LipiFlow is an FDA-approved system designed to help your eyes produce more lipid tear film. Lipid tear film is vital for your comfort and quality of life because it prevents dry eye caused by MGD (meibomian gland dysfunction). At Wichita Vision Institute in Wichita, KS, Dr. Patel is proud to offer this safe, effective treatment because she understands how frustrating it is to have chronically dry eyes.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at LipiFlow, including who is generally considered a good candidate for this treatment and how you should prepare. If you are sick and tired of throwing away money on ineffective eye drops, you’re in the right place. Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about this treatment to help you determine whether it is right for you.
Who Is a Good Candidate for LipiFlow?
You can expect to be considered a good LipiFlow candidate if you suffer from chronic dry eye caused by meibomian gland dysfunction. However, you need to sit down with Dr. Patel to discuss your symptoms and medical history to verify that treatment with this highly advanced device will be safe and effective for you. If you don’t already have a recent one, you’ll need to get a comprehensive eye exam, too.
During your comprehensive eye exam, a number of factors will be evaluated. For example, your tear film and glands will be evaluated thoroughly. As another example, we will look for acute ocular conditions or eyelid problems that may preclude you from qualifying for treatment temporarily.
What If I’m Not a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
While this treatment is safe and effective for most people with MGD, it is not the ideal solution for every case. If you only have mild symptoms, you may only need artificial eye drops to achieve symptom relief. There is a chance that you just need to try a different brand of eye drops to achieve relief if you have so far lacked luck in the eye drop department.
Practicing excellent eyelid hygiene may also benefit you significantly. The cleaner your eyelids are, the less viscous the lipid layer of your tears is. Furthermore, your meibomian glands will be able to secrete more lipids if your eyelids stay clean. This increases lubrication significantly. To practice proper lid hygiene, you need to regularly warm, massage, and cleanse your eyelids.
What Exactly Is Involved in Lid Hygiene?
Eyelid warming is one of the three essential components of proper lid hygiene. This step involves applying a warm compress to the eyelids for 10 to 15 minutes. If you use a clean, moist washcloth as a warm compress, you may need to add hot water to the washcloth at some point during your treatment. If you use a heated gel pack or Blephasteam, you shouldn’t need to worry about maintaining the optimal temperature.
Eyelid massage is another one of the three essential components of proper lid hygiene. This step involves using your middle and index fingers to apply gentle pressure to the eyelids. Eyelid cleansing can be accomplished with baby shampoo and clean water.
Do I Have Meibomian Gland Dysfunction?
If you’re not sure whether you suffer from MGD, it is extremely important that you attend an evaluation of your eye health with an eye expert. To verify whether you suffer from meibomian gland dysfunction, your eyes will be examined thoroughly. For example, the osmolarity of your tears will be measured.
As another example, the height of your lower tear meniscus will be measured. We will also conduct other tests to rule out other medical conditions that cause chronic dry eye. One of the most common signs of this condition is chronic dry eye. However, there are other signs. For example, you may suffer from meibomian gland dysfunction if you are experiencing such symptoms as:
- Red eyes
- Irritated eyes
- Discharge
- Frequent fatigue
- Blurry vision
What Are the Risk Factors of Developing This Condition?
There are several significant MGD risk factors. Advanced age is one of the most significant risk factors of developing this condition. Another very significant risk factor is an imbalance in androgen or other sex hormone levels. Furthermore, certain systemic conditions can increase your risk of MGD, like:
- Hypertension
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Atopy
- Psoriasis
- Sjorgen’s syndrome (SS)
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)
There are also several ophthalmic factors that can increase your risk of developing MGD. For example, trachoma, chronic blepharitis, Demodex folliculorum infection, and aniridia can also increase the risk of developing MGD. Moreover, your risk of developing MGD increases if you tattoo your eyelids or wear contact lenses every day. Other risk factors of developing MGD include the use of:
- Isotretinoin
- Antihistamines
- Antibiotics
- Antidepressants
- Hormone replacement therapy
What Can I Do To Mitigate the Risk of Developing MGD?
