CHICAGO, Ill. (Ivanhoe Newswire)— Burning, tearing, blurry vision. About 16 million people in the U.S. suffer from dry eye disease. If left untreated, dry eye can cause irreversible damage. But there are details on a new wearable device that is giving dry eye sufferers immediate relief.
Bill Casey always keeps his hands busy.
“I like to work around the house a little bit, always getting into something,” shared Casey.
But he couldn’t find relief for his dry eye disease and it could sometimes make his work environment uncomfortable.
“I’m an airline pilot so oftentimes the cockpit environment is a little drier. In the environment that we’re at, we want to have the best vision possible,” Casey explained.
“The most common cause of dry eye is a blockage in the oil glands in the lid,” illustrated Melissa Bollinger, OD, an ophthalmologist at Jacksoneye.
If left untreated, it can make your eyes more susceptible to infections and have poorer outcomes after eye surgeries.
“They’ll continue to go from mild stage to moderate stage to severe stage where they lose the glands completely. Then they become so symptomatic later that there are no treatments for them anymore,” elaborated Mitchell Jackson, MD, founder and CEO of Jacksoneye.
Now a new device is helping dry eye suffers find relief when eye drops don’t work. It’s called TearCare and it’s a wearable thermal device that goes over the eye lids.
“It heats up the oil glands to an optimized temperature and then we actually express the glands and they become unobstructed,” explained Dr. Jackson.
The procedure takes about 15 minutes plus prep time and patients can feel the effects right away.
“Before the dry eye treatment, I was probably lubricating up to maybe ten times a day and after the treatment, maybe once or twice,” Casey recalled.
Allowing his vision to stay smooth and clear.
The effects of TearCare usually lasts for about a year, so patients will have to get repeat treatments. TearCare is not currently covered by insurance and one session costs about 700 dollars.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Executive Producer; Milvionne Chery, Field Producer; Kirk Manson, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor.
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MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: TEARCARE DEFEATS DRY EYE
REPORT: MB #4804
DRY EYES: It is a common condition that occurs when your tears are not able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes. Tears can be inadequate for many reasons including not producing enough tears or producing poor-quality tears. Dry eyes can feel uncomfortable and your eyes may sting or burn. You may experience dry eyes in certain situations, such as on an airplane, in an air-conditioned room, while riding a bike or after looking at a computer screen for a few hours. You are at a higher risk of experiencing dry eyes if you are older than 50, a woman, eat a diet low in vitamin A, or wear contact lenses. People who have dry eyes may experience complications including eye infections, damage to the surface of their eyes, and decreased quality of life.
(Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-eyes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371863)
DIAGNOSIS AND TRADITIONAL TREATMENT: Tests and procedures that may be used to determine the cause of dry eyes include a comprehensive eye exam, measuring the volume of your tears using the Schirmer test which is when blotting strips of paper are placed under your lower eyelids and your doctor measures the amount of the strip soaked by your tears, and they determine the quality of your tears in order to find out the surface condition of your eyes. For most people with occasional or mild dry eye symptoms, it is enough to use over the counter eyedrops (artificial tears). However, if your symptoms are persistent and more serious, you have other options. Prescription medications you can use include antibiotic eyedrops or ointments to reduce eye lid inflammation, eyedrops to control cornea inflammation that contain the immune-suppressing medication cyclosporine (Restasis) or corticosteroids, eye inserts that work like artificial tears and slowly dissolve, releasing a substance that’s used in eyedrops to lubricate your eye, tear-stimulating drugs, and eyedrops made from your own blood which are called autologous blood serum drops. To make these eyedrops, a sample of your blood is processed to remove the red blood cells and then mixed with a salt solution.
(Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-eyes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20371869)
NEW TECHNOLOGY: Retreatment with the Sight Sciences TearCare System is a safe and effective treatment for dry eye disease. The TearCare System is indicated for use in meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), dry eye, and blepharitis. TearCare is the world’s first and only wearable therapeutic eyelid technology providing a personalized open eye experience. The TearCare treatment allows the patient’s eyes to remain open and blinking during the procedure. Soft, flexible thermal devices conform to the eyelids to deliver a therapeutic level of energy for a specific period to liquefy meibum, an oily coating on the eye surface which prevents tear film evaporation. TearCare includes two flexible eyelid devices placed on your upper and lower eyelids. They are made of a soft, flexible material that conform to your eye’s natural shape and sit comfortably throughout the procedure. Unlike other treatment methods, TearCare allows the patient’s eyes to remain open and blinking throughout the procedure. The entire process typically lasts for 2 ½ minutes
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
SHAY SMITH
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at mthomas@ivanhoe.com
