Dry eye disease is a widespread and common issue for up to 49 million Americans. This chronic condition can have a significant impact on your quality of life, causing a foreign body sensation in your eyes, pain, blurry vision, and dry or watery eyes. Untreated, it can even lead to further eye-health complications.
Despite these constant detrimental effects on quality of life, many dry eye sufferers are not aware that they’re suffering from dry eye disease or that real treatments exist. Instead, they just live with the discomfort.
At Eyedeal Eyecare, we dedicate ourselves to providing effective dry eye treatments for all of our patients. To do this, we complete several diagnostic tests, such as a slit lamp examination and manual expression of the meibomian glands, to determine the cause of your symptoms.
After understanding your unique dry eye situation, we can create a customized treatment plan to help relieve your symptoms.
We’re proud to offer OptiLight by Lumenis to our patients, specially designed for dry eye management.
What Is OptiLight by Lumenis?
OptiLight by Lumenis is a light-based, non-invasive treatment done in the area below the eyes to manage dry eyes. The first and only IPL FDA-approved for dry eye management.
The treatment is safe, gentle, and backed by more than 20 clinical studies.
How Does It Work?
OptiLight uses precise pulses of light to reduce the inflammation that is typically associated with dry eye disease, improve tear break-up time, and increase meibomian gland functionality.
This application can significantly relieve dry eye indicators and has a multi-factorial effect, including:
- Increasing tear break-up time
- Reducing the amount of demodex mites and bacteria living around your eyes
- Eliminating blood vessels that contribute to inflammation
- Improving meibomian gland functionality
What to Expect
Before Your Treatment
There are several ways to prepare for your treatment. Avoid sun exposure for the 2 weeks leading up to your appointment. Sunscreen can help protect your skin during this period.
Avoid taking photosensitive medications such as isotretinoin and doxycycline. Another type of medication to not take during these 2 weeks is blood thinners.
Ensure you arrive without any makeup or lotion on your face on the day of your appointment. After checking in with the front-end staff, your treatment can begin.
During Your Treatment
This treatment is fast and simple. During the treatment your doctor will apply a coupling gel on the treatment area and cover your eyes with shields.
As light is applied to the skin, you may experience a warm sensation. The treatment is gentle with minimum discomfort. The treatment itself will only take 10–15 minutes.
After Your Treatment
You can return to your normal activities immediately after your treatment finishes. There is the possibility of mild skin redness, but many patients don’t experience this side effect.
Darkening of the skin (hyperpigmentation) is possible if the skin is left unprotected after treatment. Make sure to avoid sun exposure and use high-strength sunscreen to protect your skin. Use SPF 30–50 sunblock on the treated area for at least one month following treatment.
Part of Your Custom Treatment Plan
A course of treatment depends on the specifics of your case. Your doctor will help determine the number of treatments you may need.
Your eye doctor recommends several treatments as a part of your customized treatment plan. Besides OptiLight, they may suggest artificial tears, punctal plugs, prescription medication, or intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, depending on your needs.
Will the OptiLight by Lumenis Work for Me?
While OptiLight by Lumenis is an effective dry eye management solution, we want to make sure it’s right for you. We do not recommend this treatment if you:
- Suffer from aqueous deficiency dry eye (rather than evaporative dry eye or meibomian gland dysfunction)
- Have a history of keloid scarring
- Have severe scarring around your eyes
Ultimately, your doctor is the only person who can determine whether this option is right for you. During your next appointment, ask us if you are a good candidate for OptiLight by Lumenis.
You Don’t Have to Live With Dry Eye Anymore
Dry, irritated eyes can be managed with a new treatment that brings comfort and can restore quality of life. Schedule appointment to get an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan tailored to your needs.