Prior to your LipiFlow treatment, you will be required to do the following:
- If you wear contact lenses, they must be removed at least four hours before your treatment.
- No artificial “tears” or any type of eyedrops can be applied 24 hours before treatment.
- No eyelid ointments or creams can be applied 24 hours prior to your appointment.
- Other oil-based prescription medications (such as Restasis) cannot be applied 24 hours prior to your appointment.
- You will have to avoid swimming in a chlorinated pool at least 12 hours before your appointment.
- For women, all makeup must be fully removed.
The treatment is fast, and involves these steps:
- You will be comfortably resting on a reclining treatment chair. Your eyes will be numbed with mild anesthetic drops. Prior to treatment, you will have a quick treatment to remove any eye debris that has accumulated on the edges of your lids.
- The treatment device will be placed over your eye (or over both eyes) and you will close your eyes so the treatment can be initiated.
- The treatment begins and you will feel a warm sensation and a slight pressure on your lids. The procedure involves two six-minute cycles which include the heat emitting aspect, followed by pulsing and then pressure.
- This is essentially a pain-free procedure.
This non-invasive, pain-free treatment has proven to be one of the most exciting and effective innovations to treat dry eye. The benefits include the following:
- Virtually painless
- Non-invasive
- Fast treatment – 12 minutes
If you are suffering the symptoms of dry eye and struggle to keep your eyes feeling comfortable, constantly adding eye drops or trying prescription medications to resolve the condition, you may be a candidate for LipiFlow. If your condition is related to insufficient oil to lubricate your eyes, this treatment has been established to be effective and can produce a dramatic improvement within about four weeks.
