What is meibum?

Meibum is the oily substance that forms the outermost layer of the tear film. It is made by small glands along the edges of the eyelids, called meibomian glands.

What it does

The oil layer is the outermost barrier of the tear film, responsible for minimizing evaporation of the watery layer beneath it. Without enough of it, the watery layer is more exposed, and everyday conditions like screens and dry air add to that.

When the layer is thin

Quell’s carton illustrates it with a before and after. Before: Water (Aqueous) Layer evaporates due to thin, unhealthy oil (Meibum) layer. After: Quell reinforces the tear film’s oil layer to help reduce moisture loss.

How Quell relates

The formula is designed to reinforce the eye’s natural lipid (oil) layer, with emu oil and light mineral oil among its ingredients. The tear film’s oil layer goes into more depth.

Finding out more

Quell’s maker is online at meibum.com. If you want to know whether your symptoms fit the pattern of a tear film that evaporates too quickly, the self-check takes about ninety seconds.