Eric M. White, O.D.
Complete Family Vision Care
OPTOMETRY

If you're anything like me, you've probably wondered if reviews are ever really written by actual patients and/or consumers. I am a 30-year-chronic-dry-eye sufferer with an auto-immune disorder known as Sjögren's coupled with Evaporative Dry Eye Syndrome, aka, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. Having these conditions can cause extreme photo-sensitivity, chronically inflamed, red, itchy, painfully-burning dry eyes, in part, due to a blockage of the lipid-producing Meibomian Glands located in both the upper and lower eyelids. I consider myself to be a well-informed, well-read consumer who was specifically seeking a medical practice which offers a fairly new treatment and procedure known as LipiFlow. Because the treatment is not currently covered by health insurance and because I am retired on a fixed income it was imperative that I find a medical practice which offered a bilateral procedure at an affordable price and is the reason why I ended up scheduling an appointment with Complete Family Vision Care of San Diego. From the first moment of contact with the office to schedule my appointment the staff could not have been any more helpful or accommodating. Because I reside an hour away, I was seeking an all-inclusive appointment; exam, consultation and treatment (should it be determined that I was a good candidate). And, in fact, that's precisely what I got. I arrived with an already well-established (almost daily) routine of using moist, warm eye compresses, massage, rewetting drops, eyelid and eyelash scrubs, Omega 3 supplements, and occasionally, the use of a prescription anti-inflammatory medication. Following the LipiFlow Scan which determined the current health (or lack thereof) of my Meibomian glands I met with Dr. Mannnen who honestly could not have been any nicer. It was immediately clear that he was the dry-eye-expert I had been searching for. Dr. Mannen proceeded sharing a wealth of knowledge regarding new options, procedures, and treatments of DES. In addition, he discussed in length some alternative choices in treatment that I was not previously aware of including a new product, Regener-Eyes, a sterile biologic eyedrop made of anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Apparently, this ophthalmic solution has been shown to reduce inflammation and help stimulate the ocular surface to heal, repair, and regenerate. I can't begin to say how much I'm looking forward to (hopefully) getting some positive results with Regener-Eyes. For anyone, young or old, who wears contact lenses or uses blue-light emitting electronic/digital devices, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, I would highly recommend getting a medical assessment (LipiScan) of your Meibomian Glands. Had the LipiFlow procedure been available 30 years ago when I was first diagnosed with chronic dry eye syndrome it's possible that I would have 100% viable healthy glands today. However, with only 75% of my glands still functioning properly, I can see now that this is going to require a lifelong commitment on my part to keeping my eyes healthy and Complete Family Vision Care of San Diego is a great place to start! *****