Only when the ophthalmologist has diagnosed a dry eye can therapy measures be selected.
Here is an Overview of Therapy Options for Eyelids and Meibomian glands in Dry Eyes:
Tear Supplement/ Artificial Tears Therapy - typically provides immediate improvement of symptoms
Meibomian gland BASIC-Therapy (Physical Therapy)
Electrically heated moist warming goggle-style mask (Blephasteam) for Meibomian Gland therapy at home
Chronic EyeLid Inflammaton (chronic Blepharitis) without or with DEMODEX Hair Mite infestation
Here is a link to => Further therapy options
Eyelid -Therapy - WHY ?
The Eyelids are an extremely important part of the ocular surface !
in dry eyes the eyelids and in particular their margins are covered by depositions of debris that favour the disease process of dry eyes.
inside the eyelids are the Meibomian oil glands - they are often blocked by inspissated oily secretum - this is regarded as the most frequent cause of dry eye disease.
Treatment of the eyelids is therefore an enormously important component of the therapy in dry eye disease. This can typically be done at home by the patient himself. Some novel and more effective treatments, however, require specialized devices that are applied in the doctor´s practise.
Home Therapy
Eyelid Hygiene & Care
Cleaning (hygiene) and care of the eyelids is often recommended on a regular daily basis as long as symptoms of dry eye disease occur
Chronic inflammation of the eyelids (chronic blepharitis) often occur in dry eyes and show depositions of inflammatory substances on the lid margin that favor the disease process.
=> here is a practical approach to eyelid hygiene
Meibomian gland BASIC-Therapy
If the Meibomian oil glands inside the eyelids are blocked/ clogged - which is regarded as the most frequent cause of dry eyes - it is typically useful to perform “Physical Eyelid Therapy” as Meibomiam gland BASIC-Therapy in addition to a simple hygiene.
The therapy is based on the application of warming and massage to the eyelids in order to re-liquefy the inspissated oily secretum inside the glands and remove it to reactivate the glands.
=> here is more information about Meibomian gland BASIC-Therapy at home.
Chronic EyeLid inflammation and DEMODEX hair mites
In the case of chronic eyelid inflammation/ chronic blepharitis that does not improve sufficiently with regular eyelid hygiene it may be necessary to apply prescription medication by the ophthalmologist. Such medication is often anti-inflammatory or antibiotic or can combine both functions.
It is important to see your eye doctor - he/ she has to diagnose your condition in order to give advice and suggest the most suitable therapy !
A chronic therapy resistant blepharitis may probably be associated with excessive Demodex hair mite infestation at the eyelashes. This can be determined by the ophthalmologist. If present, a specific therapy usually on the basis of tea tree oil is often recommended.
=> here is more information about Demodex hair mites in chronic blepharitis
Device Therapy in Doctors office
Physical Therapy at home with warming and massage of the eyelids is relatively time comsuming and should be performed on a regular daily basis, typically permanent.
APPARATIVE Physical Therapy for Eyelids and Meibomian Gland dysfunction in the doctor´s practise is an interesting alternative
it is done with novel specialized devices
they typically allow a quicker and more effective physical therapy
offers novel therapy approaches that are not available at home
=> here is more information about APPARATIVE Physical Lid-Therapy
Simple but effective mechanical cleaning of the eyelid margin with a handheld device (BlephEx)
simultaneous and even warming and expression of the glands over their whole extension throughout the eyelids with the Lipiflow thermal pulsation device
=> here is more information on the Lipiflow device and procedure
Specialized Light-Therapy for improvement of Meibomian gland function
Light of a certain intensity and wavelength is applied in the area around the eye and can, accorind to studies, improve different disease conditions of the Meibomian glands.
=> Tear supplements are a general back bone of therapy for dry eye disease with a typically immediate effect