What Is iLux & How Does It Treat Dry Eye?

iLux is a handheld device that uses heat and gentle, massaging pressure to melt blockages in your meibomian glands and encourage oils to flow more freely to your tear film. It’s one of the treatments we offer for dry eye therapy. 

The iLux system is intended to address one of the most common causes of dry eye disease: meibomian gland dysfunction, but before you get started with it, it’s important to confirm that it’s the right option for you. 

Everyone is different, so there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to treating dry eye. When you visit us at Specialty Eye, we use our experience and expertise in dry eye treatment to assess your symptoms and eyes before making personalized recommendations for treatments that can help you see comfortably.
 

How Does iLux Work?

Dry eye treatments with iLux are generally quick. The entire treatment only takes between 8 to 12 minutes to complete with no downtime—you can get back to your day immediately after your treatment.

Here’s what you can expect during an iLux session:

  • We will gently place your eyelid in between the soft treatment pads of the iLux device. 

  • The device will then apply heat using light and gentle pressure from the pads to help loosen blockages in your tear glands. We can adjust the heat and pressure depending on your needs and comfort.
     

We may recommend multiple treatment sessions over the course of a few months to address more severe dry eye symptoms. But, many of our patients start to experience some relief within 1 month.

We may also recommend additional treatment strategies based on your symptoms, including prescription medication, over-the-counter eye drops, or other in-office treatments.

How Your Tear Film Supports Your Eye Comfort

When you think of dry eye disease, you should also think of your tear film. It is made of 3 different layers, each with a special role in maintaining your eye comfort:

  • The mucus layer, produced in part by your conjunctiva, keeps your tear film spread evenly across your eye surface.

  • The water layer, produced by your lacrimal glands, keeps your eyes hydrated while protecting them from bacteria.

  • The oil layer, produced by your meibomian glands, seals in your tear film and prevents it from evaporating too quickly.
     

If there is an imbalance between these layers, you may develop dry eye symptoms. We can separate the type of dry eye you have into either evaporative dry eye or aqueous tear deficiency based on the specific problem occurring in your tear film.
 

How Does Your Tear Film Relate to Dry Eyes? 

Your tear film is at the center of your eye comfort—it hydrates and soothes your eyes while also protecting them from bacteria with the help of multiple unique ingredients. One of these ingredients is the oil produced by your meibomian glands, which are located along the edges of your eyelids.

Since the oil layer of the tear film is the outermost layer of the tears and it functions to support all the other tear layers, we can not overstress its importance in the dryness equation. It functions to preserve your tear film and boost your tear quality. 

When the oil production in your meibomian glands is functioning properly, tears do not evaporate as quickly and can spread more easily. However, if your meibomian glands are blocked and oil production is interrupted, your tears may start evaporating too quickly, leaving you with symptoms like red eyes and stinging sensations. 

What Is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)?

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is the condition linked to blockages and clogs in your meibomian glands. It is one of the most common causes of dry eye disease. In fact, it’s responsible for 85% of all dry eye cases.

Because of how widespread MGD is among dry eye patients, we’ve adopted numerous strategies to help promote oil production from your meibomian glands, support your tear film, and soothe your dry eye symptoms. One of which is iLux.
 

What Causes MGD?

MGD can occur for a variety of reasons. Wearing contact lenses, side effects from certain medications, and even aging can all be risk factors for MGD. 

MGD can also occur alongside another condition called blepharitis. Blepharitis can cause inflammation in your eyelids and create a crusty discharge at the base of your eyelashes. When these issues develop, you can experience a number of dry eye symptoms, such as burning sensations and redness.

There are many ways our team can help treat and manage MGD. In each case, the overall goal of these treatments is to melt away blockages in your meibomian glands and help your eyes produce more healthy tears.

Researchers Agree: iLux Is Effective for Treating MGD

Many patients experience significant improvements to their eye comfort after having iLux treatment, and some studies suggest that results are similar to LipiFlow, another heat therapy treatment we offer at Specialty Eye.However, not all people respond to treatments the same way. If you’re struggling with dry eye and want a personalized strategy for achieving the soothing eye comfort you deserve, give our team a call today to book your appointment.