Health: New High Tech Solution Helps Cure Dry Eyes

By Stephanie Stahl

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Dry eyes can get especially bad in the winter, made worse by all the dry air inside. Now, there's a new high tech solution.

Jennifer Edwards is looking for relief. She's had annoying eye problems for more than 15 years.

She says, "My eyes tear all the time. It looks like I'm about the cry all the time. Even when I have my eyes closed it's like 'oh wow they're scratchy under there."

Jennifer is one of millions who suffer from evaporative dry eye. It's caused by a blocked gland that interferes with the natural production of an oily layer of tears on the eye.

Dr. Jennifer Grin says, "It does look like some of those glands that aren't working at all. They're not secreting any of the oils."

Jennifer is getting a new procedure called "Lipiflow." An eyepiece is inserted under both the lower and upper eyelids then consistent heat is applied along with gentle massage. Jennifer says, "It feels like a warm bath on your eye."

The therapy that takes about 12 minutes and is designed to clear out the blockages causing dry eye. Dr. Grin says, "In 79 percent of patients we found that they had improvement in symptoms. With some patients, this is a one-time treatment."

It may take weeks before Jennifer sees any change. Preliminary studies show the treatment helps relieve dry eyes for an average of about nine months, maybe more.

For more information, visit: http://www.willseye.org/health-library/dry-eye-syndrome