Your Dry Eye Center in Colorado

Customized individual treatment to help you along your ocular journey.

Dr Margolis has treated over 1500 patients in the past 20 years.

A leading dry eye expert, he has trained Neurology Residents in institutions on ocular function.

We Can Help Dry Eye!

Dry eye syndrome affects millions of Americans, and symptoms can range from occasional, mild irritation to debilitating and stubborn symptoms. Each time you blink your eye, tears spread across the surface of the cornea. Tears exist to provide lubrication to the eye, reduce the risk of infection, and to wash away foreign matter in the eye. As odd as it is, an increase of tears or an appearance that you are crying, is a symptom of Dry Eyes.

If you suspect that you are experiencing dry eye symptoms, or would like to have your glands checked in a complete eye exam, make sure to schedule an appointment with our dry eye specialist, Dr. Alan Margolis.

Click below titles to learn more about what is available at the Dry Eye Center.

Dry Eye Diagnostics

How Does Dr. Margolis Diagnosis Dry Eye?

1. SPEED questionnaire

Diagnosising Ocular Surface Disease (dry eye) begins with an initial questionairre. The SPEED questionnaire was designed in order to quickly track the progression of dry eye symptoms over time. This questionnaire gives a score from 0 to 28 that is the result of 8 items that assess frequency and severity of symptoms.

2. Corneal Topography

Corneal topography is a special photography technique that maps the surface of the clear, front window of the eye (the cornea). It works much like a 3D (three-dimensional) map of the world, that helps identify features like mountains and valleys. But with a topography scan, a doctor can find distortions in the curvature of the cornea, which is normally smooth. It also helps doctors monitor eye disease and plan for surgery.

Getting a corneal topography is painless, as nothing touches your eye during the scan.

Optometry Corneal Topographer Showing an Eye and Cornea on Screen

3. Lipiscan

LipiScan, a non-invasive procedure, enables Dr Margolis to view the health of your meibomian glands with optimum accuracy. This diagnostic tool has changed the way medicine diagnoses dry eye syndrome. With efficiency and versatility, LipiScan is a small and lightweight device with a comfortable patient experience. Quick and painless, the procedure takes about one minute to image both lower eyelids.

More info here

4. Lipiview

LipiView is an innovative, digital imaging tool used to evaluate the severity of a patient’s dry eye disease and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Dr Margolis will use this evaluation to measure your eyes’ natural lipid production in your tear layer, blink rate, incomplete blinking, and determine if you have Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), a blockage of your eyes’ oil producing glands. Your doctor is then able to customize your treatment regimen based on the severity.

LipiView is done in office and only takes about 5 minutes. You will simply look into a camera and blink normally. You will be able to see pictures of your own glands, and Dr Margolis will be able to determine whether you have Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and dry eye disease. LipiView can also evaluate your blinking function by assessing if your blinks are complete. Incomplete blinking results in a poor-quality tear film which can contribute to ongoing dry eye symptoms.

Include Lipid layer thickness

5. HDA Tear Film Analysis

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6. Slit Lamp Photography of Lid Margin for Blepharitis

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What Procedures Does
Dr. Margolis Use To Treat Dry Eye?

1. Optilight IPL

OptiLight IPL uses specific wavelength of light in short burses to reduce the inflammation typically associated with dry eye disease and meibomian gland disfunction, the leading source of eye irritation symptoms.

This treatment has been shown in many studies to significantly relieve dry eye indicators and has a multi-factorial effect, including:

Improves oil production and volume of the meibomian glands
Increasing tear break-up time
Reduces bacterial load and demodex (mites) population living around your eyes
Eliminating superficial blood vessels that contribute to ocular inflammation

Treatment takes: xxxxxx, is non-painful, etc., any other info...

2. Lipiflow

Lipiflow is a heat treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. You may have head that clogged oil glands are part of the problem for dry eyes. Lipiflow helps to remove these blockages in a warm, soothing way. This device is specifically designed to remove blockages from the meibomian glands effectively.

Most patients report symptom relief in two to four weeks. In 84% of patients, gland secretions improve within four weeks. Some patients report improvement on the day of treatment.

Treatment takes: xxxxxx, is non-painful, etc., any other info...

3. Manual expression

In-office expression of the meibomian glands can provide significant relief because the backed-up glands can be painful. To express the meibomian glands, instill topical anesthetic and apply pressure between two cotton-tipped applicators in an upwards-rolling motion (one applicator on either side of the eyelid).

4. Punctal occlusion

Punctal occlusion, also called punctal cautery, is an eye procedure to correct dry eye syndrome. During the procedure, your eye doctor plugs your tear ducts with tiny biocompatible devices. The plugs placed in each punctum or tear duct blocks your tears from draining away.

5. Prokeral amniotic membrane

PROKERA® treatment takes the form of a therapeutic device that an ophthalmologist places over the surface of your eye. This device sits on your eye the same way a contact lens would, and it treats a variety of conditions like corneal scarring, inflammation, and dry eyes.

6. Blephex

BlephEx™ is a new, in-office eye treatment that is proven to provide long-lasting relief from blepharitis and dry eye. The procedure safely and precisely removes debris from along the edge of your lashes, exfoliates your eyelids, and immediately improves uncomfortable symptoms.

What Home Maintenance Does
Dr. Margolis Recommend Use To Treat Dry Eye?

1. Nulids

The NuLids™ System, which was introduced to the eye care professional market in 2018 was developed in response to an unmet need to care for dry eyes at home, in a safe and clinically effective way, for the 40 million people who suffer in the United States.

Clinical trials have proven that NuLids provides relief for dry, red, itchy, swollen eyes by targeting the meibomian glands in the eyelids. It can be used as a stand-alone product, and positive user reactions have demonstrated that NuLids provides significant advantages over other existing therapies. Users have expressed delight in how much better their eyes feel, the ease of only having to use it for one minute per day, and the overall savings they have realized as a result of taking care of their dry eyes with this product.

2. Hyclear

HyClear is the next generation of hypochlorous acid for essential daily eyelid health management. With a broad-spectrum of antimicrobial activity from the pure hypochlorous acid .01%, HyClear kills most ocular pathogens in 15 seconds*.

HyClear is made from high quality, filtered ingredients for an easy and affordable solution for your daily eyelid health management. It also has a shelf life up to 18 months

3. Fish oil

Research suggests that taking an omega-3 fatty acid supplement can reduce symptoms of dry eyes. Omega-3 supplements are safe for most healthy adults and generally have few side effects when taken in a standard dose. Several studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may play a role in treating dry eyes because of their benefits in relieving symptoms. A 2016 study found significant improvements within 6 months.

4. Antiinflammatory Medications

5. Placental fluid extracts

6. Serum tears

Many sufferers turn to artificial tears for temporary relief. However, artificial tears don’t have all the nutrients of natural tears that help maintain the tear film.

Autologous serum eye drops are closer to real tears. Because they’re made from your own blood, they contain important biological nutrients and immunoprotective proteins.