Shroff Eye Centre, a leading eye care hospital in Delhi has announced the introduction of the LipiView advanced imaging diagnostic tool and the LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System for dry eye treatment. Both products have been developed to manage the dysfunction of the meibomian glands, located under the upper and lower eye lids, which is the leading cause of ‘evaporative dry eye’. In over 60% of cases, dysfunction of the meibomian glands is found to be the underlying cause of dry eye, which is an underdiagnosed condition in India.

Commenting on the launch, Dr.  Noshir Shroff, Medical Director, Shroff Eye Center said, “Professionals who work long hours in air-conditioned offices on electronic screens  are more susceptible to dry eye. With these new technologies we can help improve both the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.”

In healthy people, the meibomian glands help lubricate the eye as a person blinks and in this way, help to protect against tear evaporation, by keeping the surface of the eye moist. In people with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), these glands get blocked, preventing the eyes from secreting adequate fluid to keep the eye well lubricated. This leads to dry eye, which causes eye discomfort, irritation and often inflammation.

Research shows that the risk of MGD (and dry eye) increases with age. Women are more likely to develop dry eye syndrome, especially with hormonal changes during pregnancy or menopause. Certain medical conditions also increase a person’s risk, including high cholesterol, thyroid disease, cataracts, vitamin A deficiency, autoimmune diseases such as Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, some bacterial infections, and drugs that reduce androgen or use estrogen replacement therapy. Refractive eye surgeries such as LASIK have also been found to increase dry eye risk in some people.