What Is The OptiLight By Lumenis & How Can It Manage Your Dry Eye?

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.

Dilligent dry eye care is all about finding the underlying issues affecting your eye comfort and addressing them with modern technologies right for your needs and lifestyle. At Focus Eye PC, we understand just how important it is to have care options unique to your eye health and vision, which is why we're announcing our new intense pulsed-light dry eye treatment, OptiLight by Lumenis!

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 eye. The first and only IPL FDA-approved for dry eye management. The treatment is safe, gentle, and is 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 we begin treatment, we'll examine your eyes and determine what may be causing your symptoms. Because dry eye cases are unique to every individual, we ensure our examination process is as thorough as possible.

During the exam, we may:
 

• Have you fill out a questionnaire regarding your dry eye symptoms.

• Examine your meibomian glands with meinography techniques.

• Analyze your tear film with sodium fluorescein and lissamine staining. 

• Examine your tear film and corneal health with our Antaris corneal topographer.
   

We tailor your treatment based on the information we collect, which can include OptiLight IPL therapy. If we find that OptiLight is right for you, we'll book a day to treat your symptoms. When you can in for your treatment, please make sre you aren't wearing contact lenses or makeup.

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 10-20 minutes. OptiLight is often followed by meibomian gland expression.

After Your Treatment

Treated areas of your skin may feel a little sensitive during and after your session, but these sensations should disappear in a few hours. We'll apply some sunblock to protect these areas before  you leave as well as provide a personalized product to help protect your skin for a week after your treatment. We'll ask you to avoid direct sunlight for the duration of your treatment and to use sunblock whenever you're outside.
 

Part Of Your Custom Treatment Plan

A course of treatment typically includes 4 sessions spaced 2-4 weeks apart. We may recommend OptiLight IPL therapy alongside other dry eye treatments, depending on how severe your symptoms are. Some of these treatments can include LipiFlow thermal pulsation and punctual occlusion (puntal plugs). In some cases, we may alos recommend over-the-counter or prescription eye drops to comfort your eyes, or even omega-3 supplements to help support the quality of your tears.

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. Visit your eye doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan tailored to your needs.