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Treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction - MGD

E-Eye ground-breaking treatment for dry eyes and Meibomian gland dysfunction

If this sounds good, read on to find out how new E-Eye treatment can work for you.

Am I suitable for treatment?

If you suffer from meibomian gland dysfunction or the Evaporative form of dry eye syndrome then yes.  (If you’re not sure, book an appointment at our dry eye clinic, and we can diagnose the causes of your dry eye)

Dry eye syndrome is typically classified into two distinct but not exclusive forms.

1.The Aqueous deficient form (caused by insufficient secretion of the tears) due to poor secretions from the lacrimal glands.

2.Evaporative form (caused by excessive evaporation of the tears)

Mainly caused by inefficient (or absent) secretion of the lipid layer of the tears from the meibomian glands located in the upper and lower eyelids. It is also influenced by eyelid structure, the ocular surface and contact lens wear.

A study in 2012 (Lemp) found 86% had the Evaporative form or a mixture of the two. Therefore 86% of dry eye suffers could benefit from E-Eye treatment.

There are many other influencing factors in dry eye such as environment, medications, allergy, previous surgery, lid anatomy, eye diseases, systemic diseases (ie Sjogren’s syndrome, thyroid dysfunction, rheumatoid arthritis) and hormones. The vast majority of clients we see in our dry eye clinics have some dysfunction of the meibomian glands so could be helped by E-Eye treatment.

During your appointment, the causes of your dry eye will be investigated, and if it is deemed that meibomian gland dysfunction is playing a significant role in your symptoms then you will be considered for treatment using the E-eye. We then conduct a scan of your meibomian glands to assess their current structure and function before commencing treatment.

If your meibomian glands are working perfectly and your dry eye is caused by other factors, there are many different alternative treatments we can offer to improve your dry eyes.

You can find out more about dry eyes here.

How does E-Eye treatment work?

The specific light spectrum triggers the nerves attached to the meibomian glands to stimulate secretions and contraction of the gland.

Just a few hours after the procedure the meibomian glands begin to return to their normal function and clients begin to notice improvements in their dry eye symptoms. The treatment is accumulative and therefore needs to be repeated 3-4 times over the course of 1-2 months to maintain the improvement.

The results usually last for 1 week after the first session, 2-3 weeks following the second session and 2 months to 2 years after 3 or 4 sessions.

What is involved?

You are sat in the normal eye testing chair and asked to put on a pair of small goggles. A layer of clear gel is the applied to your lower eyelid and upper cheek area (this is wiped off after the treatment). The Optometrist then holds the device gently against your lower eyelid and presses a button to emit a pulse of light from the machine. The device is moved along the eyelid to repeat the light pulse in 5 areas. The procedure is painless and only takes a couple of minutes. Some clients report a slight warmth to the skin but no discomfort.

Does it work?

Worldwide research agrees that in 85-90% of people, E-Eye can make a significant improvement to both the clinical measurements of dry eye (when we measure the quality, quantity and evaporation of your tears) and also, more importantly, your dry eye symptoms.  Read the next question to find out how we maximise the chances of 100% of people being happy with their treatment.

There have been many studies into the effectivity of E-Eye which show similarly positive results. One example is a clinical study by Doctor Christian Malbrel (2012), Ophthalmologist and former director of studies at the Reims Faculty of Medicine tested the efficiency of the E>Eye.

“The results show a significant subjective improvement, with satisfaction of the order of 90% following the first two treatment sessions. This improvement is established on the basis of the patient’s opinion of the discomfort experienced before and after the application of treatment and the associated focusing time, whether for reading or for work on a VDU. After the first treatment, this improvement is experienced for a number of days, and will only become more prolonged after the second and subsequent treatments."

A study Professor J Craig from the Department of Ophthalmology in Auckland found Tear break-up time (the evaporation time of your tears we measure is a good guide to the comfort of your eyes and need to blink) improved through E-Eye treatment from an average of 8.6sec to 14.2 sec. This results in far less dry eye symptoms like gritty, stingy, dry, itchy or watery eyes.

What happens if it doesn’t work for me?

Clinical studies which show 90% patient satisfaction have typically used no pre-selection of the client. In other words, anyone with meibomian gland dysfunction has been treated. In our practice, we conduct a scan or your meibomian glands before we commence treatment. If this shows the glands are damaged beyond treatment we will not initiate the treatment for you, therefore minimising the chances of dissatisfaction.  The treatment also needs to be carried out alongside careful ongoing management of your condition. Following treatment, your improvement in symptoms should result in far less at home treatment but it may not be able to be stopped altogether to obtain the best results. 

What do I do next?

Call the practice on 01634 757227 to book in for an E-Eye consultation. The full dry eye and tear film assessment including scanning of your meibomian glands costs £350 (depending on which Optometrist you see).  If you are suitable for treatment it can be carried out the same day or at another appointment if you prefer. Three sessions of E-Eye treatment (spread over 1-2 months) is £950.