There is a new technology available in eye care! It is IPL (intense pulse light therapy) for dry eye. One of the most amazing aspects of eye care is how it is always changing and advancing to manage and treat eye diseases. Dry eye and ocular surface disease is one of my favorites because of how many treatment options are now available.
From Dermatology to Eye Care
Dermatology has used IPL for years to treat rosacea, acne, and skin lesions. It targets certain pigments in the skin and hemoglobin in abnormal blood vessels and removes them by utilizing various wavelengths of light. Rosacea patients noticed that in addition to clearing their skin, it reduced inflammation, and reduced their dry eye symptoms. Fast forward a few years and IPL is now a cutting edge therapy for treating dry eye.
IPL: A multitude of benefits
Dry eye is caused by a multitude of factors and until now, the majority of treatments only addressed one factor at a time. With the evolution and development of IPL for dry eye, it addresses multiple factors at the same time. These factors include: removal of abnormal blood vessels that promote inflammation, heating of the oil in the meibomian glands, killing harmful bacteria that live in the eyelids, and regulation of inflammatory molecules.
Rosacea Patients Get a Dual Benefit
Patients with facial rosacea have abnormal blood vessel growth in their face. These blood vessels produce inflammatory markers. These can spread to their eyelids which contributes to the development of ocular rosacea and dry eye. IPL will not only treat their dry eye symptoms, but it also has the cosmetic benefit of reducing the abnormal blood vessels in the face.
Customized Protocol
Although every patient is different, IPL is usually scheduled over the course of 4 months. It is typically a series of 4 treatments spaced every 2-4 weeks. Our protocol is customized for each patient and includes complementary therapies in addition to IPL. This approach has a high rate of success for relieving dry eye. And, in the case of rosacea patients also addressing any telangiectasia or erythema on the face.
Feel free to contact our office or click here to schedule an appointment if you have questions or would like additional information about this therapy. We are passionate about improving the lives of people with dry eye and are happy to help!