Page 24 - envision03-2021

LEAVE DRY EYES BEHIND

WITH E>EYE

By Shirley Ha, BSc. (Hons), O.D.

wo years ago, a meibography screening revealed that
I had mild meibomian gland atrophy and drop-outs.
It is estimated that more than six million Canadians
may have Dry Eye Disease (DED) , with most dry eye
1
Tsyndrome caused by Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
2,3
(MGD)
As a holistic eyecare provider, I ate well, led a healthy lifestyle and
was not taking any prescription medications. I blamed my evaporative
tear film distress and new dry eye symptoms - intermittent burning,
itchy, teary eyes, and blurry vision - on age-related hormonal changes
and a poor blinking pattern while using the computer and mobile
digital devices and reading books. Since I was blinking less, I wasn’t
mechanically expressing the oils from my meibomian glands, which
caused their stasis and led to the inspissation and inflammation of the
glands, corneal staining and low tear break-up time.
I decided to try Intense Pulse Light (IPL) therapy. It began with the
technician informing me that the flashes of light would feel like rubber
band snaps…Ouch! She wasn’t kidding and the smell of burning hair
was also unpleasant. After the IPL, the liquefied, loosened meibum
was expressed from my glands behind the slit lamp. I went home with
redness around my eyes and decided to take omega 3 supplements and
frequent visual breaks, along with preservative-free artificial tears to
reduce my symptoms, instead of having a second treatment.

24 / MARCH - APRIL 2021 / www.ENVISIONMAGAZINE.ca /