Strong efficacy of LipiFlow demonstrated across 31 peer-reviewed reports

Strong efficacy of LipiFlow demonstrated across 31 peer-reviewed reports
 

Long-term efficacy of a single LipiFlow procedure evaluated and reported in both sponsored and independent studies  
 
MORRISVILLE, N.C. ─ September 8, 2015 ─ TearScience, a privately held medical device company, announces the results of a major review demonstrating that a single LipiFlow^® procedure can significantly improve meibomian gland function and relieve symptoms associated with Meibomian Gland Disease (MGD) with efficacy reported for 12 months and longer. The review by researchers from Korb Associates in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Duke Eye Center, Durham, North Carolina, noted that “A single vectored thermal pulsation treatment allows for reducing dry eye symptoms, improving meibomian gland function and other correlates of the ocular surface health.” To date, more than 79,000 LipiFlow procedures have been performed.
 
MGD is an obstructive disease that is prevalent, progressive and a major cause of Dry Eye Disease (DED); in some studies, MGD is the primary cause in as many as 86% of DED cases. Thus, safe and effective removal of obstruction remains the core therapeutic procedure in MGD management prior to the inclusion of various adjunctive therapies.
 
“This review validates the important and fundamental role of LipiFlow in the management of MGD, a prevalent and under-reported disease, and primary contributor to the discomfort and fluctuating vision that accompanies Dry Eye. Notably, it is one of the leading motivations for many patients seeking an eye care provider,” said Alan Carlson, MD, Vice Chair, Development at Duke Eye Center, Durham North Carolina.
 
Blackie and colleagues looked at data from 23 meeting presentations and 8 peer-reviewed published studies on effects of the vectored thermal pulsation procedure on MGD. According to the report of sponsored and independent studies, 30 of the 31 studies showed a mean improvement in symptom score following a single treatment. All of the studies demonstrated that the LipiFlow treatment was effective in improving meibomian gland function, on average.
 
Two long-term controlled studies demonstrated mean reduction of dry eye symptoms and mean improvement in gland function for 6 and 12 months, respectively, for patients who received a single LipiFlow procedure.    “In both cases [sic], the single 12-min vectored thermal pulsation procedure performed better than the twice-daily ‘standard-of-care’ approach,” the study authors wrote. Blackie and colleagues cautioned that while results of the one uncontrolled long-term study “remain somewhat speculative,” that case series showed lasting mean improvement in meibomian gland function for up to 4 years following treatment.
 
About TearScience®
TearScience® is a medical device company that pioneered technologies and continues to lead innovation that vastly improves detection and treatment of Meibomian Gland Disease (MGD). A progressive, obstructive disease and a root cause of dry eye, MGD is distinguished by loss of function and structure of tear oil glands. It affects approximately 86% of the 300 million dry eye sufferers worldwide. LipiView® II with Dynamic Meibomian Imaging™ (DMI) distinctively images meibomian gland structure. The Meibomian Gland Evaluator™ assists in reproducible professional assessment of gland function. The LipiFlow® procedure with Vectored Thermal Pulse™ (VTP) technology precisely directs treatment of MGD. LipiFlow is FDA-cleared and clinically proven.  Sponsored and unsponsored multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical studies have demonstrated safety and sustained effectiveness of a single LipiFlow procedure. For additional information on how TearScience improves detection of MGD, meibomian gland function, and symptoms for patients with MGD worldwide, please visit http://www.TearScience.com.