TearScience
TearScience is a wholly-owned Johnson & Johnson Vision product line that develops and sells the LipiFlow, LipiView II, LipiScan, and Meibomian Gland Evaluator devices for diagnosing and treating Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in eye care practices.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersMorrisville, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What TearScience does
TearScience is a medical device franchise operating as a wholly-owned product line within Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, Inc. (NYSE: JNJ). Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, the franchise focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), a chronic, progressive, obstructive condition affecting tear film quality and the ocular surface. Its portfolio serves eye care professionals (optometrists, ophthalmologists, and clinics) in the United States through direct field sales and the JNJVISIONPRO professional ordering platform.
The product portfolio is organized as a coordinated diagnostic-to-treatment workflow. LipiView II Ocular Surface Interferometer and LipiScan Dynamic Meibomian Imager provide objective assessment of tear film and meibomian gland structure, while the Meibomian Gland Evaluator is used during routine eye exams to assess gland function. The LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System delivers controlled heat and pulsatile pressure to clear gland obstructions and restore meibomian function. The franchise is protected by a substantial granted US patent estate covering thermal pulsation methods, interferometry, and meibomian imaging. The franchise reports clinical evidence that 86% of dry eye patients have MGD, 63% of pre-cataract patients show MGD signs, 60% of contact lens wearers have MGD, and 80% of long-term glaucoma medication users have MGD, addressing an addressable population of 745 million+ people worldwide with dry eye.
TearScience generates revenue through hardware sales of capital medical devices to eye care professionals, with quote-based pricing routed through direct sales representatives and online ordering via JNJVISIONPRO. The franchise leverages J&J Vision's professional marketing, the Johnson & Johnson Institute for clinical education, and alignment with ASCRS Cornea Committee consensus guidelines to support adoption. Operating geographies are currently US-focused, with European expansion indicated by senior leadership presence in the region.
TearScience firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TearScience
- Legal name
- Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
- Website
- https://jnjvisionpro.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- TearScience is a wholly-owned Johnson & Johnson Vision product line that develops and sells the LipiFlow, LipiView II, LipiScan, and Meibomian Gland Evaluator devices for diagnosing and treating Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in eye care practices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TearScience industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ophthalmic Medical Devices
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)
- SIC
- Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dry Eye & Ocular Surface Devices (Meibography, Tear Osmolarity, IPL, Thermal Pulsation) (HLAHAJAF)
Keywords
Where TearScience is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Morrisville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
TearScience business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel
Revenue model
- Medical Device Sales: Sale of TearScience diagnostic and treatment devices (LipiFlow, LipiView, LipiScan) to eye care professionals and clinics for MGD assessment and treatment.
- Diagnostic Equipment: Sale of MGD assessment tools including LipiScan Dynamic Meibomian Imager and LipiView II Ocular Surface Interferometer for clinical evaluation of meibomian gland dysfunction.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Medical devices for MGD diagnosis and treatment - pricing available through sales representatives |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
TearScience product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TearScience develops, manufactures, and sells ophthalmic medical devices that diagnose and treat Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), a chronic, progressive, obstructive condition affecting the ocular surface. The portfolio combines diagnostic imaging and interferometry devices (LipiScan, LipiView II, Meibomian Gland Evaluator) with the LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System for treatment, enabling eye care professionals to evaluate and manage MGD in their patients.
Product overview
TearScience is a product portfolio under Johnson & Johnson Vision focused on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) management. The portfolio includes diagnostic devices (LipiScan Dynamic Meibomian Imager, LipiView II Ocular Surface Interferometer, Meibomian Gland Evaluator) for evaluating MGD and the LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System for treating the condition. Together, these products enable eye care professionals to evaluate, treat, and manage MGD in patients—a chronic, progressive, obstructive condition affecting the ocular surface. The TearScience portfolio is part of Johnson & Johnson Vision's broader Ocular Surface care offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- LipiFlow: LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System - Treatment device for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)
- LipiView
- LipiScan
Products and services
- LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System
Quantifiable outcome
- 86% of patients with dry eye are affected by MGD - TearScience portfolio helps evaluate for it
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use TearScience
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
TearScience technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
TearScience partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ASCRS (American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)coreASCRS Cornea Committee provides consensus-based clinical practice guidelines for MGD evaluation and treatment. TearScience references ASCRS guidelines supporting their MGD treatment approach. Guidelines are available as PDF resources on the TearScience product page.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
TearScience competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SightSciences: SightSciences markets TearCare, a thermal-based MGD treatment system directly competing with TearScience's LipiFlow. Both target ophthalmology/optometry clinics with a device-plus-procedure approach to evaporative dry eye.
