Device news: Lipiflow

TearScience's Lipiflow is all the rage right now and for good reason. We have several people on the board who have undergone the procedure either in Europe, Canada or as part of a clinical trial in the US (where it is not yet approved) Thus far it is available in Toronto and in Abbotsford BC.

YouTube news video on Lipiflow at Herzig Eye in Toronto

June 9 press release:
TearScience Launches Breakthrough Technology in Canada to Address the Root Cause of Evaporative Dry Eye
TearScience Introduces LipiView® and LipiFlow® Devices at Canadian Ophthalmic Society Exhibition

MORRISVILE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TearScience, Inc., a privately-held medical device company, today announced the product launch of its LipiView® Ocular Surface Interferometer and LipiFlow® Thermal Pulsation medical devices in Canada. TearScience’s devices were designed to help eye care physicians address a root cause of evaporative dry eye, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), which results in a lipid deficiency of the eye’s natural tear film. LipiView® helps physicians visualize the eye’s natural tear film. LipiFlow® is designed to alleviate meibomian gland obstructions by applying a precise combination of directed energy to eyelids during a 12 minute in-office treatment.

“Our goal is to help physicians make a meaningful difference for those who suffer from chronic evaporative dry eye.”
TearScience will demonstrate its devices at the Canadian Ophthalmic Society (COS) exhibition on June 9-12, 2011 at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver at booth #28.

“TearScience is introducing a revolutionary technology as a new alternative to traditional treatments for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction,” said Jeff O’Hara, vice president of sales for TearScience. “Our goal is to help physicians make a meaningful difference for those who suffer from chronic evaporative dry eye.”

Herzig Eye Institute of Toronto is one of the first eye care practices in North America to implement TearScience’s system and has begun treating patients over the last several months.

Of the more than 100 million dry eye sufferers worldwide, approximately 65 percent have evaporative dry eye. Common symptoms of the disease include eye irritation, dryness, redness, tiredness, and visual disturbances.

In a randomized, controlled, multi-center clinical trial involving 139 patients, which compared the LipiFlow® System to iHeat™ warm compresses therapy for the treatment of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, the total meibomian gland secretion score improved in 90 percent of patients at 4 weeks. Additionally, dry eye symptoms were improved from before the LipiFlow® treatment in 84-88 percent of patients at four weeks based on two different recognized symptom questionnaires, Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI).

TearScience will sell its LipiView® and LipiFlow® devices as a system to eye care practices. LipiView® recently won the Medical Design of Excellence Award from UBM Canon.