A new dry eye treatment is now available at The Eye Center, one of the few places to offer it

While millions of people currently suffer from dry eyes and irritation, pain, and in some cases, vision problems, there’s a new treatment on the market that has shown promising results and The Eye Center in Columbia is pleased to make it available to its patients.

Traditionally dry eye is treated with eye drops, oil gland massage, cleaning the eyelids, warm compresses, and Omega-3 supplements. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent additional damage to the eyes. This new therapy is called Lipiflow. Available only in a very few locations, due to the time and money it takes a treatment center to do a dry eye evaluation, luckily for South Carolina residents, The Eye Center is one of those few.

The process of Lipiflow is fairly straightforward. The ophthalmologist numbs the eye and then inserts an applicator. The applicator consists of a rubber-like pad that is placed on the cornea and small flaps that are placed underneath each eyelid. The applicator uses a machine to send pulsations and heat to the eye’s oil glands which massage them and encourage oil production. Oil production is crucial in preventing the water in the eyes from evaporating too quickly, and chronically malfunctioning glands can result in the diminished production of oil in the long term as well as more permanent damage to the glands.

The Eye Center has an in-house dry eye center and has regularly treated patients who suffer from dry eyes since its inception. Always looking to provide their patients with quality eye care and better treatment outcomes, it’s no surprise they are among the first dry eye treatment centers to being offering the Lipiflow therapy.

Lipiflow is, unfortunately, not a cure and not a permanent solution. It has been shown to help patients reduce the use of eye drops and increase the amount of time their eyes can tolerate contact lenses. The good news? The results of Lipiflow should last anywhere between one and three years.

About The Eye Center
The Eye Center is the leading refractive practice in South Carolina, providing full service eye care and specializing in Refractive Surgery – Lasik, AST, PRK, PRELEX, as well as Corneal Transplant and Cataract Surgery.