Are you suffering from dry eye symptoms such as tired, gritty, itching or sore eyes that can be sensitive to light and cause blurry vision?
Dry eye syndrome is a common condition often affecting people as they get older, especially women in peri and post menopause, as well as those wearing contact lenses. The term ‘dry eye’ is misleading as the eyes can sometimes be watery and ‘tear up’ as well as causing headaches sometimes accompanied by difficulty keeping the eyes open.
Mainstream dry eye treatments include lubricating eye drops, artificial tears, hot compresses and eyelid wipes which can provide a brief relief from symptoms. They work by compensating for the low tear quality which is the issue in many dry eye cases but may not treat the root cause of the condition.
IPL treatment to improve tear quality
The Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treats the primary cause of the dry eye by stimulating tear glands to produce higher quality secretions and thus relieve dry eye symptoms naturally and with a better long-term prognosis. This can also help to achieve better results from vision correction procedures such as laser and cataract eye surgeries.
The procedure takes minutes and for optimal results, may require up to 4 sessions separated by 2-3 weeks. You may notice an improvement as early as a few hours after the first treatment session, but it could take longer, depending on the severity of your dry eye symptoms and other possible medical factors. A top-up annual treatment is usually recommended.
Am I suitable for the IPL dry eye treatment?
IPL is safe for most people but is not suitable for everyone. You will have a thorough assessment of your suitability for the procedure but generally speaking, it is not recommended for those with darker skin tones due to the risk of permanent discoloration of the skin, active infections, especially herpes, skin tumors, moles or tattoos around the eyes, history of keloid scars, immune or coagulation disorders, when taking aspirin/anticoagulants and in pregnancy.
What to expect from the procedure
The IPL is a safe and painless procedure. Prior to your first session, you’ll be given a spot test with a single light pulse administered on an inconspicuous area of the face to test your individual skin reaction.
During the procedure your eyes will be protected with goggles or disposable eye patches and a thin layer of transparent gel will be applied to the treatment area around the eyes. The second-long light pulses are delivered with a hand-held device and may feel like rubber band snaps to the skin depending on your skin condition and its sensitivity. The entire treatment session should take no more than a few minutes.
It is important to avoid sun exposure a few weeks before and after the treatment and use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen when outside.
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Further information
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Treatment for dry eye
More information about the available treatments for dry eye