Tear supplements with special additives

Various aqueous tear supplements contain additives with special effects, from which one may expect more effective moisturizing or additional benefits

Aqueous tear supplements with oil

An oil additive can be advantageous, because in dry eyes there is typically an oil deficiency in first case, that results in increased evaporation of the tear water - therefore water and oil are often missing.

Combined aqueous tear supplements with oil addition are available for this purpose.

Apart from tear supplements, a basic therapy for the frequent oil deficiency due to obstruction of the meibomian oil glands inside the eyelids also includes regular eyelid warming treatment and cleaning of the eyelids.

Pure oil as a tear supplement

Oil supplementation is of enormous importance indry eye disease, since an oil deficiency is the first and most important cause of the dry eye in the vast majority of patients (approximately four out of five patients).

Initially there is often a lack of the oil layer on the tear film without a significant lack of water. Then it may make sense to try a pure oil supplementation first, e.g. such as a liposomal spray. This can often improve the symptoms quickly and significantly.

Herbal tear supplements

Herbal eye drops have a long tradition and can contain various valuable active ingredients that can have a nourishing and soothing effect on a stressed eye surface.

Many patients find such traditional active ingredients more natural than the products of modern pharmacology.

Homeopathic eye drops

In contrast to tear substitutes, homeopathic eye drops are typically not a substitute for a lack of tear fluid, but are considered medicinal products.

So they are not primarily used to replace, for example, water for moistening and ´lubrication´ of the eye surface. They contain active ingredients that are believed to have a healing and soothing effect on the symptoms of dry eyes in order to normalize the disturbed function again.

BASIC therapy at home for dry eyes

In addition to tear supplements, basic therapy for dry eyes consists of heat therapy for the eyelids. This serves to liquefy the oil in the clogged Meibomian glands of the eyelids and to gently massage and clean the eyelids.

Because no drugs are used here, this is called physical eyelid therapy.

Apparative therapy at the ophthalmologist

There are various options available for specialized device-based therapy for meibomian gland dysfunction (MDD) .

Here, one or more steps of physical eyelid therapy are carried out in the ophthalmologist's practice with devices that can perform these tasks better and/ or faster (please see below).

LIPIFLOW - computer controlled automatic gland therapy

If eyelid therapy at home is not sufficient for severely blocked Meibom oil glands, a computer-controlled heating and squeezing of the clogged glands with the LIPIFLOW device can bring about a quick and effective improvement.

Intense pulsed light ( IPL )

Strong light therapy for meibomian gland dysfunction (MDD)

IPL is a light therapy with very intense light - visible white light from a flash lamp.

The flashes of light are applied to the skin area around the eye and can improve meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), even in cases that previously appeared resistant to therapy.

EYELIGHT Low-Level-Light-Therapy (LLLT)

Using a face mask, colored light of lower intensity is emitted over a larger area of ​​the skin in the cheek area and around the eyes.

LLLT can be effective for obstruction of the meibomian glands and also for chronic inflammation of the meibomian glands (hailstones, chalazia).

Care and hygiene of the eyelids

Healthy eyelids are important for a healthy eye. Disorders and diseases of the eyelids can lead to a dry eye - and vice versa!

Regular cleaning and care of the edge of the eyelid prevents diseases and is as important as brushing your teeth every day

Demodex infestation with chronic eyelid inflammation/ blepharitis

If persistent eyelid inflammation continues despite regular cleaning and care of the eyelids, there may be an excessive infestation with Demodex hair mites.

In this case, it can make sense to carry out a specific therapy to reduce demodex.

BLEPHEX - mechanical eyelid cleaning

With meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which is the most common cause of dry eye, there are typical deposits on the edge of the lid, that promote eyelid inflammation and dry eye disease.

Often these stubborn incrustations can not be completely removed by conventional cleaning at home. Then, a mechanical abrasive cleaning of the edge of the eyelid, with a special device in the practice of the eye doctor, can be a valuable aid.

ILUX - for mechanical physical eyelid therapy

Ilux is a handheld and portable device for warming and expressing clogged meibomian glands in the eyelid in the ophthalmologist's practice.