- MiBo Medical Group: MiBo Medical offers the MiBo Thermoflo, a thermal therapy device for MGD. It directly competes with LipiFlow in eye care clinics by delivering controlled heat to the meibomian glands as an in-office treatment.
- Alcon: Alcon launched the iLux MGD treatment device, directly competing with TearScience's LipiFlow in optometry and ophthalmology channels. Alcon's broad surgical and vision-care portfolio gives iLux an existing distribution overlay.
- Lumenis (Boston Scientific): Lumenis' OptiLight IPL system is an FDA-cleared intense-pulsed-light therapy for dry eye/MGD that competes head-to-head with TearScience's LipiFlow in ophthalmic clinics, offering an alternative in-office treatment modality.
Broad incumbents
- Bausch + Lomb: Bausch + Lomb is a diversified ophthalmic incumbent with surgical, pharmaceutical, and consumer eye-care products. It competes broadly with J&J Vision (TearScience's parent) across the dry-eye and ocular-surface category.
- Carl Zeiss Meditec: Carl Zeiss Meditec is an established ophthalmic diagnostics and surgical devices incumbent. Its imaging/diagnostic portfolio overlaps with TearScience's LipiView/LipiScan meibography and ocular surface assessment products.
- Nidek: Nidek manufactures ophthalmic diagnostic and surgical devices including imaging systems used for ocular surface and anterior segment evaluation. Its diagnostic imaging devices are used in similar ECP workflows as TearScience.
- Topcon Healthcare: Topcon produces ophthalmic imaging and diagnostic equipment commonly used in optometry and ophthalmology clinics, overlapping with TearScience's meibography and ocular surface imaging use cases.
Emerging players
- NovaBay Pharmaceuticals: NovaBay's Avenova eyelid hygiene products target the same MGD/dry-eye patient population as TearScience, though positioned as a clinic-recommended consumer/complementary therapy rather than an in-office device.
- OCuSOFT: OCuSOFT supplies eyelid hygiene and dry-eye products (lid scrubs, tears) commonly used as adjuncts to MGD therapy. It addresses the same dry-eye patient base that TearScience targets with its in-office systems.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
TearScience social profiles
Digital presenceTearScience financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TearScience leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
TearScience subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
TearScience funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TearScience M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TearScience
What does TearScience do?
TearScience develops, manufactures, and sells ophthalmic medical devices that diagnose and treat Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), a chronic, progressive, obstructive condition affecting the ocular surface. The portfolio combines diagnostic imaging and interferometry devices (LipiScan, LipiView II, Meibomian Gland Evaluator) with the LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System for treatment, enabling eye care professionals to evaluate and manage MGD in their patients.
Is TearScience a public or private company?
TearScience is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was TearScience founded?
TearScience was founded in 2005. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is TearScience based?
TearScience is headquartered in Morrisville, United States, in the North America region.
How does TearScience make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Medical Device Sales are the primary driver. The others are diagnostic Equipment.
Who are TearScience's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SightSciences, MiBo Medical Group, Alcon and Lumenis (Boston Scientific). Broad incumbents are Bausch + Lomb, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Nidek and Topcon Healthcare. Emerging players are NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and OCuSOFT.
Does TearScience have an API?
No public API is recorded for TearScience.
What industry is TearScience in?
TearScience's product category is Ophthalmic Medical Devices. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAJAF, Dry Eye & Ocular Surface Devices (Meibography, Tear Osmolarity, IPL, Thermal Pulsation). Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3841.