“Our HELLO procedure prevents styes, decreases visual dryness and improves patients’ vision,” says Rajesh Khanna, OD, a cutting-edge ophthalmologist whose patients rave about the effectiveness of the procedure and the attentive staff at Khanna Vision Institute.
HELLO is an FDA-approved procedure to treat dry eyes wherein an infrared scan of the lids identifies blockages in the eyelids, explains Dr. Khanna.
During the quick and easy procedure, the eyelids are warmed to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, enabling the opening of the upper and lower eyelid pores so the glands inside the eyelids can be cleared of oil and new oil production can start. The in-office thermal procedure is comfortable and very effective, says Dr. Khanna, noting that it also improves vision.
The science behind the procedure is quite easy to understand. Meibomian glands are large, oil-producing glands located in the eyelid. They secrete oil with every blink and provide the eye with the outermost layer of the tear film. Without this oily layer, the watery component of the tear film will evaporate too quickly and ultimately cause dry eye. These glands—like all the oil glands in the face—can get clogged.
A chalazion is a painless bump on the eyelid usually without any infection that is due to either accumulation or hardening of the oil. An infection in the accumulated hardened secretions leads to Hordeolum Internum, or stye. The causes of most styes and chalazia are sometimes hard to identify, but the conditions can sometimes be attributable to viral conjunctivitis, or an infection inside either the eye or the eyelids. They can also be due to a patient having skin conditions such as acne, seborrhea or rosacea, tuberculosis or having a condition of eyelid inflammation known as blepharitis, explains Dr. Khanna. When the stye resolve, they can also lead to chalazion.
Whatever the cause, with HELLO, the condition is easy to fix, and patients are very happy to learn the procedure is quite affordable at approximately $500.
“Patients are also delighted that usually, we only need to do the procedure one time,” Dr. Khanna notes.
It’s only natural for Dr. Khanna to be a leader in spearheading efforts to ensure that people can access cutting-edge and effective ophthalmological care. Dr. Khanna grew up in India surrounded by poverty and, as a young man, he vividly remembers seeing a vendor who could only see out of one eye on the corner selling balloons, which motivated him to pursue a career in ophthalmology to help those who struggle with sight.
Years later and with considerable schooling under his belt, Dr. Khanna found the balloon vendor and performed his first charitable corneal transplant; his commitment to such philanthropic vision care continues to this day. A leader in vision care as well as in the Westlake Village and greater Southern California community, Dr. Khanna and his team invite readers to reach out to explore the HELLO procedure and to address their vision care needs.
Learn more about Khanna Vision Institute, located at 31824 Village Center Road in Westlake Village at KhannaInstitute.com or call 310.362.9755.