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Getting Rid of Dry Eye: Linda’s Patient Success Story
Posted by: Georgia Eye Partners in Education, Patient Education
Getting Rid of Dry Eye: Linda’s Patient Success Story
Most people don’t understand the severity of dry eye until they experience it for themselves. The condition, caused by the decreased production of tears, inflammation, and meibomian gland obstruction; a condition called Meibomian Gland Dysfunction has been described as a chronic and debilitating problem that decreases the quality of life in these patients. This chronic issue that causes eye discomfort is exactly what happened to Georgia Eye Partners patient, Linda Borne.
Before this dry eye pain hit, Linda had already built a trusting relationship with Georgia Eye Partners after being referred from a local optometrist in the area. After working with a number of physicians at the practice to treat her Fuch’s dystrophy, she knew just who to turn to when she needed relief from the debilitating pain caused by dry eye: Dr. Josh Johnston.
“The entire practice has been so excellent in caring for me, and Dr. Johnston is just incredible at what he does,” Linda said. “He is always so diligent in checking for everything and running multiple tests and going above and beyond to make sure I understand everything. I don’t feel like a number when I’m there, and Dr. Johnston always takes the time to do his job on both a personal and professional level.”
After meeting with Linda, Dr. Johnston recommended several preliminary methods to manage her symptoms and possibly resolve the issues. Linda tried massages, heat masks, blinking exercises, medication, retainers, eye drops, and even steroids. Unfortunately, these recommendations brought only temporary relief with no lasting improvement.
As the pair went back to the drawing board, the revolutionary treatment “LipiFlow” came up in conversation. LipiFlow uses heat and pressure on the inner surface of the eyelid to remove blockages from the meibomian glands, which are known to be a primary contributor in causing dry eye. Because of this, Lipiflow is often a great solution for patients suffering from dry eye. Linda’s pain and her unwavering trust in Dr. Johnston told her it was time to give this a try.
“I was so miserable. I didn’t care about much except getting this resolved as quickly as possible,” Linda explained.
Thankfully, this choice was the perfect decision for Linda. After the first LipiFlow treatment and the after-care that Dr. Johnston prescribed, Linda’s eyes were almost completely healed in just one week. Thanks to Lipiflow’s non-invasive nature, there was no downtime or recovery for Linda. She was able to get right back to her life, now without the extreme discomfort that was making her miserable. Fortunately, her dry eye issues only come back every once and a while, marking a drastic improvement from the daily dry eye discomfort she experienced before this treatment.
While Linda will benefit from having the LipiFlow procedure done every two or three years, she believes the quick, painless procedure is totally worth it.
“Dr. Johnston and Georgia Eye Partners gave me back a big chunk of my life. I cannot thank them enough for that,” Linda said.
Now, Linda is excited to get back to some of her favorite hobbies—hiking, reading, playing tennis, and ping pong—and spending time with her two children and grandchild.
If you or someone you love is suffering from dry eye, click here to schedule an appointment with Georgia Eye Partners.
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Georgia Eye Partners is a group practice of ophthalmologists and optometrists dedicated to providing our patients in Metro Atlanta and North Georgia with the highest quality medical and surgical specialty eye care. Learn more about our practice locations and book appointments online here.