If you are at least 41 years of age, you should strongly consider making lifestyle adjustments to reduce your chance of meibomian gland dysfunction. For example, you may want to start wearing eye makeup less frequently. If you don’t want to reduce your eye makeup use, make sure that you remove your makeup completely before bed every night so your meibomian glands aren’t blocked for too long.
You also may want to consider opting for glasses or corrective vision surgery instead of contact lenses. In some cases, regular contact lens use can irritate the eyes and affect blinking patterns. If your contact lenses irritate your eyes, look into wearing your contact lenses less frequently or updating your prescription.
Are There Other Steps I Should Take To Mitigate My Risk of Developing MGD?
There are other steps you may be able to take to reduce your likelihood of developing MGD. For example, you may benefit from reducing the amount of time you spend staring at screens, like computer monitors, cell phones, or television screens. Looking at screens for too long can decrease lipid secretion and eventually lead to your tears evaporating too quickly.
If your job requires you to look at a screen for hours at a time, make a point to take frequent breaks. For example, every 20 minutes, you may want to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Also, you should treat any medical conditions that can lead to MGD, like high blood pressure or rheumatoid arthritis. This may involve taking prescription medications and making lifestyle and diet changes.
Do I Need To Stop Taking Certain Medications?
You will be advised on whether you need to stop taking certain medications during your initial consultation after you advise Dr. Patel on what medications you are currently taking. Certain drugs, like antidepressants and preventative acne medication may contain ingredients that disrupt the function of your meibomian glands. If you are taking a drug with this known side effect, you may want to talk to your prescribing doctor about getting a different drug.
What Can I Expect During My Treatment Process?
You can expect your treatment session to be quick and painless. Generally, treatment sessions are 10 to 15 minutes in length and completely comfortable from start to finish. In fact, it is commonly reported that the vectored thermal pulse technology applied to the insides of the eyelids feels like a warm, gentle massage.
What Can I Expect After My Treatment Session?
You should not expect any downtime following your treatment session. You are free to return to work after your treatment session is complete or drive yourself home and spend the rest of the day relaxing. You should also not expect to enjoy immediate relief from chronic dry eye. It will take time for your lipid layer to rebuild itself, so your tears don’t evaporate too quickly.
Individual results vary, but most people enjoy relief just a few days after their first treatment session. During your initial consultation, the severity of your condition will be evaluated. You will be advised on whether numerous treatment sessions will be necessary to provide you with ideal results. Finally, you should be aware that most people only enjoy chronic dry eye relief for a year at a time following this treatment.
Find Out More Today
The bottom line is that you can feel confident you will be considered a good LipiFlow candidate if you have been diagnosed with MGD and suffer from chronic dry eye. To find out for sure whether treatment with this innovative device is right for you, schedule an initial evaluation today with Dr. Patel at Wichita Vision Institute in Wichita, KS.
I Can See Clearly Now
by Don Burrows
Category: cataract surgeryDr. Patel saved my wife’s vision and mine too. I now live 770 miles from her office and would still make the trip, even if it required a cross-country trip.
