EXPRESSION

Of those with dry eyes, 86% have a problem with their my meibomian glands. These glands are responsible for depositing oil into the tear film. If your tears lack oil, they will evaporate too quickly and cause you to feel dry. This creates a pattern of frequent blinking, either to clear the vision or relieve the burn.
These glands often become clogged, especially if the oil you are creating is unhealthy and thick or if you have incomplete blinks and the glands are not being “milked” properly. This condition is progressive and can cause gland loss, which is not reversible.
With our advanced imaging technology, we are able to scale the gland loss, and monitor for change over time to ensure that our current treatment plan is successful at preventing future loss

Without this technology a doctor can only get a limited assessment of your glands by holding a light against the eyelid.

 

We will gently clean the lower lid to determine if there is a damaging biofilm present.

Then we will gently squeeze in order to determine the amount and quality of oil being produced.

The oil produced from the meibomian glands should be clear and abundant.

When the glands are clogged or producing thick oil, the tear film evaporates too quickly, causing the eyes to burn and blur.