Thermotherapies encompass all devices capable of delivering controlled heat to the eyelids in order to liquefy inspissated meibum and facilitate its expression.
How thermotherapies work
The most extensively documented system is LipiFlow, which combines precise inner-eyelid heating (41-43 degrees C) with automated sequential external massage to effectively evacuate obstructed glands. Other technologies are also available, such as iLux (not available in Europe), which heats and manually expresses the glands using a handheld applicator.
Overall, thermotherapies provide rapid softening of meibum, but their role has declined in favor of IPL and electrical current devices (ECDs), although they remain useful in certain cases of obstructive MGD.
More recent devices, such as MGrX, use controlled external heating with thermal modeling to achieve optimal temperatures without corneal risk. Some platforms also offer smart warming compresses or temperature-regulated heated goggles, although their efficacy remains inferior to that of dedicated medical systems.