I highly recommend Dr. Patel
by Jim Guhl
Category: cataract surgeryDr. Patel is a physician whose sincere goal is to improve the quality of life for her patients. When I first became a patient under Dr. Patel’s care, I was diagnosed with cataracts in both of my eyes; dry eye syndrome; and astigmatism. Previous records from my Lasik surgery, which occurred 17 years ago, were no longer available. The Lasik surgery documentation was important in determining the exact corrections that now needed to be made to properly correct my astigmatism. Dr. Patel wisely recommended I postpone the cataract removal and astigmatism correction procedure, until she received newly developed diagnostic equipment. This newly developed technology would provide her with the most accurate metrics possible. New specialized lens implants were also becoming available, which would correct my astigmatism. Dr. Patel explained my chances for a successful outcome would be significantly increased if I would be patient and wait a little longer. Dr. Patel is truly a physician with high integrity and would never perform surgery until she knew it was the right time. She truly cares about providing her patients with the best care she can. Dr. Patel successfully treated my dry eye symptoms with a regiment of eye drops, cleansing techniques and vitamins, which prevented me from requiring more extensive - and more expensive treatment. Prior to the surgery on my right eye, she provided me with sample eye drops from her office and coupons for the eye drops I would need to purchase after my surgery. She did all she could to reduce my expenses. During preparations for right eye surgery, Dr. Patel spent quality time with me explaining the results of my pre-surgery testing and asking questions to determine my vision goals. One of my desires was to once again see the front sight on a pistol. I thoroughly enjoyed going to the firing range, but due to the cataract in my right eye I could no longer see the sights, on my pistol. Although the cataract in my left eye was not as bad yet – I was also experiencing difficulty seeing and firing left handed. Using a blue gun (authentic plastic replica of a Sig P229 pistol), Dr. Patel took additional measurements which she used in determining the correct lens to implant, during my surgery. My right eye surgery took place on November 1, 2017. Two days after the surgery, I happened to glance at my mobile phone and for the first time in 10 years or more, I could read the information on the screen without glasses. I pulled the Sig out of its case and – wow! – The sight picture was there clear as a bell. So the right eye cataract is gone along with the rainbow halos around cars at night and the astigmatism has been corrected better than I dreamed possible. Quality of life restored! The process included the latest diagnostic equipment; the newest technology in an intraocular lens implant; and the use of a laser surgery technique performed by Dr. Patel. Sadly, insurance does not cover much of the cost for the process that produces the optimal results. When it comes to the long term correction of your vision and significant increase in the quality of life it is well worth the investment. Dr. Patel is a very accomplished and highly competent physician and surgeon. I will be forever grateful to her for restoring my vision. I highly recommend Dr. Patel. Jim Guhl Wichita, KS November 13, 2017
In Good Hands
by Luke F.
Category: lasik surgeryTalk about a life changing surgery!!! From the consultation to the surgery I knew I was in good hands. I would recommend WVI to anyone who is considering LASIK. Thanks WVI!
Life Changing!
by Ashley J.
Category: lasik surgeryI love Dr. Patel! After having my dreams crushed at another place when they told me I wasn't a candidate, I went to Dr Patel for a lasik consultation. She is very thorough and gave me information about my eyes that no doctor in almost 20 years has told me. A week ago I had Lasik and it has been life changing! I couldn't be happier and I'm so glad I chose Dr Patel. She truly cares about her patients and her passion shows. The wait time can be very long, but if you are prepared for that ahead of time, you won't be disappointed once you see the doctor. I'm recommending WVI to everyone I know. She is now the only doctor I trust for my eyes.
Impressed with Dr. Patel and Staff
by William D.
Category: cataract surgeryI first saw Dr. Patel about 6 years ago when my left eye wandered to the left side and stayed there. She sent me to the Dean McGee Eye Institute in Oklahoma City for further evaluation. No reason was ever found as to why it did that but it corrected itself after about two months. Since then I have been seeing Dr. Patel regularly. I damaged the left eye in an accident and had to have a vitrectomy performed. She referred me to another specialist Dr. Paul Weishaar and that outcome was also great. The eye did develop a cataract and she performed that surgery a few months ago and suggested a plan for treating dry eyes. It was outstanding and since wearing glasses for over 50 years, I now just wear sunglasses. Simply amazing. Dr. Patel and her staff are the greatest and they know other great professionals if the need arises. They also do charity work and they are all a total blessing to me. I would not even consider going anywhere else. Just gotta love them.
Powered by Crystal Clear Digital Marketing Reviews






