LipiFlow device - what the????

[fernellen]

Am scheduled for lipiflow; still doing research

[phenix01]

Dowork123 thanks for the wishes and for the feedback.

It is very encouraging to see that you did have the ghosting and that it went away, you're a success story ! I am assuming you also had starbursts around lights? Sort of goes with the ghosting no?

Im my case the original problem are my glands that were clogged, leading to inflammation.
Now that lipiflow was done 3w ago I am hoping for relief soon. My dr told me it took 3 months for her own glands to fuel lipids post lipiflow.
I have been on steroids for 3w now, tapering the doses though and transitioning to Xiidra. I have eye pain on the regular right now and hoping it goes away. Fingers crossed.

When my dry eye was at its worst, and inflammation was at its peak. I was seeing heavy ghosting, especially in my worse eye. As inflammation decreased, and my tear film stabilized...the ghosting went away. I'm hoping you get some relief soon. How long have you been on the steroids? I felt a huge difference at day 10 and it only got better.

Genuinely hope you get some relief, I'll be watching your thread.

[phenix01]

Hey Dowork123 thanks for sharing that, I'm glad that it helps. I'm also on Alrex and tapering into Xiidra. So currently doind Alrex 2x/day, Xiidra 2x/day, omega 3 3x/day, warm compresses, bunch of lubricant drops, lots of blinking exercises with the EyeLeo app. Its a full time job. Hopefully when the lipids come back and my tear film stabilizes + no more inflammation then my visual symptoms will go away.

I agree with pythonidler...inflammation is the main cause of my dry eyes. I have been trying to get answers for months and eventually, after lid scrubs (avenova) and warm compress I was better but still had a lot of burning...he literally just put me on steroids 20 days ago (alrex .2%) and I'm tapering into restasis. My eyes feel great compared to how they used to feel. All that inflammation was just clogging everything up...causing dysfunction. Wish I could take steroids forever lol.

[phenix01]

Interesting, I will then stick with my doc's rationale that since my glands were blocked and my lipiview returned 46 and 51 there has to be inflammation and hopefully when its gone it takes the visual symptoms with it.

[pythonidler]

I'm not sure whether your visual symptoms has anything to do with your dry eye. But regarding inflammation - your eye doesn't have to be red to have inflammation in it. Personally, a few days ago I had an InflammaDry test done on me with a high inflammation result - and my eyes would look fine to the casual (non-doctor, non-dry eye patient) observer.

[phenix01]

After one year of suffering from dry eyes and visiting numerous doctors that told me my eyes were fine, I learned about Lipiflow.
I went to the clinic and score 46 and 51, with all my glands blocked and 15% atrophy.
1 week after lipiflow I already see improvement but hoping it keeps on going.

The one thing I am puzzled about however are my ghosting/starbursts symptoms. Although all my glands were clogged, I never really had red eyes, but did feelthe burning sensation.
Today, my eyes feel healthy, but I have no improvement in my ghosting/starbursts symptoms which I believe started 1 year ago with dry eye.

Currently battling inflammation (doc put me on cortisone and xiidra), although I am not sure there is inflammation (eye is not red!).

Can inflammation cause ghosting/starbursts? Any opinion?

[Jeffery0808]

Miserable... LLT went down even i had finished 3rd ipl and lipiflow.

[bobXfr]

Conclusions Drawn from Nonclinical & Clinical Evaluation The results of the evaluation demonstrate that the iLux System is substantially equivalent to the LipiFlow Thermal System as it pertains to the indications for use and device performance.

The iLux arm of the study met the criteria for non-inferiority relative to the LipiFlow arm for the coprimary effectiveness endpoints – Meibomian Gland Score (MGS) and Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) and the secondary effectiveness endpoint – Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI).
• MGS improved significantly from baseline in both treatment groups at both week 2 and week 4. MGS improvements did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups at either follow-up visit.
TBUT improved significantly from baseline in both treatment groups at both week 2 and week 4. TBUT improvements did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups at either follow-up visit.
• OSDI improved significantly from baseline in both treatment groups at both week 2 and week 4. OSDI improvements did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups.

There was a total of four device/procedure-related adverse events (AEs) of any type. All AEs were observed in the iLux arm and consisted of: burning sensation without skin findings (n=2), petechial hemorrhage in lower lids (n=1), and transient decrease in BSCVA with findings of superficial punctate keratitis (n=1). All were self-limited, transient, and resolved without sequelae.

The secondary safety endpoints were: 1) discomfort and pain, and 2) changes from baseline for ocular surface staining, Intraocular pressure (IOP), and BSCVA (Best Spectacle Corrected Visual Acuity). • Pain scores were significantly lower from the baseline for both treatment groups, immediately post-treatment, and at day 1, week 2 and week 4. Immediately posttreatment, the mean pain score was significantly lower for the LipiFlow arm than for the iLux. Pain scores did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups at day 1, week 2, or week 4. • Discomfort scores were significantly lower from the baseline for both treatment groups, immediately post-treatment, and at day 1, week 2 and week 4. Immediately posttreatment, the mean discomfort score was significantly lower for the LipiFlow arm than for the iLux. Improvements in discomfort scores did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups at day 1 or week 2. At week 4, however, the discomfort score was significantly lower for the iLux group. • Ocular surface staining was significantly increased immediately following treatment in both treatment groups. At day 1, week 2, and week 4, the ocular surface staining significantly reduced relative to baseline in both treatment groups however did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups. • No clinically significant changes in IOP were observed immediately post-treatment or throughout follow-up in either treatment group. • BSCVA was significantly reduced relative to baseline immediately post-treatment in both treatment groups but not to a clinically meaningful level. At week 2 and week 4, BSCVA was significantly improved relative to baseline in both treatment groups, but the change was not different between treatment groups.

see:
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_...17/K172645.pdf
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qjd...ature=youtu.be

[shakenbake]

Haven’t done IPL yet. I may have been focusing on my tear production instead of my oil glands because a previous doctor said they were fine. Dr. Cremers tried to express them and they were not fine by any means. Only had 3 oil producing glands in my lower left lid. So I think I’ll concentrate on mgd for the next couple months.

[Jeffery0808]

It helped when I first got it but after about a month went back to normal. I’m going to do it again next week. Found a new doctor that charges half. I’m planning on doing it once every 6 months. I I don’t understand why it’s not covered by insurance yet.

After a month? well.. if it lasts 6months i think it can be reasonable. Did you got IPL too?

[shakenbake]

It helped when I first got it but after about a month went back to normal. I’m going to do it again next week. Found a new doctor that charges half. I’m planning on doing it once every 6 months. I I don’t understand why it’s not covered by insurance yet.

[Jeffery0808]

Where do you live? I paid 1900 for a lipiflow treatment 6 months ago.

Live in Asia. It's quite cheap here. So far shakenbake do you feel any difference?

[shakenbake]

Where do you live? I paid 1900 for a lipiflow treatment 6 months ago.