Tired of Suffering From Dry Eyes?

We are here to help!
Dr. Sam Dhaliwal and Associates specialize in treating Dry Eye Disease. Whether its mild or severe - an occasional irritant or a daily problem, we’re here to help you find your path to dry eye relief!

Dry Eye Disease is one of the most common eye conditions. It can affect how well you see and how comfortable your eyes are throughout the day.

This condition can have multiple causes and risk factors that include age, medication, health conditions, environmental factors and computer use.

Common Dry Eye Symptoms Include:

Red, burning, itchy eyes
Excess watering
Inflammation
Light sensitivity
Gritty/Sandy Feeling
Blurry Vision
Eye fatigue

What Causes Dry Eye?

Believe it or not, tears are an important part of our eye health and each time we blink a protective layer called the tear film spreads over the surface of our eyes. The tear film is a mixture of water, oil, and mucus and helps keep the surface of our eyes smooth and clear.

Each layer of the tear film has a important role in keeping the eyes healthy, with that in mind there are two main reasons for dry eye disease. The first is decreased tear production and the second is from blockages in the meibomian glands that produce the oil layer of the tear film.

Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)

86% of dry eye patients suffer from a condition called Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. The meibomian glands are located in the upper and lower eyelids, and MGD occurs when there are changes to the amount or quality of the oil being produced and reaching the surface of the eye.

The most common type of MGD happens when the gland openings get clogged and stop producing oil, and chronically clogged glands results in severe dry eye symptoms. If left untreated MGD can cause severe dry eye as well as eyelid inflammation condition called blepharitis.

In the early stages patients which is why we recommend checking the health of your glands during your annual eye exam.

Lipiflow: Dry Eye Treatment

A series of testing will be performed to determine if you have MGD, this will include LipiScan, a meibomian gland imaging technology. With LipiFlow technology we can directly treat the root cause of MGD during a non-invasive 12 minute in-office procedure.

LipiFlow is designed to remove blockages in the meibmomian glands, allowing them to properly express the oil needed for the tear film. By applying a low heat to soften the hardened oil while also delivering a gentle massage to express the blocked glands and restore gland function. When the glands are able to resume oil production and start to release oils to coat the eye’s tears, this will help in reducing dry eye symptoms.

Am I Eligible?

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for dry eye and your path to relief will be customized to you. Come and see one of our Doctors for a Dry Eye Consultation which will determine the root cause of your Dry Eye and see if you are eligible for Lipiflow

What to Expect

We first use drops to numb the surface of the eye so the Lipiflow Applicator can rest comfortably. Your eyelids will rest in the applicator and by using a combination of heat on the inner lids and the massage on the outer lids, it will act as a thermal pulsation massage that will break down the natural oils that are clogged so they can start to nourish the surface of your eye. The treatment will last a total of 12 minutes and will treat both eyes at the same time.

Life After Treatment

The results of LipiFlow will vary from person to person and can take several weeks to feel the full effects of the treatment. There are various post treatment therapy’s that may help extend Lipiflow results which include eye drops, hot compress mask, and blinking exercises.

Blepharitis and Blephex Treatment

Blepharitis is a common eye disease that causes inflammation on the base of the eyelashes. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include red, irritated, itchy eyelids and dandruff-like flakes. Blepharitis is also considered to be a pre-cursor of dry eye disease and Meibomian Gland Disfunction

BlephEx® is an in-office procedure that allows your doctor to take an active role in treating dry eye and blepharitis. BlephEx® removes excess bacteria, biofilm and bacterial toxins. With regular treatments, patients finally enjoy a life free from the chronic and irritating symptoms associated with dry eye and blepharitis.

Eye-Light (IPL) Treatment

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy originally comes from dermatology where it has been used to treat a variety of common skin conditions such as rosacea, pigmented skin, as well as for skin rejuvenation. New studies have shown that IPL can be extremely effective in managing meibomian gland disorder (MGD) and dry eye disease.

We use Eye-Light – a powerful non-invasive IPL and low-level light therapy (LLLT) that helps treat the meibomian glands by applying an intense light to the periorbital (the area around the eyes including the eyelids and upper cheekbones) and gently warms the skin. This helps the meibomian glands to unclog hardened oil, restores gland function, improves tear stability, and many patients report dramatically improved eye comfort.

IPL treatment is done in 4 sessions scheduled approximately 3 to 5 weeks apart, the sessions last about 10 minutes and are quite comfortable. Results are usually seen by the second or third treatment and some patients see greater results when IPL is combined with other treatments such as Lipiflow.

Call us today to book your Dry Eye Assessment and see if you are a candidate for Eye-Light treatment!