Patent ID: 8137390

Claim:
A system for treating meibomian gland dysfunction, comprising: a lid warmer containing a heating element, wherein the lid warmer is adapted to be applied to tissue proximate a patient's meibomian gland to a temperature level to melt, loosen, or soften an obstruction located within a meibomian gland channel of a meibomian gland; a force application device positioned on the tissue, wherein the force application device applies a compressive force to the tissue; and a controller communicatively coupled to the lid warmer and the force application device, wherein the controller is further adapted to: send a signal to the lid warmer to apply heat to the tissue to a temperature level to melt, loosen, or soften an obstruction located within the meibomian gland channel of a meibomian gland; control the force application device to generate a compressive force on the tissue to reduce the blood flow in the area of the tissue to reduce thermal dissipation in the tissue and to express the obstruction located within the meibomian gland channel and from within the meibomian gland channel through a meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland; and maintain the signal to the lid warmer to maintain the heat on the tissue for a period of time.