Lipiflow & IPL Success Rates (Pros/Cons?)

[farmgirl]

I know that the video shows it killing mites but from what I understand I think deepdryeye is right I think ot does more than that. I think it cleans the old gunk out that caps the glands as well.

[deep_dry_eye]

Sound very good. I will ask the doc.
And I watched the video. Looks like the

Blephex is used to kill demodex (does demodex meas mite?). However, I had my eyelash tested, and the results show there is barely no mite(or demodex) in my eyelash. So do you think I have the need to do this???

By the way, I never feel itching in my eyelash

BlephEx just cleans the lid margins, it doesn't kill demodex.

[hyzlt7980]

Yes if you can't access IPL then for sure do lipiflow. Can your doc debride the lid margins before the lipiflow Blephex I think it is called that is with a little dremel type tool but it can also be done with a surgical scraper.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24145633
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNQO_h6C1qE

Sound very good. I will ask the doc.
And I watched the video. Looks like the

Blephex is used to kill demodex (does demodex meas mite?). However, I had my eyelash tested, and the results show there is barely no mite(or demodex) in my eyelash. So do you think I have the need to do this???

By the way, I never feel itching in my eyelash

[deep_dry_eye]

Hi�Cwhere did you do lipiflow in Toronto. I want to do lipiflow in Toronto but I do not know where to go

http://dryeyetoronto.com/dry-eye-specialists.html

It's around 1.3k CAD for both eyes in GTA.

[farmgirl]

Yes if you can't access IPL then for sure do lipiflow. Can your doc debride the lid margins before the lipiflow Blephex I think it is called that is with a little dremel type tool but it can also be done with a surgical scraper.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24145633
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNQO_h6C1qE

[deep_dry_eye]

Hi, I am now on xiidra. Do you think xiidra can treat the inflammation without adding restasis. Also, I have no place to do IPL. Do you think I can do lipiflow and then continue using xiidra to control inflammation

Yes -- give that a try and report!

[hyzlt7980]

I did LipiFlow x4 times and doing monthly-IPL. LipiFlow costs around 1k CAD in Toronto, and monthly-IPL costs less than 1k/year (12 treatments in a year, monthly).

I recommend you to do both. IPL somehow has the ability to reduce inflammation, I recommend you to do monthly-IPL to reduce inflammation until it is gone. LipiFlow can remove any internal blockage inside the glands. Both are needed. If you reduce blockages with LipiFlow without reducing inflammation, it will get blocked again. IPL without LipiFlow may also not work if there is internal blockages.

I also recommend you to ask your Dr on Xiidra and Restasis. Both drugs work to reduce inflammation and worked quite well for me. I am currently on both Xiidra and Restasis BID as well.

Hi, I am now on xiidra. Do you think xiidra can treat the inflammation without adding restasis. Also, I have no place to do IPL. Do you think I can do lipiflow and then continue using xiidra to control inflammation

[hyzlt7980]

......................................

[deep_dry_eye]

Hi�Cwhere did you do lipiflow in Toronto. I want to do lipiflow in Toronto but I do not know where to go

I created a website just for this:

http://dryeyetoronto.com/dry-eye-specialists.html

see Dr Richard Maharaj, best dry eye specialist in Toronto area.

[Hokucat]

Hyzlt, below LipiFlow has a website where you can search for providers near you, but always great to get a recommendation from someone in this forum like you� are doing on who they went to.

https://dryeyeandmgd.com/find-a-doctor/

[hyzlt7980]

I did LipiFlow x4 times and doing monthly-IPL. LipiFlow costs around 1k CAD in Toronto, and monthly-IPL costs less than 1k/year (12 treatments in a year, monthly).

I recommend you to do both. IPL somehow has the ability to reduce inflammation, I recommend you to do monthly-IPL to reduce inflammation until it is gone. LipiFlow can remove any internal blockage inside the glands. Both are needed. If you reduce blockages with LipiFlow without reducing inflammation, it will get blocked again. IPL without LipiFlow may also not work if there is internal blockages.

I also recommend you to ask your Dr on Xiidra and Restasis. Both drugs work to reduce inflammation and worked quite well for me. I am currently on both Xiidra and Restasis BID as well.

Hi�Cwhere did you do lipiflow in Toronto. I want to do lipiflow in Toronto but I do not know where to go

[deep_dry_eye]

I did LipiFlow x4 times and doing monthly-IPL. LipiFlow costs around 1k CAD in Toronto, and monthly-IPL costs less than 1k/year (12 treatments in a year, monthly).

I recommend you to do both. IPL somehow has the ability to reduce inflammation, I recommend you to do monthly-IPL to reduce inflammation until it is gone. LipiFlow can remove any internal blockage inside the glands. Both are needed. If you reduce blockages with LipiFlow without reducing inflammation, it will get blocked again. IPL without LipiFlow may also not work if there is internal blockages.

I also recommend you to ask your Dr on Xiidra and Restasis. Both drugs work to reduce inflammation and worked quite well for me. I am currently on both Xiidra and Restasis BID as well.

You cannot heal this condition, you have to use compresses forever and I would suggest manual expression after the heat. I would also suggest using a mask like the ones you heat up in the microwave...then check the temperature. You want it around 45C for it to be effective. Then, wash eyelids with avenova right after compress. I would do that for two months before I tried lipiflow.

You dont want a corneal abrasion, but they heal. If you burn your eye/skin with IPL or damage your glands with probing, there's no coming back from that. Do not get so obsessed with a cure you end up causing more damage.

haveyou had a lipiview? What's the status of your glands?

[Kabuto]

Do warm compresses help you at all? If you're doing them correctly and they don't offer relief, I don't see how lipiflow would offer relief.

I had a lipview done. I know the status of my glands, all are in tact except two, they are dilated and sluggish and produce a foamy meibum. I also don't blink fully.

Knowing these things will help you decide which avenue to pursue.

I really want to do lipiflow because I feel I could get a "deeper cleaning" of the gland. Because the machine heats and expresses at the same time. I don't think IPL or proving would benefit me. On the contrary, they may do more harm for me personally. I will not even think about IPL or probing until I've exhausted all other options. I'm disqualified from lipiflow because of my dystrophy...my next step would be doxycycline. You could say I'm lucky in that sense.

I think you need more more information about your condition before you can decide. Maybe I missed it though...

They 'ved 'sort of' helped. As in, they've provided temporary relief but haven't healed the condition thus far.

I try to think what could happen worst case scenario...for me, it would be a corneal abrasion with lipiflow because of the cups that go on your eyeball. So that's not great but not a big deal. IPL can cause a burn and permenant damage. Probing you could damage the gland permenantly. That's why I personally rank them like that.

Is the corneal abrasion a problem in comparison to the potential benefits?

[farmgirl]

So if I�m not mistaken, it sounds like IPL or Lipiflow could be equally good going in and it�s impossible to know ahead of time which will work better? Are they pretty much equally good choices?

Kinda but I'd put my money on IPL first if both are available based on what my Dr said. It is technically possible to get a skin burn from IPL but if your skin type is properly assessed that shouldn't be an issue.