A Longer-Lasting Treatment for Dry Eye Relief
At the Dry Eye Centre, we offer advanced treatments for patients with persistent dry eye symptoms, including Lacrifill® Canalicular Gel – an innovative alternative to traditional punctal plugs.
Lacrifill is a soft gel treatment designed to help your eyes retain more of your natural tears, improving comfort, lubrication, and tear film stability for up to 6 months from a single treatment.
Whether you suffer from burning, irritation, fluctuating vision, gritty eyes, or discomfort when reading or using screens, Lacrifill may help provide longer-lasting dry eye relief.
What Is Lacrifill®?
Lacrifill is a cross-linked hyaluronic acid canalicular gel that is gently placed into the eye’s tear drainage channels (called the lacrimal canaliculi).
The treatment works by temporarily slowing tear drainage so that your own natural tears remain on the eye surface for longer. This helps:
- Improve eye lubrication
- Reduce tear evaporation symptoms
- Support tear film stability
- Relieve dry eye discomfort
- Improve day-to-day comfort and vision quality
Unlike standard punctal plugs, Lacrifill is a soft gel that adapts to the shape of your tear drainage system.
How Does Lacrifill Help Dry Eyes?
Your eyes naturally produce tears to keep the ocular surface healthy and comfortable. In dry eye disease, tears may evaporate too quickly or drain away too rapidly.
Lacrifill is designed to temporarily block tear drainage, helping maintain lubricating tears on the eye surface.
By retaining more tears on the eye:
- The eyes stay more hydrated
- Irritation and dryness can improve
- Vision may become more stable
- Contact lens comfort may improve
- The ocular surface is better protected
This makes Lacrifill particularly useful for patients with:
- Moderate to severe dry eye disease
- Aqueous deficient dry eye
- Sjögren’s syndrome
- Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)
- Post-surgical dry eye
- Contact lens discomfort
- Persistent symptoms despite artificial tears
Benefits of Lacrifill Treatment
Long-Lasting Dry Eye Relief
A single Lacrifill treatment can provide relief for up to 6 months.
Quick In-Clinic Procedure
Treatment is performed in clinic and usually takes only a few minutes. No surgery is required.
Comfortable Treatment
Anaesthetic eye drops are used to keep you comfortable during the procedure. Patients in clinical studies reported minimal discomfort.
Preservative Free
Lacrifill is preservative free, making it suitable for many patients with sensitive eyes.
High Patient Satisfaction
In a patient survey, 52 out of 53 patients said they would repeat Lacrifill treatment.
What Happens During the Procedure?
Lacrifill treatment is carried out by a qualified eye care professional. The procedure is minimally invasive and patients can usually return to normal activities shortly afterwards.
Anaesthetic drops are placed into the eye
The tear drainage system is assessed
Lacrifill gel is gently inserted into the canaliculus using a fine cannula
The gel conforms to the natural drainage channel
Lacrifill vs Traditional Punctal Plugs
Lacrifill belongs to the broader category of punctal occlusion treatments, but differs from traditional punctal plugs in several ways.
During your consultation, our clinicians can advise whether Lacrifill or another punctal plug option may be more suitable for your eyes.
Lacrifill Canalicular Gel
Soft gel design
Conforms to anatomy
No visible external plug
Designed to fill the canaliculus
Up to 6 months duration
Traditional Punctal Plugs
Solid plug
Fixed size
Plug may sometimes be visible
Sits at punctal opening
Varies depending on plug type
Lacrifill for Dry Eye After Eye Surgery
Dry eye symptoms are common after procedures such as:
- Cataract surgery
- Laser eye surgery
- Lens replacement surgery
Optimising the tear film before and after surgery can improve comfort and visual quality.
Lacrifill may be considered as part of a comprehensive dry eye management plan for suitable surgical patients.
Is Lacrifill Right for Me?
Lacrifill may be suitable if you:
- Regularly use lubricating eye drops
- Have chronic dry eye symptoms
- Want longer-lasting relief
- Have symptoms despite other treatments
- Prefer an in-clinic treatment option
- Have previously benefited from punctal plugs
At Dry Eye Centre, we perform a comprehensive dry eye assessment before recommending treatment. This may include:
- Tear film analysis
- Meibomian gland assessment
- Slit lamp examination
- Ocular surface staining
- Tear volume testing
Our clinicians will determine whether Lacrifill is appropriate for your specific type of dry eye disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lacrifill is designed to provide dry eye relief for up to 6 months from a single treatment.
Yes. During repeat treatment appointments, the gel can be flushed from the tear drainage system before a new treatment is administered.
Most patients tolerate the treatment very well. Anaesthetic eye drops are used to improve comfort during the procedure.
Some patients find they need lubricating drops less frequently after treatment, although this varies between individuals.
Lacrifill is designed to provide dry eye relief for up to 6 months from a single treatment.
Yes. During repeat treatment appointments, the gel can be flushed from the tear drainage system before a new treatment is administered.
Most patients tolerate the treatment very well. Anaesthetic eye drops are used to improve comfort during the procedure.
Some patients find they need lubricating drops less frequently after treatment, although this varies between individuals.