Living with dry eye can feel like a daily struggle. That constant irritation? It’s like a sandstorm in your eye while trying to focus on work or leisure activities. However, you’re not alone. Dry eye disease affects millions worldwide.
Fortunately, we’re finding new ways to manage it all the time. IPL and RF treatments utilize controlled light and heat to reduce dry eye inflammation and improve tear production. They are just a few of the tools we use to help you achieve clear and comfortable vision.
What is Dry Eye?
Dry eye is a common eye condition that occurs when your eyes don’t have enough tears to stay hydrated. This can happen in 2 ways:
- Aqueous deficiency dry eye is when your lacrimal glands don’t produce enough tears.
- Evaporative dry eye is usually caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), where the eyelid glands don’t secrete enough oil into the tears. This oil layer is crucial for preventing tear film evaporation.
Whatever type you’re dealing with, dry eye can feel like having sandpaper for eyelids, and it comes with a variety of charming symptoms that everyday life a little tougher. Here are some of the greatest hits of dry eye symptoms:
- Redness
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurred vision
- Eye fatigue
- A stinging or burning sensation
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses
Sometimes though, there might be no symptoms at all. Because dry eye can be asymptomatic, it’s best to visit your eye doctor for regular eye exams to catch eye health issues like dry eye.
If you’re searching for relief from dry eye, IPL (intense pulsed light) therapy and RF (radio frequency) treatment offer promising solutions.
IPL Therapy for Dry Eye
IPL therapy uses specific wavelengths of light to target and reduce the inflammation that contributes to dry eye. By emitting pulses of light, the treatment helps melt blockages that generate inflammation, allowing the tear glands to function better.
This treatment can address the root cause of most dry eye cases, meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which prevents the eye from quality tears. These low-quality tears can evaporate too fast, leaving your eyes without soothing hydration.
Interestingly, the light from IPL can also have aesthetic benefits, reducing the appearance of sun damage, age spots, and rosacea.
What to Expect During IPL Therapy
We’re proud to use InMode Lumecca IPL in a simple and patient-friendly process. Before we get started with any dry eye treatment, we thoroughly examine your condition to ensure IPL treatment is the right fit for you.
During the session, we’ll apply a cooling gel around your eyes to keep you comfortable and boost the effectiveness of the light pulses. You’ll also wear protective eyewear to keep your eyes safe from the light. The specialist will then use the handheld device to deliver gentle pulses of light to the skin around your eyelids.
Each session usually takes about 10–15 minutes, and while you might feel a warm sensation or slight discomfort, the therapy is generally well-tolerated.
After the treatment, it’s normal to notice some redness and sensitivity in the treated area, but these side effects typically fade within a few hours. Most patients need around 4 sessions, spaced a few weeks apart, to see results. Over the course of your treatments, you should see a gradual improvement in symptoms as inflammation decreases and meibomian gland function gets better.
RF Treatment for Dry Eye
RF treatment uses radiofrequency energy to stimulate collagen production and melt thick oil stuck in your meibomian glands. This technique involves delivering controlled heat to the targeted area, which can enhance oil secretion and stabilize the tear film, alleviating dry eye symptoms.
Much like IPL, RF technology has aesthetic benefits. It can encourage the natural healing processes, tightening skin and smoothing fine lines.
What to Expect During RF Treatment
RF treatment with InMode Forma-I is designed to be a straightforward experience for patients seeking relief from dry eye. This handheld device uses RF technology to precisely deliver heat into the deeper layers of the skin and meibomian glands.
We can follow up with a manual expression to help unclog the thickest secretion from your meibomian glands and stimulate natural tear production. We typically recommend undergoing several sessions, spaced a few weeks apart.
Benefits of IPL & RF Treatment
IPL and RF treatments are gentle, noninvasive, and can be highly beneficial for those suffering from dry eyes. If over-the-counter eye drops, ointments, and prescription medications haven’t provided satisfactory results, you may find success with these other treatments. They also aren’t mutually exclusive!
In fact, our comprehensive approach means we create a treatment plan suited to your unique needs. We can use IPL to reduce inflammation, RF to melt blockages, with some manual gland expression and eye drops to help you achieve lasting results.
Most people tolerate IPL and RF treatments well, and the procedures are typically quick and comfortable. Patients can usually resume their regular activities immediately afterward, so you can get on with your day bright-eyed.
Put Dry Eye in the Past
IPL and RF treatments can be game-changers for tackling dry eye symptoms. By targeting the root causes, these innovative solutions offer lasting relief and a better quality of life. If dry eyes are giving you grief, chat with our experts at Pack Optical to see how IPL and RF can save the day. If you’re ready for some eye-popping results, book a consultation with Pack Optical today and wave goodbye to dry eyes!
