When you have dry eyes, your eye doctor has several treatments available to relieve your symptoms. The best treatment for your needs depends on what kind of dry eye you’re experiencing. When you have issues with the oily layer of your tear film, your optometrist may recommend TempSure Envi, but what is this treatment?
Continue reading to learn more about TempSure Envi, including what it is, how it works, and what you can expect during treatment.
What Is Dry Eye?
Dry eye occurs when your tears cannot effectively hydrate your eyes, leading to irritation. Almost 6 million Canadians live with dry eyes, affecting their quality of life.
This condition affects your tear film, 3 layers (mucus, water, and oil) that work together to keep the eye’s surface moist and protected. When issues arise in the tear film, it can lead to uncomfortable symptoms.
Symptoms of dry eye include:
- A stinging, burning sensation in the eyes
- Stringy mucus in or around the eyes
- Light sensitivity
- Eye redness
- Foreign object sensation
- Watery, irritated eyes
- Blurry vision
- Eye fatigue
The cause of your dry eyes can vary, depending on the kind of dry eye you experience.
What Causes Dry Eye?
Many factors can influence dry eyes, but the cause of this condition is an issue with your tear film. Each layer of your tear film serves a different function.
The mucus layer helps spread tears evenly across the eye’s surface and keeps them fastened to the eye. The water layer hydrates the eyes and protects against bacteria and debris. The oil layer comes from your meibomian glands, helping prevent tears from evaporating before they should.
When one or more layers of the tear film experience problems, it can lead to decreased tear production, increased tear evaporation, or a mix of both conditions.
Decreased Tear Production
Decreased tear production occurs when your body doesn’t make enough water for your tears, leading to dry eye symptoms. The common cause of this condition is age due to the body naturally producing fewer tears with time.
Other possible causes include:
- Certain medications
- Certain medical conditions
- Desensitized corneal nerves
Increased Tear Evaporation
Increased tear evaporation happens when the meibomian glands lining the eyelids experience difficulties, such as blockages or clogs.
A common cause of this condition is meibomian gland dysfunction. The blocked meibomian glands become inflamed and irritated, causing dry eye symptoms. This blockage doesn’t typically clear on its own, requiring treatment from your eye doctor
Other causes of increased tear evaporation include:
- Infrequent blinking
- Eyelid problems
- Eye allergies
- Preservatives in eye drops
- Wind, smoke, & dry air
- Vitamin A deficiency
When your dry eye occurs because of meibomian gland dysfunction, your eye doctor has several treatments available. One of these treatments is TempSure Envi, a way to address blocked meibomian glands.
What Is TempSure Envi?
TempSure Envi is a treatment for dry eye using heat and massage, helping remove blockages in the meibomian glands and relieving dry eye symptoms. It’s a form of radiofrequency (RF) treatment, which uses energy waves to gently heat the eyelids and warm the meibomian glands. After heating the glands, your eye doctor helps manually express them, improving dry eye symptoms.
How Does TempSure Envi Work?
Radiofrequency works by heating the skin around your eyes using electrical currents. This heat warms the eyelids and melts blockages in the meibomian glands. Additionally, this treatment can reduce inflammation.
After heating the meibomian glands and melting any blockages, your eye doctor may manually express the glands to help further relieve your symptoms.
What to Expect During Treatment
Your eye doctor performs this treatment in their office, heating the meibomian glands. Radiofrequency treatment is quick, typically taking between 10–20 minutes. Your eye doctor will explain this treatment in detail before it begins.
Your eye doctor may manually express your meibomian glands after heating them with TempSure Envi, helping stimulate the flow of oil to your tear film.
How Many Treatment Sessions Are Required?
The number of treatment sessions needed can vary from person to person, and your optometrist will provide you with an appropriate treatment schedule. Many patients need repeat treatments to achieve their desired results.
Your eye doctor can determine how many treatments you need after completing a comprehensive eye exam and determining the severity of your dry eye.
See If TempSure Envi Is Right for You
While TempSure Envi can benefit dry eyes, your eye doctor must determine your eligibility. This treatment may not be ideal for your needs if your dry eyes aren’t caused by meibomian gland issues. Your eye doctor will recommend a customized treatment plan for your dry eyes.
Several other dry eye treatments are available if TempSure Envi isn’t right for you. You can relieve your dry eye symptoms with help from your eye doctor. Contact your optometrist if you’re looking for dry eye relief.
