You might have heard your eye doctor mention this treatment during your dry eye exam. The name sounds clinical, but the procedure itself is straightforward. Your eyelids contain tiny oil-producing glands that can get blocked, causing uncomfortable dry eye symptoms that make your day miserable.
Meibomian gland expression is performed after advanced RF and IPL therapy. Radiofrequency warms and liquefies the oils, while IPL helps reduce inflammation and generates heat. Your eye doctor then applies gentle pressure to your eyelids to clear blocked glands and work to restore your natural tear film.
This quick treatment can provide relief from persistent dry, gritty, or burning eyes that interfere with your daily activities, and Discover Eyecare offers this effective solution as part of our treatment for patients with chronic dry eye symptoms..
How Your Eyelids Make Tears Work
Your upper and lower eyelids contain about 30-40 tiny glands called meibomian glands. These glands produce a special oil that forms the top layer of your tears. Without this oil layer, your tears evaporate too quickly, leaving your eyes feeling dry and irritated.
When these glands work properly, they release just the right amount of oil every time you blink. This oil spreads across your eye surface and creates a protective barrier. Think of it like putting a lid on a cup of water, it prevents evaporation and keeps everything moist.
Sometimes these glands get clogged with thick, hardened oil that can’t flow out naturally. When this happens, your tears lose their protective coating and start evaporating too fast, contributing to the uncomfortable symptoms you experience throughout the day.
What Happens During Meibomian Gland Expression
Preparing Your Glands with RF & IPL Therapy
Before manual expression, your eye doctor uses advanced technology to prepare your meibomian glands. Radiofrequency (RF) therapy gently heats your eyelids to warm and liquefy thickened oils that have become paste-like and difficult to express. Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy targets inflammation in and around the glands, treating underlying causes of blockage and generating more heat at the same time.
This preparation step makes the expression process more comfortable and effective. Without it, trying to clear cold, thick oils can be uncomfortable and less successful.
The Manual Expression Process
After RF and IPL treatment, your eye doctor will apply gentle, steady pressure along your eyelid margins using specialized tools. This pressure helps squeeze out the now-liquefied oil from your glands while they’re still warm.
You may see small amounts of clear or slightly cloudy oil come out of the tiny openings along your eyelid edge. The entire process typically takes 10-15 minutes for both eyes, and your doctor will work systematically across different areas of your eyelids.
What You Can Expect
The treatment feels like mild pressure around your eyes. Because the RF therapy has warmed the oils beforehand, the expression is much more comfortable than traditional “cold” manual expression. Most people tolerate it well without numbing drops, though you might feel some tenderness if your glands are severely blocked.
After the procedure, your eyes might feel slightly tender for a few hours, but you can return to work, driving, and other normal activities right away. Some people notice immediate improvement in their eye comfort, while others see gradual benefits over the next few days. Feel free to apply dry eye drops as needed for a bit of extra comfort.
When Blocked Meibomian Glands Need Professional Treatment
Your eyes tell you when something isn’t working right. If you experience these symptoms regularly, blocked meibomian glands might be contributing to the problem:
- Your eyes feel dry or gritty frequently
- Burning sensation that gets worse throughout the day
- Blurry vision that clears when you blink
- Eyes that water excessively, especially in wind or cold weather
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses comfortably
- Heavy or tired feeling in your eyelids
These symptoms often indicate that your natural tear film isn’t working properly, and blocked meibomian glands are frequently the underlying cause.
How This Treatment Helps Your Dry Eyes
Immediate Relief
Once your eye doctor clears the blocked glands, they can start producing healthy oil again. This restored oil flow helps your tears stay on your eye surface longer instead of evaporating quickly. Many people notice their eyes feel more comfortable and less irritated within hours of the treatment.
The IPL therapy component also reduces inflammation in and around the glands, helping to decrease the burning and stinging sensations you’ve been experiencing.
Long-Term Benefits
Regular meibomian gland expression can help prevent severe blockages from forming again. When your glands stay clear and healthy, your natural tear film works better, reducing your dependence on artificial tears and eye drops.
Many patients find their overall eye comfort improves significantly with periodic treatments. Your eyes might feel more refreshed during long days at the computer, and you may experience fewer symptoms during activities like reading or driving.
Your eye doctor will recommend a maintenance schedule based on how quickly your glands tend to re-block, typically once or twice a year for optimal results.
When to See an Eye Doctor
Home remedies like warm compresses and artificial tears help some people, but they can’t clear severely blocked glands. If your symptoms continue despite trying these approaches for several weeks, it’s time to schedule a comprehensive eye exam.
Don’t wait if your dry eye symptoms interfere with work, hobbies, or daily activities. The sooner you address blocked meibomian glands, the easier they are to treat and the faster you can get back to comfortable vision.
Get Lasting Relief from Dry Eye Symptoms
At Discover Eyecare, our experienced team provides comprehensive dry eye treatment using advanced RF and IPL technology combined with meibomian gland expression. We tailor each treatment plan to address your specific symptoms and the underlying causes of your dry eyes.
If you’re experiencing persistent dry, gritty, or burning eyes, don’t wait for symptoms to worsen. Contact our Abbotsford or Chilliwack offices today to schedule your dry eye evaluation and discover how meibomian gland expression can restore your eye comfort.
