Most people with dry eye syndrome don’t have a tear shortage - they have a problem with tear quality. Specifically, it’s often due to something called meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). These tiny glands in your eyelids produce oils that keep your tears from evaporating too quickly. But when the glands clog or stop working, your eyes dry out faster than they should.
Common symptoms of dry eye include:
- A burning or stinging sensation
- Blurred or fluctuating vision
- A gritty, sandy feeling
- Redness or watery eyes (yes, watery eyes can still mean dry eye!)
- Sensitivity to light or wind
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses
If these sound familiar, you’re not alone - and more importantly, there are solutions.
LipiFlow: Keeping Your Eyes Comfortable
LipiFlow is an in-office treatment that targets the root cause of MGD. LipiFlow does more than just mask symptoms with artificial tears. It uses gentle heat and massage to clear blocked meibomian glands. This helps the glands work properly again.
Here’s what the treatment involves:
- Heat Therapy: A small applicator gently warms the inside of your eyelids to melt thickened oils.
- Pulsation/Massage: While heating, it also delivers mild pulses to the outer eyelid to help clear out the blockages.
- One-Time Session: The whole thing takes about 12 minutes per eye, and you usually complete it in one visit.
- No Downtime: You can return to your normal routine the same day.
Most patients say the treatment feels strange but not painful—like a warm eye massage.
When Will You Feel Relief After LipiFlow?
You may not see results right away, but many patients notice improvements in their symptoms in two to four weeks. That’s because it takes time for your glands to start producing oils again and for your tear film to stabilize.
What you can expect:
- Gradual symptom improvement over the following month
- Less reliance on artificial tears
- Improved comfort with contact lenses
- Fewer episodes of blurry or fluctuating vision
Some people may need a follow-up treatment after a year or more, while others find one session is enough to maintain their comfort.
LipiFlow vs. Other Dry Eye Treatments
You may have already tried warm compresses, eye drops, or eyelid wipes. While these can help, they don’t treat the cause—they manage the symptoms.
Here’s how LipiFlow compares:
| Treatment | Addresses the Root Cause | At-Home or In-Office | Duration |
| Artificial tears | No | At-home | Temporary |
| Warm compresses | Partially | At-home | Daily effort
|
| LipiFlow | Yes | In-office | One-time, 12 mins |
LipiFlow is the only FDA-cleared procedure that treats MGD by physically clearing out the glands with controlled heat and pressure. It’s safe, effective, and clinically proven.
LipiFlow Treatment in
If dry eye has become part of your everyday life, it doesn’t have to be. The eye care team at offers LipiFlow treatment to help you finally experience lasting relief. We take time to evaluate your symptoms, perform a full dry eye evaluation, and determine if LipiFlow is right for you.
Request an eye care appointment today to learn more about how LipiFlow can help you get back to living life with clear, comfortable vision.