Dry eye is a condition in which a person does not have sufficient tears to lubricate the front surface of the eye. Tears are necessary in maintaining the health of the eye. Without good tears, a person can experience burning, tearing, redness, light sensitivity and even blurry vision.
The tear film consists of 3 layers. The layer closest to the front surface of the eye (cornea) is a mucin layer that keeps the tears on the eye. The middle layer is a water or aqueous layer that lubricates the eye. And the top surface closest to the outside environment is an oil or lipid layer which prevents the tears from evaporating. If any of these layers are not good quality, that will cause dry eyes.
86% of dry eye is related to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). The meibomian glands are located in the eyelid and produce the lipid layer of the tears. If these glands are clogged or even lost, that will cause poor quality of the oil layer and the tear film will evaporate, causing dry eye.
Dry eye is a chronic condition that if not treated, can get worse over time. At Beverly Plaza Optometric Center, we assess all aspects of the tears to determine what the best treatment option is for each patient.
In addition, we are one of only a few Optometrist offices in the Los Angeles area to offer The LipiFlow® Thermal Pulsation System, the first FDA approved device for treating MGD but improving gland function to produce better oils in your tear film. Please call the office to schedule your dry eye consultation to see if LipiFlow® is right for you!
Visit https://dryeyeandmgd.com/ for more information