Most advanced treatment for dry eyes

We are proud to offer the most advanced treatment available for patients who suffer from Dry Eyes.  If you have experienced the painful burning, stinging, and grittiness of dry eye, ask one of our doctors about our new RF and IPL dry eye treatments.  These are performed in the comfort of our office and many patients comment that it feels like a spa treatment.  As a bonus, there are some great aesthetic benefits that happen as well: reducing dark spots, reducing wrinkles, and tightening the skin around the eyes.

Treating Dry Eye

When we think about moisture in the eyes, we often associate that with water, but your eyes require more than just saline and H2O to stay healthy. The meibomian glands, located at the edge of the eyelid, are responsible for releasing the oil that blends with tears. This creates a thicker, more consistent moisture level that relieves the painful and irritating symptoms of dry eye.

For many people with dry eyes, these glands can become clogged for various reasons.  Often over the counter treatments don’t offer lasting relief.  You may find that lubricating drops and hot compresses either no longer work to relieve your dry eyes or offer shorter and shorter periods of relief.  This is a sign that you may need a more effective, lasting treatment; one that can better target the underlying cause of dry eyes.

Intense Pulse Light (IPL) Therapy for Dry Eyes

Intense Pulse Light (IPL) Therapy is another way to target the meibomian gland dysfunction that can contribute to dry eyes.  With this treatment, a laser wand is used to employ intense flashes of light that work to heat the meibomian glands to both help release oil and address inflammation in the surrounding tissues.   This treatment takes about 10 minutes in our office and can be done in conjunction with an RF treatment to get the most benefit. This treatment has an added aesthetic benefit of also treating rosacea, ocular rosacea, and dark spots.  When using this treatment in our office, you have the option of adding on a facial treatment to get the most out of the aesthetic benefits. 

Which is better, RF or IPL?

These two treatments target the underlying causes of dry eye in different ways.  They can be used separately or together depending on the issues you are experiencing.  If you have dry eyes, talk with one of our doctors and they can recommend the best treatment options for you.  If you are unsure if your symptoms are caused by dry eyes, you can take our short dry eye questionnaire and call our office to schedule an appointment for a dry eye consultation. 

What happens during a dry eye consultation?

A dry eye consultation can happen either on its own or in conjunction with your regular eye exam.  When determining the causes of your dry eye symptoms your doctor will assess the quality of your tear film as well as the health and stability of your meibomian glands.  Through the use of a meibographer, the doctor is able to see images of what is happening with your glands beneath the surface of your skin.  From there your doctor will recommend the best course of treatment for you.