No, TearCare does not hurt.
When heat is applied to your lids, patients have described it as a spa-like experience. You will feel an almost immediate heat wave similar to you entering a hot tub. The smart lids will start at 41°C (105.8°F) and will increase 1°C (1.8°F) every 30 seconds until it reaches its maximum therapeutic temperature of 45°C (113°F).  If the heat feels uncomfortable to you, we can adjust it and dial it back down.
For the manual expression of your meibomian glands, our eye doctor will apply numbing eye drops and you will feel a gentle squeeze on your eyelids every time the doctor clears your glands with the forceps. Patients describe it as feeling pressure being applied to the lids. It is normal for patients to experience watery eyes and tearing during this portion of the procedure.
TearCare, similarly to Lipiflow and iLux, is considered one of the most effective treatments for dry eye caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).