TearCare Dry
Eye Treatment
TearCare® is a 15-minute in-office procedure used to treat dry eye. The sterile single-use flexible eyelid devices gently adhere to the contours of the patient’s eyelids and apply low heat. SmartLidTM technology works in conjunction with the blinking eye to facilitate natural meibum expression as the meibomian melts. The TearCare® procedure is usually repeated every 6 to 12 months.
WHAT DOES TEARCARE TREAT?
TearCare System is an FDA-approved treatment for patients with dry eye due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). Meibomian glands line the inside of our upper and lower eyelids and produce the oil layer on our tear film. A blocked or clogged meibomian gland prevents us from secreting this oil. When this crucial lipid layer is missing from our tear film due to a blockage, it results in our tears evaporating faster than normal and causing dry eye symptoms. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) can become progressively worse if left untreated.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
TearCare can be completed in the same amount of time as a typical office visit. In contrast to other dry eye treatments, TearCare allows you to keep your eyes open throughout the procedure. Treatment begins with an applicator being applied to the outer edges of the upper and lower eyelids. A constant, therapeutic heat will be applied through the applicators, which, combined with blinking, will help to unclog the glands. As part of your treatment, your doctor will express the meibomian glands to help remove blockages that can stimulate oil production, resulting in a healthier tear film and a reduction of dry eye symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dedicated to Providing You With Expert Vision Care.
Scratchy sensations, itching and burning, redness, watery eyes, blurry vision.
The two major types of DED are aqueous tear deficiency (ATD) and evaporative dry eye. The latter, which is linked to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), is the most common form and results in your tears evaporating too quickly.
Your tears play an important part of protecting your eyes and your vision. Untreated dry eye can lead to corneal scarring or increased eye infections. Additionally, discomfort or pain from dry eye can lead to poor sleep quality and mood disorders.
Dry eye results from a variety of causes, but aging is the single highest factor. Women suffer from dry about twice as frequently as men, often because of hormonal changes, certain medications, wearing contact lenses and using eye makeup.
The first task in evaluating dry eye is to determine which type of dry eye you have. Solutions may include artifical tears and warm compresses for mild cases of dry eye, sometimes medications can be used to increase tear production, other treatments are designed to unblock meibomian glands so they may increase meibum secretion. Underlying causes of dry eye like inflammation or rosacea are treated using intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy. We offer a variety of treatments to best address your particular needs.