The FDA has approved a Triangle company's method of treating dry-eye disease. The medical-device company TearScience announced today it will start producing its product called LipiFlow. TearScience president and CEO Tim Willis says it's a treatment that includes a series of procedures to open obstructed oil glands in the eyelids that usually keep eyes moisturized.
Tim Willis: "Naturally, for some reason, people are mostly predisposed for these glands to occlude. We basically have figured out a way of how to open these glands up, where they up-regulate and you take the eye or the tear system back to its natural, correct process."
The system is estimated to cost physicians at least $100,000. It's not yet covered by patients' insurance. TearScience says it will start marketing to eye clinics on the east coast immediately. The Morrisville-based company says systems will likely start going out to doctor's offices next year.