LipiScan is a quick, painless imaging test that photographs the meibomian glands — the oil-producing glands along your eyelid margins. Around eight in ten cases of dry eye are caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), where these glands become blocked and stop releasing the oil that stops your tears evaporating. LipiScan captures high-definition images of the glands so your specialist can see exactly how much gland structure remains and tailor treatment accordingly. It takes under five minutes, needs no eye drops, and is carried out as part of a comprehensive dry eye assessment, from an indicative £250.
What is LipiScan?
LipiScan is a dynamic meibomian gland imaging system (dynamic meibography). It uses infrared light to photograph the glands hidden inside your eyelids, producing a clear, magnified picture of their structure. Healthy glands appear as long, orderly parallel lines; in meibomian gland dysfunction they look shortened, twisted, thinned or missing (a process called gland dropout).
Because you cannot see this damage on a standard eye examination, LipiScan gives your specialist objective evidence of what is happening beneath the surface — turning "your eyes are dry" into a precise, measurable diagnosis.
Why gland imaging matters
- Finds the real cause — distinguishes evaporative (oil-gland) dry eye from aqueous (tear-quantity) dry eye
- Measures gland dropout so treatment starts before more glands are permanently lost
- Targets your treatment — imaging guides whether heat-based therapy, IPL, lid hygiene or drops will help most
- Tracks progress — repeat scans show whether treatment is protecting your glands over time
Struggling with gritty, watery or tired eyes? A dry eye assessment with LipiScan imaging pinpoints the cause and sets a clear treatment plan.
Book a dry eye assessmentWhat happens during the scan
LipiScan is completely non-invasive and comfortable. There are no drops, no dilation and no discomfort.
- You rest your chin on a support and look at a target light.
- Your lower (and sometimes upper) eyelid is gently everted for a moment so the glands face the camera.
- The device captures high-definition infrared images of the meibomian glands in seconds.
- Your specialist reviews the images with you straight away, alongside tear-film and ocular-surface tests.
LipiScan is often combined with other measurements — tear break-up time, tear volume and an ocular surface symptom score — to build a complete picture of your dry eye.
Your results & treatment options
Once your glands have been imaged, your specialist explains what the pictures show and recommends a targeted plan. Depending on your results, options may include:
Other options your specialist may discuss include iLux thermal treatment, Tixel thermal therapy, EvoTears lubricating drops, Ikervis ciclosporin drops for severe cases, or punctal plugs. See the dry eye IPL treatment cost guide for pricing.
Cost
LipiScan meibomian gland imaging is carried out as part of a comprehensive dry eye assessment. Indicative pricing:
- Dry eye assessment with LipiScan imaging: from £250 (indicative), including specialist review and a personalised plan.
- Treatment such as LipiFlow, IPL or lid therapy is priced separately once your plan is agreed.
- Insurance: some policies contribute to dry eye assessment and treatment — check with your insurer.
Prices are indicative and confirmed at your consultation.