A new review in Ophthalmology and Therapy describes how the LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System helped shift therapeutic meibomian gland expression from an underused procedure to a routine part of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) management.
The authors note that although manual gland expression was known to improve tear film stability, it was not widely used because it was uncomfortable for patients and difficult to perform consistently in clinic. LipiFlow was developed to address these challenges by combining controlled heat to the inner eyelids with pulsatile pressure to the outer lids to evacuate obstructed glands during a 12-minute in-office treatment.
According to the review, more than 55 studies involving over 2,100 patients have evaluated LipiFlow. These studies reported improvements in both signs and symptoms of MGD and dry eye disease following a single treatment, with benefits lasting up to 3 years in some cases.
The review also describes how standardized diagnostic tools, including the meibomian gland evaluator, have supported more consistent assessment and treatment of gland function in clinical practice.
Reference
Blackie CA, Murakami D, Donnenfeld E, et al. LipiFlow and the Transformation of Therapeutic Meibomian Gland Expression into Routine Clinical Practice. Ophthalmol Ther. 2026;doi: 10.1007/s40123-026-01309-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41609975.
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