Your treatment day
The Smart Dry Eyes treatment session lasts no longer than 30 minutes, and you can resume your normal activities immediately afterward.
BEFORE the Treatment
One week before:
Avoid using self-tanners or tanning beds. Sunbathing should also be avoided.
On the day of treatment:
Please remove contact lenses and eye makeup before your treatment. Contact lenses can be reinserted immediately after the treatment. We recommend waiting 24 hours before applying makeup again.
DURING the Treatment
Depending on your diagnostic test results, your treatment may involve multiple steps and the use of different devices. You will lie comfortably on a treatment chair. The session usually begins with a three-step physical treatment program:
1. Infrared Light Therapy
Your eyes will be covered with an eye mask while we warm the eyelids and Meibomian glands using infrared light.
In Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), the gland secretions—called “meibum”—often appear thickened and may block the gland ducts instead of being a clear, oily substance. Higher temperatures help to liquefy the meibum, making expression easier in the next step.
2. Professional Eyelid Cleaning (Clean Lid):
Most dry eye cases involve evaporative dry eye, which is characterized by an increased evaporation rate of tears. Normally, the Meibomian glands produce oily substances released into the tear film.
In cases of MGD and/or eyelid inflammation (blepharitis), the gland openings are often blocked by thickened meibum, which resembles toothpaste, or by a biofilm covering the lid margin and clogging the gland openings.
Using a special instrument, we clean the lid margins and remove deposits and bacteria (exfoliation), which can contribute to inflammation and dry eyes. This often reopens the gland openings, allowing secretions to more effectively reach the tear film. This procedure is the first step toward restoring normal Meibomian secretion and often reduces dry eye symptoms.
3. Expression of the Meibomian Glands:
The pre-treatment of the Meibomian glands and eyelids now allows effective expression of the glands using special forceps.
Gentle, controlled expression often removes blockages in the Meibomian gland ducts, allowing the important oily secretions to flow freely again.
The essential oils replenished in the tear film significantly improve tear quality.
After these physical treatments, depending on your diagnostic results, heat impulses will be applied to the upper and lower eyelids using the Tixel device.
Tixel:
Usually, a numbing ointment is applied to the eyelids before treatment. Then, ten Tixel impulses are applied in two parallel rows near the lid margins on both the upper and lower eyelids.
Tixel requires no special eye protection because no light emission occurs. Energy levels around the eyes are very low, so there is no risk to the eyes.
In addition to a warming effect, Tixel impulses induce various repair mechanisms in the Meibomian glands, stimulating meibum production and secretion. Studies have shown significant improvement in important tear film parameters.
The treatment is quick and takes no longer than 2 minutes.
IPL Treatment:
If your diagnostic results show characteristic blood vessel changes on the eyelids (e.g., due to rosacea), additional treatment with Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) may be indicated.
Because light energy is delivered near the eyes, special eye protection must be worn during this session.
A series of five light pulses is applied from the inner to the outer corner of the eye. During treatment, you will feel warmth from the light pulses, which dissipates after the session.
LLL Light Therapy:
Another treatment option is Low-Level Light (LLL) therapy, which we perform either after the Tixel or IPL treatment. For ten minutes, an LLL light mask is placed over your face. This light exposure can further reduce inflammation and stimulate Meibomian gland activity.
AFTER the Treatment
The treatments stimulate the restoration of normal Meibomian gland function. Most patients notice a significant improvement in their symptoms within just a few hours.
Contact lenses and makeup can be used again immediately after the treatment. However, we recommend waiting 24 hours before applying makeup again.