Dry Eye Treatment

KEYSTONE EYE CARE GROUP INTRODUCES A NEW, BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENT FOR

EVAPORATIVE DRY EYE DISEASE

KEYSTONE EYE CARE GROUP is one of the first in the local community to introduce a new treatment for patients who suffer from Evaporative Dry Eye disease. This disease stems from a deficiency in the oily lipid layer of the eye’s natural tear film. The oily lipids serve as a protective layer so that the aqueous (water) layer of the eye’s tear film does not evaporate. KEYSTONE EYE CARE GROUP has introduced a new, advanced in-office treatment, called LipiFlow®, which is intended to treat patients with blocked meibomian glands, called meibomian gland dysfunction, by unblocking the glands and allowing them to resume the secretion of oily lipids needed for a healthy tear film.

Dry eye disease affects more than 100 million people worldwide. Of those, 65 percent suffer from Evaporative Dry Eye. Common symptoms of dry eye include dryness, grittiness, soreness, irritation, burning and eye fatigue. These symptoms can hinder people’s daily activities such as reading, using the computer, wearing contact lenses and being outdoors on windy days. Many dry eye patients complain those symptoms worsen throughout the day. “Dry eye disease is one of the most common topics patients discuss when visiting eye care professionals,” said SHAWYIN YEE-ARMAH, M.D of KEYSTONE EYE CARE GROUP. “We are very pleased to introduce the new LipiFlow treatment to help those patients who are very frustrated with this chronic disease and all of the ways it negatively impacts their lives. In effect, LipiFlow helps the meibomian glands resume their natural function and many patients note symptom relief.”

Historically, common therapies aimed at dry eye symptom relief included using warm compresses, over- the-counter wetting drops and ointments, and prescription drugs. Alternatively, the new LipiFlow treatment addresses the root cause of evaporative dry eye by unblocking the meibomian glands that secrete oily lipids. In controlled clinical studies of patients who received a single LipiFlow treatment, the average meibomian gland score at 4 weeks increased by two to three times over the baseline condition, which reflects improvement in the number of glands secreting and secretion quality. Additionally, at four weeks after the LipiFlow treatment, 79% of patients reported improvement in dry eye symptoms.

Please take a few minutes and complete this survey to see if you are a candidate for treatment. Click here to open the survey. If you have questions, our contact information is below.

Bridget Hahn
Clinic Coordinator
Keystone Eyecare Group
Phone : (717)718-2393
Fax: (717)718-7150
bhahn@keystoneeyecare.com

Testimonials

"In the fall of 2006, my optometrist informed me that it was time for my cataracts to be removed, and she recommended Dr. Yee. An appointment was set up, and Dr. Yee reaffirmed the diagnosis. She explained that I was a candidate for a new lens that was available where a patient had a greater chance of not needing to wear glasses after surgery. I could even decide whether I would like to have most of my improvement in my near or far vision. The length of the surgery and the recuperation would be the same as having the normal cataract surgery. I had been wearing glasses from morning to night for years and the possibility of not needing to wear glasses was intriguing. I pondered the extra cost of the ReSTOR® lenses and decided in favor of the newer replacements. In November the cataract in my right eye was removed; a ReSTOR® lens was implanted. I was awake during the procedure, which only took about fifteen minutes. Immediately everything seemed brighter and that evening I was reading the newspaper without glasses. Improvement in both my near and far vision had been achieved. A similar procedure was performed on my left eye in December. As a teenager I was diagnosed with Ambliopia (Lazy Eye) in my left eye. The successful improvement in that eye far surpassed what Dr. Yee and I had hoped.

Shopping at Christmas without glasses was much more pleasant without focusing my trifocals to read sizes and price tags. I don't miss glasses, which fogged up or slipped in the heat. At first it was odd seeing myself in the mirror without glasses, but I have learned to appreciate a younger person looking back at me."

-Marion Young October 16, 2007

"In the summer of 2007, I noticed my eye sight deteriorating when I would read. My Optometrist had told me several years ago that I had the start of cataracts in the corners of my eyes. In the fall of 2007, a family member recommended Dr. Yee.

Dr. Yee examined my eyes and told me I had cataracts that were ready to be removed. She explained that there were two different types of lenses available for my eyes. After much consideration and Dr. Yee's recommendation, I decided on the ReSTOR® lenses. I really wanted to have the benefit of not wearing glasses and I was willing to take the chance and pay the extra costs.

The surgery took approximately 20 minutes and was painless. I was awake during the whole procedure and was very comfortable and relaxed due to Dr. Yee and her staff making me feel at ease. My husband was very surprised to see me after surgery, because my eye looked like it had nothing done to it. My eye was not blood shot and I felt great!

I would like to thank Dr. Yee for recommending the ReSTOR® lenses, I now have 20/20 vision in both eyes and do not need to wear glasses."

-Patricia Naftzger