Dry Eye Disease and MGD: Understanding the Root Cause and Long-Term Solutions

Are you constantly rubbing your eyes after a long day of work spent in front of the computer screen? Or perhaps irritation and redness bothering you?

Blurry vision, the feeling of having a foreign object in your eye, and watery eyes (as a means to compensate for the lack of lubrication) can both be signs of dry eye disease (DED). This condition affects nearly 17 million Americans and can lead to eye fatigue, blurry vision, and even progressive loss of vision.

However, complications don’t have to happen, and our ophthalmologist expert, Dr. Scott Beeve, explains just how dry eye disease impacts the eye, what’s the root cause of your discomfort, and how you can resolve the issue.

Causes of dry eye disease

The most common cause of chronic dry eye is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). This progressive condition affects the tiny oil glands lining your eyelids, which are responsible for producing a healthy tear film.

Each time you blink, these glands secrete a protective substance rich in fats, which prevents the evaporation of the watery part of your tears and maintains a stable, protective tear layer on your eye’s surface.

When these glands are blocked, the tears you produce evaporate too quickly, preventing your eyes from being sufficiently lubricated and causing symptoms associated with dry eye disease.

Left untreated, it increases your chances of vision degradation, eye infections, and chronic inflammation of the eyelids.

Dry eyes can worsen from a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids, autoimmune conditions, hormonal shifts, too much screen time, daily contact lens usage, certain medications, and recovery from eye surgery. 

How dry eye disease gets treated

Treatment methods for dry eye disease depend on severity and may include:

• Lifestyle adjustments (reducing screen time, using humidifiers)
• Over-the-counter remedies (such as artificial tears, lubricating gel drops, and ointments for temporary relief)
• Nutritional support (like omega-3 and omega-7 supplements)
• Advanced non-invasive procedures such as LipiFlow®

For MGD specifically, LipiFlow, a non-invasive solution, can unclog the little oil glands lining your eyes and promote the natural flow of oils in as little as 12 minutes, with results that continue to last — even one year after the initial treatment.

During the treatment, you relax while we apply a small, sterile device to your eye, which generates heat and pulsating energy to unblock the glands and promote oil production. This process unclogs the glands and prevents them from dying off.  When the meibomian gets clogged for too long, it runs the risk of shrinking and dying.

After the treatment, it is not uncommon to observe a big difference in your eye’s ability to self-lubricate, have reduced symptoms, and see improvements in your vision — especially after eye surgery.

Treat your dry eyes with us

Don’t live with the discomfort. Dr. Beeve can provide various solutions for dry eyes, including supplements, eye drops, and non-invasive treatments. Contact us to schedule an appointment at our Glendale, California office at (818) 790-8001 for expert advice and a personalized treatment plan for your dry eyes.