Struggling to find time to do your dry eye heat therapy? Things just got a whole lot easier.
Who is that masked hero?
It seems almost unbelievable that no one has thought of this before. It is so clever, and yet so simple.
The main treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), a major cause of dry eye symptoms, is eyelid warming using a hot compress. Eye care professionals have long known that lack of compliance is the main reason for heat treatment not working to full effect. So anything to make it easier to follow the expert advice opticians give you would be welcomed.
The idea of relaxing two or three times a day listening to your favourite podcast sounds great but in reality it can be hard to find the time, our lives are busier than ever. Image being able to enjoying the benefits of heat therapy and also carrying on with many of your important everyday tasks?
Now you can thanks to new TearRestore.
What exactly is TearRestore
The Dry Eye Zone takes pride in sourcing best-in-class innovative products to help manage dry eye symptoms. It always gives the team a real buzz to help improve the lives of dry eye sufferers. TearRestore allows you effective heat therapy whilst giving you the unique freedom of keeping your eyes open throughout. This means you can continue reading, looking at screens and moving about your home – it is a real game changer.
How is TearRestore heated
TearRestore is self-heating thanks to a chemical reaction within the mask. The temperature level and the length of heating time is critical for effective treatment, once activated TearRestore heats up to 40°C for at least 10 minutes. Dry eye experts are generally agreed on this heat requirement being the optimum profile. You can see how to use TearRestore here
What benefits does heat therapy bring?
This is all about getting your meibomian glands working better. The meibum oil made by these small glands, located in the eyelids, forms the protective outer layer (or lipid layer) of the tear film. The lipid layer has a critical role in keeping your eyes lubricated and reducing evaporation of moisture from the surface of the eye. When MGD is present the glands can be blocked, the meibum having assumed the consistency of toothpaste instead of olive oil. Heat therapy literally ‘melts’ this natural oil allowing it to flow more easily into the eye and releasing debris ready for a post-therapy cleanse.
Keep blinking!
It is vital to keep up our natural blink rates. Every time you blink you naturally expressing the meibomian glands and spreading tears across the surface of your eye. Scientific studies have shown that the blink pattern is affected by dry eye and that dry eye symptoms can be increased by reduced blink rates.
With TearRestore your eyes are open and you can still blink naturally allowing the benefits of the blink mechanics to the tear film to be enhanced by the addition of heat.
Demonstratable benefits
The performance credentials of TearRestore are impressive. This means not only is it far more convenient to use when compared to a ‘closed-eye’ compress you can also be confident that it will deliver the dry eye relief you need.
Tests among dry eye sufferers have shown a 51% reduction in symptoms. This is due to improved stability of the tear-film, which was assessed by measuring something called the ‘tear break up time’ (TBUT). The TBUT is the number of seconds your tear film will remain intact when not blinking, your optician will often check this during an eye examination where dry eye is suspected. After using TearRestore there was an increased TBUT in 90% of test subjects and a 40% improvement in meibomian gland function.
Thank you masked hero from the Dry Eye Zone community. You can find more information about a TearRestore start pack here.
Dry eye has long been established as a serious health concern which can affect sufferers both physically and mentally. Dry eye reduces the quality of life for those affected and can lead to anxiety and depression. Make sure you stay on top of your symptoms and be sure to follow the advice of your eye care professional.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned in this article then you should ask the advice of your eye care professional. Why not book your next eye examination with an independent optician today.
Sources:
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Sim HS, Petznick A, Barbier S, Tan JH, Acharya UR, Yeo S, Tong L; Collaborative Research Initiative for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (CORIM). A Randomized, Controlled Treatment Trial of Eyelid-Warming Therapies in Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. Ophthalmol Ther. 2014 Dec;3(1-2):37-48. doi: 10.1007/s40123-014-0025-8. Epub 2014 Aug 26. PMID: 25156975; PMCID: PMC4254858.
Ousler GW 3rd, Abelson MB, Johnston PR, Rodriguez J, Lane K, Smith LM. Blink patterns and lid-contact times in dry-eye and normal subjects. Clin Ophthalmol. 2014 May 5;8:869-74. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S56783. PMID: 24833893; PMCID: PMC4015796.
Pflugfelder SC, Stern ME. Biological functions of tear film. Exp Eye Res. 2020 Aug;197:108115. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108115. Epub 2020 Jun 16. PMID: 32561483; PMCID: PMC7483968.
Vidas Pauk S, Petriček I, Jukić T, Popović-Suić S, Tomić M, Kalauz M, Jandroković S, Masnec S. NONINVASIVE TEAR FILM BREAK-UP TIME ASSESSMENT USING HANDHELD LIPID LAYER EXAMINATION INSTRUMENT. Acta Clin Croat. 2019 Mar;58(1):63-71. doi: 10.20471/acc.2019.58.01.09. PMID: 31363327; PMCID: PMC6629192.
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