Dry eye disease is a chronic condition that many people are living with. At Emerald Hills Eye Care, our doctors thoroughly assess your eyelids, the quality of your tears, oil glands, and cornea to determine if you are suffering from dry eye disease. Symptoms of dry eye can vary greatly and include burning, itching, redness, burning, grittiness, watering, blurry vision and even headaches.

86% of dry eye disease is caused by Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). These meibomian glands are located within the eyelids and produce an oil that protects the tears on the eye. This thin oil layer prevents the tears from evaporating and keeps the eye lubricated. Over time, the oils in these glands can thicken and can cause blockages of the glands from within resulting in reduced oil production, poor quality oils and eyelid inflammation. Many things can cause these glands to become dysfunctional including blepharitis (eyelash dandruff), medications, age, hormones, increased screen time, and even our climate.

We are proud to offer advanced treatments for dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction at our office. Call our office today to schedule your dry eye consult!

Zocular Eyelid System Treatment (ZEST)

• ZEST is an in-office treatment that uses a proprietary gel formulated from all natural Okra! Okra has special anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties which makes it a great tool in treating the build up of dead skin, bacteria, dirt and mites on the eyelashes found in conditions like Blepharitis. It is a very comfortable procedure that is well tolerated by all patients.

Lumenis M22 Intense Pulsed Light

• IPL is the newest addition to our dry eye offerings! IPL is a technology used predominantly in dermatology and has found its way into eye care. IPL uses a high-energy light to penetrate the skin and treat inflammatory skin conditions that cause dry eye, such as Rosacea. The light is absorbed by the abnormal blood vessels, and the heat generated from the light is enough to safely destroy the blood vessels. While IPL is excellent for treating the inflammation, it also helps to stimulate collagen production. This not only helps the oil glands, but also leaves your skin looking great! We can use this technology for both therapeutic relief of dry eye, as well as for cosmetic reasons like improving skin appearance, removing surface blemishes like sunspots, and even improving fine lines!

Lipiflow

• Lipiflow is one of the first FDA approved treatments for chronic MGD and is only offered at select clinics across Alberta. Our office is proud to be one of the few providers of Lipiflow in Alberta.


• Lipiflow provides a regulated, thermal pulsation massage to the eyelids and meibomian glands that helps to express any poor quality oils, thereby removing any blockages within these glands. By removing the blockages and expressing any solidified oils, it helps reduce inflammation of the glands and allows them to start producing natural oils again over time. Although there is no cure to chronic dry eye disease, Lipiflow is one of the most effective treatments to manage symptoms.


• In order to determine if you are a candidate, our doctor will need to perform a thorough evaluation of your eyes as well as a lifestyle assessment. Call now to schedule a consult!