Dry Eye/OptiLight Therapy
Dry eyes aren't something you have to live with anymore.
Our treatments are tailored to each and every patient’s specific needs. After comprehensively evaluating your dry eye, we build a custom plan which may include OptiLight, warm compresses, artificial tears, and more. Our goal is to provide you with the personalized care you need to overcome dry eye discomfort.
Typically, dry eye treatments may include lubricating drops, prescription medications, punctal plugs, as well as treatment of Rosacea, if present.
Now there is a therapy that’s as convenient as it is gentle, which may make it the perfect treatment for your dry eye condition.
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.
But you don’t have to live with dry eye disease. We offer a solution to help you find relief.
We’re proud to offer OptiLight by Lumenis to our patients, specially designed for dry eye management.
OptiLight is a noninvasive, revolutionary treatment for dry eye disease—not to mention, it may reduce your dependency on eye drops! OptiLight takes dry eye treatment to the next level: it’s more convenient, reliable, and less invasive than many other options.
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 gentle, and requires no downtime. It has been deemed “safe and effective” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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, commonly associated with rosacea
- Improving meibomian gland functionality
OptiLight Treatment Suite at Blue Ridge Eye Specialists
What to Expect
Before Your Treatment
Before your treatment, we’ll perform a slit lamp exam and a tear film assessment to understand your symptoms and determine the cause of your dry eyes. Based on the questionnaire and the results from these tests, we can help find a solution tailored to you. To prepare for your treatment, please avoid wearing makeup or any other facial products on the day of your treatment. Then, you can leave the rest up to us.
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. OptiLight is often followed by meibomian gland expression.
After Your Treatment
After your treatment, you can resume your normal activities. You may experience slight redness which may last up to 72 hours. Aftercare should include only gentle cleansers and lotions. If you’re going to go outside, wear sunscreen rated SPF-30 or greater to protect the treatment area. While side effects are rare, you may experience temporary redness, discomfort, and change in the pigmentation or texture of your skin.
Part of Your Custom Treatment Plan
A course of treatment typically includes 4 sessions spaced 2–4 weeks apart.
Results vary, but most people start seeing improvements in dry eye treatments after two sessions.