ATLANTA, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — ThermaMEDx – the company that pioneered the EverTears® treatment for dry eye related to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) – announced today a partnership with EyeCare Partners to expand EverTears® distribution across the network of the nation’s leading provider of clinically integrated eye care.
The move comes after strong clinical results and positive patient feedback during a five-month commercial test of EverTears® in the St. Louis market. Clarkson Eyecare is one of the key groups within the vast EyeCare Partners network of nearly 700 affiliated practices in 18 states across the U.S.
Tens of millions of Americans suffer from dry eye disease, a rapidly growing modern-medical issue due in large part to increased overall screen time for adults, blinking less, and digital eye strain. "For decades, the eye care industry believed that dry eye symptoms were caused by poor tear production, but we now know that is incorrect for most patients. The problem lies in the meibomian glands, the oil-producing glands in your eyelids," said Dr. Michel Guillon, Co-Founder of ThermaMEDx, based in Atlanta. "MGD is a chronic, progressive disease that many people don’t even realize they have until the symptoms become unbearable. It occurs when the meibomian glands in the eyelids become clogged due to factors such as aging, contact lens use, makeup use, excess screen time, hormonal changes, and other risk factors."
While most OTC eye drops or "artificial tears" focus on temporary relief, EverTears® is designed to provide immediate symptom relief while also working to help address the root cause of most dry eye: Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). A medical team of eye health experts led by London-based Dr. Guillon spent decades researching a better treatment and first filed for a patent in 2002 to protect his invention of the first self-heating, premoistened medical device designed specifically for eye care including dry eyes related to MGD, styes and blepharitis.
In 2020, Dr. Guillon partnered with two American entrepreneurs, former Alcon senior executive Ben Nobles and former senior executive with Coca-Cola and Starbucks, Carl Sweat, to found ThermaMEDx. With the addition of renowned US clinician Dr. Gregg Ossip, the team successfully commercialized Dr. Guillon’s vision of a clinically proven at-home treatment for dry eye combining a precise instant heating compress and a pre-moistened cleaning pad and launched EverTears®.
Upon learning of the new technology, Dr. Brian Lojka, Division Medical Officer for Optometry at EyeCare Partners, recognized the potential to improve care, "We were intrigued by the EverTears® technology and wanted to evaluate its effectiveness and impact on improving compliance and results with our own patients. After five months, the positive feedback from our patients and doctors was overwhelming, and showed us EverTears® can be an effective tool for the treatment of dry eye patients across our network."
Dr. Alana Keller, Dr. Lojka’s colleague at Clarkson Eyecare, echoed his sentiment. "As doctors, we’ve known for years that the best treatment for dry eyes relating to MGD is precise heat and daily eyelid hygiene. The reason EverTears® has been such a successful treatment for several hundred of my patients since we began the test in January is that it is so simple and convenient to use. We recommend it to all our patients as part of establishing a daily eye care hygiene routine."
Family-owned ThermaMEDx plans to build additional national partnerships to deliver relief for the millions who suffer from dry eyes related to MGD. "We at ThermaMEDx are thrilled that EverTears® has proven so successful with patients, not only clinical studies, but now also at a premier national eye care provider like EyeCare Partners," said Dr. Gregg Ossip, ThermaMEDx partner and former CEO of Ossip Optometry & Ophthalmology.
For more information, please visit www.thermamedx.com.
EyeCare Partners is the nation’s leading provider of clinically integrated eye care. Our national network of over 300 ophthalmologists and 700 optometrists provides a lifetime of care to our patients with a mission to enhance vision, advance eye care, and improve lives. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, over 680 ECP-affiliated practice locations provide services that span the eye care continuum in 18 states and 30 markets. For more information, visit https://www.eyecare-partners.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn.
Partnering with the top scientists and eyecare professionals in the world, ThermaMEDx works to create positive disruption to the status quo by bringing affordable solutions that provide sustained relief from dry eyes related to MGD. This convenient solution comes individually wrapped so consumers can use EverTears® easily at home, work, or on-the-go. It treats the problem at its source with a combination of heating and cleaning. The moist warm compress delivers precise heat exactly where needed, opening pores and meibomian glands to deliver the oils tear film needs. After heating each eyelid for two minutes, patients use the cloth-covered device as a sterile cleaning pad to clear away any potential blockage to the meibomian glands for instant dry eye relief. For more information, please visit www.thermamedx.com.
Media Contact:
Carl Sweat, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer, ThermaMEDx
(404) 771-0888 or 342366@email4pr.com
Liz Morgan, Liz Morgan PR
(904) 608-3823 or 342366@email4pr.com
SOURCE ThermaMEDx
