Blog
BlephEx Lid Treatment
Posted: Monday 2nd December 2019
Many of us experience dry eye symptoms at this time of year due to the drying effects of central heating combined with more indoor time looking at TV’s and other screens either at work or at home.
Your eyes are protected by a thin layer of tears which acts as both a liquid lens (and so is part of your visual system) and as an anti-friction mechanism to stop your lid from rubbing on your eyeball. The very surface part of this layer of tears is an oily substance called meibum, which acts like a layer of clingfilm to stop the delicate fluid underneath from evaporating too quickly. If this oily layer is too thin, the eyes can feel gritty or dry and they may water excessively as your body tries to protect the ocular surface. This is called evaporative dry eye.
Evaporative dry eye can be caused by the oils produced by the body becoming thick and stagnant and not flowing freely out of the pores on the edge of the lid. The finely balanced chemistry that allows a free flowing clear oil to be produced can become altered by a build-up of bacteria or secretions around the roots of the lashes (anterior blepharitis) and this is when BlephEx treatment can be helpful.
The BlephEx device is a fast spinning, soft foam head which gently removes secretions and bacteria by stripping the lid margin. This feels like a tickling sensation on the edge of the lids. In just a few minutes a previously clogged row of lash roots can become totally clean. Once the lids have been cleansed in this way it is easier to maintain clean lids at home by daily use of a proprietary lid cleaner such as Blephasol solution. Blephex treatment may be recommended by your optometrist during your eye examination or during a Dry & Watery Eye Assessment.
BlephEx lid cleansing has been compared to a visit to the dental hygienist, where build up is removed to keep the gums healthy – cleansing of the lids can help keep them healthy and hygienic.
As well as being used to help patients with eye irritation or dry eye symptoms. BlephEx can also be used prior to eye surgery such as cataract removal, as a one-off treatment to clean the lids of debris (which can harbour bacteria) and may help reduce the risk of infection following the surgery.
Before treatment
After treatment
If you would like to book an appointment please contact us for more information.
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