What is Dry Eye Disease?
Dry Eye is classified as a disease commonly known as Dry Eye Disease (DED) or Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca. This chronic condition affects both the quantity and quality of tears, leading to inadequate lubrication of the eyes, which causes various symptoms and levels of discomfort.
You should consider getting your dry eyes treated when symptoms interfere with your daily activities or cause discomfort. Treating dry eyes early ensures that the condition doesn’t worsen or become a chronic and lifelong issue.
Advanced Diagnostics
Introduction
NIBUT (Non-Invasive Breakup Time)
NIBUT (Non-Invasive Breakup Time)
At Smart Dry Eyes, we use advanced technology to diagnose and understand your dry eye condition. Our tools enable us to tailor treatments to your specific needs.
Various forms of dry eye disease exist, and evaluating tear film parameters is essential for accurate diagnosis.
NIBUT (Non-Invasive Breakup Time)
NIBUT (Non-Invasive Breakup Time)
NIBUT (Non-Invasive Breakup Time)
NIBUT is a diagnostic parameter used to evaluate the stability of the tear film on the surface of the eye without the need for dyes or invasive techniques. It measures how long the tear film remains intact before breaking up after a blink.
Tear Meniscus Height (TMH)
NIBUT (Non-Invasive Breakup Time)
Tear Meniscus Height (TMH)
Tear meniscus height measures the thickness of the crescent-shaped tear film layer at the eyelid margin and ocular surface. This measurement is vital for assessing tear film quantity, acting as a reservoir and aiding in tear distribution during blinking.
Lipid Layer Analysis
Meibomian Gland Analysis
Tear Meniscus Height (TMH)
Tear film lipid layer measurements indicate meibomian gland function, often impaired in evaporative dry eye disease. The lipid layer minimizes tear evaporation, which is frequently compromised in dry eyes.
Eye Redness Analysis
Meibomian Gland Analysis
Meibomian Gland Analysis
Eye redness reveals ocular surface health, inflammation, and condition severity. It suggests chronic irritation from unstable or insufficient tears, leading to conjunctiva and sclera inflammation.
Meibomian Gland Analysis
Meibomian Gland Analysis
Meibomian Gland Analysis
Meibomian gland imaging is a diagnostic method that enables visualization and evaluation of the glands' structure, function, and health, which is crucial for producing the lipid layer in the tear film. This assessment provides important insights into Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Innovative Treatment Options
Infrared Light Exposure
Eyelid Cleansing Procedure
Eyelid Cleansing Procedure
The eyes will be shielded while the face is exposed to infrared light to raise the temperature of the Meibomian glands in the eyelids. In cases of Meibomian Gland Disease, the secretions from the glands—referred to as “Meibom”—often lose their oily consistency. An elevated temperature helps liquefy the Meibom, making it easier to express during the subsequent treatment steps.
Eyelid Cleansing Procedure
Eyelid Cleansing Procedure
Eyelid Cleansing Procedure
In Meibomian gland disease or blepharitis, gland openings can become blocked by thick meibom or a biofilm covering the eyelid margin. Using special tools, eyelid margins are cleaned and exfoliated painlessly, removing debris and bacteria that cause dry eyes. Unblocking the gland orifices helps secretions to reach the tear film, improving oil flow and alleviating dry eye symptoms.
Meibomian Gland Expression
Eyelid Cleansing Procedure
Meibomian Gland Expression
Using special forceps, the newly cleaned eyelid margins improve meibomian gland expression. With gentle, digitally controlled precision, blockages within the gland ducts can be cleared, enabling the important fatty substances to be added into the tear film, substantially improving tear quality.
Tixel
Low-level Light Therapy (LLLT)
Meibomian Gland Expression
The newly developed and FDA-approved Tixel device applies heat to the eyelids and stimulates the Meibomian glands to enhance the production and secretion of Meibomian oil. Ten Tixel impulses target both eyelids in two rows near the lid margin, lasting about 2 minutes. This improves tear quality and boosts patient satisfaction.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
Low-level Light Therapy (LLLT)
Low-level Light Therapy (LLLT)
Depending on the IPL model, a hydrogel similar to that used in ultrasound is applied to your lower eyelids. Eye protection will be provided since light energy will be near your eyes during the session. Five light pulses are directed a short distance below the lower eyelid margin. You will feel warmth from the light pulses during the treatment, which will quickly fade after the session.
Low-level Light Therapy (LLLT)
Low-level Light Therapy (LLLT)
Low-level Light Therapy (LLLT)
Low-level light therapy (LLLT) is a non-invasive treatment that uses specialized LEDs to reduce inflammation and stimulate cellular activity. It helps rejuvenate oil gland function in the eyelids. The red and blue lights target different aggravated symptoms, effectively resetting and refreshing your eyes.
Your Treatment Day
The Smart Dry Eyes treatment session lasts, depending on the type of intervention, for no more than 30 minutes, and you can resume your normal activities immediately afterward.
