Patent ID: 8128673

Claim:
A system for treating meibomian gland dysfunction, comprising: a lid warmer containing a heating element, wherein the lid warmer is adapted to be positioned behind a patient's eyelid on the external surface of the sclera of a patient's eye, wherein the lid warmer applies heat to an inner surface of a patient's eyelid 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 inner surface of the patient's eyelid, wherein the force application device applies a compressive force to the inner surface of a patient's eyelid; 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 wanner to apply heat to the inner surface of a patient's eyelid 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 inner surface of the patient's eyelid 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 inner surface of the patient's eyelid for a period of time.