Blog

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.

Chittick Eye Care is dedicated to treating dry eyes with the most effective and unobtrusive solutions. Our professional team achieves this by first discussing your symptoms, then by evaluating the surface of your eye with a microscope, and finally, by using advanced instrumentation that can measure the quantity and quality of your tears.

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 eye. OptiLight is the first and only Intense Pulsed Light (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

What to Expect 

Before Your Treatment

Before your treatment with OptiLight, we recommend that you avoid direct exposure to the sun and come to your appointment without any makeup. You should be prepared for a quick and easy procedure — there is no downtime or need to recover after an OptiLight appointment.

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 [depending on the doctor].

After Your Treatment

At the conclusion of your treatment, there may be some mild discomfort around the treatment area — this will dissipate quickly. You will be asked to wear sunscreen any time you are outside in between treatments. Your next treatment will be scheduled for 2–4 weeks after the date of your current appointment.

Part of Your Custom Treatment Plan

A course of treatment typically includes 4 sessions spaced 2–4 weeks apart depending on the recommendation of your doctor. After the initial sessions, it is recommended that you attend maintenance treatments available every 6–12 months. 

Treatment sessions with OptiLight typically take 45 minutes to an hour to complete. The treatment does not cause lasting discomfort and is completely unobtrusive to your daily life, which will allow you to get back to your routine as quickly as possible.

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 Chittick to get an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan tailored to your needs.