BEFORE the Treatment
One Week Prior: Avoid using self-tanners or tanning beds. Also, sunbathing should be avoided.
The day of the Treatment: Please remove contact lenses and eye makeup before your treatment. While both can be reapplied directly after the treatment, we recommend waiting 24 hours before reapplying makeup.
DURING the Treatment
Depending on your diagnostic test results, your treatment may involve multiple steps and various devices. During the treatment, you will be comfortably reclined on a treatment bed. The procedure consists of a regimen of three main physical treatments:
1. Infrared Light Exposure
The eyes will be covered with a protective shield, while we expose the face to infrared light in order to heat the Meibomian glands within the eyelids.
In cases of Meibomian gland disease (MGD), the gland secretions—also called “Meibom”—frequently are no longer oily. Higher temperatures help to liquefy the Meibom and facilitate easier expression in the subsequent step.
2. Eyelid Cleansing Procedure:
Most cases of dry eye disease are classified as evaporative dry eye disease.
Typically, the Meibomian glands generate oily substances, which are released into the tear film.
However, in cases of Meibomian gland disease and/or inflammation of the lid margin (blepharitis), the gland openings become blocked by stiff meibom, resembling toothpaste, or by a biofilm covering the lid margin that obstructs the gland orifices.
Using a specialized instrument, we clean and exfoliate the eyelid margins, removing debris and bacteria that contribute to blepharitis and dry eye. Gland orifices can be opened so that secretions can reach the tear film more effectively. This procedure is the first step in restoring proper oil flow and reducing the symptoms of dry eyes.
3. Expression of Meibomian Glands
The pretreatment of Meibomian glands and eyelid margins now allows for more effective expression of the glands with specialized forceps.
Gentle, digitally controlled expression force can clear blockages in the meibomian glands. The important fatty substances added back to the tear film will substantially improve tear quality.
After these physical treatments, depending on the results of your diagnostic examination, we will apply impulses using a device called Tixel.
Tixel
Before the treatment, a numbing cream will be applied to the eyelids. Ten Tixel impulses are then applied to the lower and upper eyelids in two adjacent rows.
Tixel does not require any special eye protection because there is no light emission. The energy levels around the eye are very low, so there is no risk to the eye itself.
Apart from a heating effect, Tixel impulses generate various repair mechanisms for the Meibomian glands, which can stimulate Meibom production and secretion. Studies showed a significant improvement in important tear film parameters.
The treatment is rapid and does not take more than 2 minutes.
If the diagnostic examination results show additional changes in the eyelid, further treatment with intensive pulsed light (IPL) may be indicated.
IPL Treatment:
Depending on the IPL model, a special hydrogel, similar to that used in ultrasound, is applied to your lower eyelids. As light energy will be near the eye, we will provide you with eye protection during this session.
A series of five light pulses is applied from the inner to the outer corners of the eyes. During the treatment, you will feel warmth from the light pulses, which will dissipate immediately after the session.
LLL Light
Low-level light treatment (LLLT) is a non-invasive therapy that uses specialized LEDs to increase tear production by reducing inflammation and stimulate cell activity. It helps rejuvenate oil gland activity in the eyelids. The red and blue light target different exacerbated symptoms, resetting and refreshing your eyes.
AFTER the Treatment
The treatment stimulates the restoration of normal meibomian gland function; therefore, you should experience significant improvement within a few hours.
Contact lenses and makeup can be reapplied directly after the treatment; however, we recommend waiting 24 hours before reapplying makeup.
Sensitive skin may experience some short-term skin irritations.
Welcome to Smart Dry Eyes
About Us
Dr. Ludger Hanneken is an ophthalmologist who specializes in refractive and cataract surgeries. He has established various medical clinics across Germany, Spain, and Andorra, demonstrating his expertise in advanced intraocular and refractive surgical techniques while practicing as a high-volume surgeon.
He has advised ophthalmological and health information technology (HIT) firms on various projects and has presented extensively at international medical conferences, advocating for the importance of health IT and innovative surgical techniques.
Unsatisfied with the current approaches to managing Dry Eye Disease, Dr. Hanneken has developed a comprehensive treatment strategy that has proven successful in clinical trials over the past few years. His personalized, multi-step approach to treating dry eye has led to significant improvements in patients' conditions.
Additionally, Dr. Hanneken has created a treatment protocol for Tixel, a cutting-edge device that effectively addresses dry eye disease. This device has recently received FDA clearance for treating dry eye symptoms.
To further address the needs of dry eye patients, Dr. Hanneken founded Smart Dry Eyes, which provides specialized dry eye treatment centers in Berlin and Zürich. His vision is to create an infrastructure that facilitates co-management opportunities among opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists, ultimately improving the quality of life for the growing number of individuals affected by dry eye.
Blog
What are the esthetic reasons to get dry eyes treated?
Treating dry eyes is not just about improving comfort, vision, and eye health. There are also several aesthetic reasons for seeking treatment, especially concerning how dry eyes affect the appearance of your eyes and the delicate skin surrounding them. . .(cont.)