Dry Eye Disease Caused by blocked eyelid oil glands, or so-called MGD: Meibomian gland dysfunction is the oil glands in the eyelids functioning abnormally, producing little or no oil, resulting in a lack of the oil layer that should coat the eye and therefore unable to prevent evaporation of other tear layers, causing the tear surface to be unstable, resulting in dry eyes, irritation, inflammation, and leading to various eye symptoms such as inability to open the eyes, eye irritation, eye pain, feeling like there is a foreign object in the eye, intolerance to light, red and inflamed eyelids, and frequent styes.
Risk factors
Use of contact lenses
Use of cosmetics around the eyelids
Have eye diseases such as chronic blepharitis, Demodex eye infection, dry eyes, iridocyclitis, and trachoma
Older age, menopause
Lack of androgen hormone
Allergies
Side effects of certain medications such as antihistamines, hormones used to treat menopause
Including environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and freshness of the air Working with computers for a long time, etc.
Treatment
1. Eyelid hygiene treatment or some doctors call it lid spa. It consists of applying warm compresses outside the eyelids with a heat gel of about 42-44 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes, followed by gently massaging the upper and lower eyelids or massaging the eyes with a glass rod by a nurse or specialist doctor, followed by cleaning the eyelashes with a special eye cleansing foam.
2. Using artificial tears that contain high viscosity fat to increase the stability of the tear film, allowing tears to last longer.
3. Stimulating the meibomian oil glands to work better again by using IPL light.
4. Giving antibiotics because MGD often has a bacterial infection, which may be eye drops or ointments, as well as oral medications.
5. Giving steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and cyclosporine, which are not the main drugs. It may be given occasionally for a short period of time.
6. Omega 3 fatty acids have been reported to help stabilize tears.
7. Wearing goggles, moisturizing goggles, Iflo goggles.
8. Other treatments that have been reported to be effective include punctual occlusion, blood sampling and serum, eye drops, surgery using the placenta membrane, and correction of abnormal eyelids such as entropion, ectropion, etc.
You can learn about the treatment process for Dry Eye Disease and post-treatment care with Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) by clicking on this link.
