Cutting-Edge Dry Eye Treatment
What is it?
IPL is Intense Pulsed Light, a technology used for various skin treatments. Lumenis Optima IPL revolutionary treatment gently and effectively treats your skin and eyelid inflammation with maximal safety, comfort and full customization to your skin type and condition.
Is It Safe?
Lumenis IPL is trusted by leading professionals around the world and is FDA cleared for over 20 different skin indications.
Lumenis energy-based treatments must be performed by a physician or an authorized provider in your region. Be sure to consult with your treatment provider before choosing this treatment.
How does IPL help treat dry eye and the root cause of MGD?
During treatment, the light absorbed generates heat in the dermal layer of the skin, which melts meibum secretions, breaks apart chalazions/styes, and helps open the meibomian glands, making it easier to express stagnant meibum from the glands.
What is expected during an IPL treatment?
- Treatment area is cleansed
- Topical anesthetic may be applied to the skin, depending on area to be treated
- Protective eye shield is placed on the patient
- A cooling gel is applied to the treatment area
- The smooth glass surface of the IPL hand piece is placed directly over the treatment area
- Gland expression may be necessary after the light treatment
- On average, the entire procedure takes approximately 15-20 minutes
Results and re-treatments of IPL
Although many people notice improvement in dry eye symptoms after their second treatment, it is highly recommended to have an initial series of 4 IPL treatments to be performed once every 3-4 weeks to help with long term success in treating both chronic dry eye disease and MGD. A 5th session will be performed at the six month mark. Stopping treatments after only 2 IPL sessions has been shown to cause a much more rapid regression of the disease process requiring more treatments in the long run.
It is important to remember to stop exfoliating the area to be treated, using self-tanners, avoid excess sun exposure or any RetinA products 1 week prior to treatment.
After the initial series of IPL treatments, most people will require only occasional maintenance treatments (usually once annually), depending on the severity of the condition.
Following the procedure you may experience temporary redness, swelling, tenderness, and/or temporary lightening or darkening of the skin, as well as periods of temporary dryness to the skin. It is extremely important to use sunscreen of SPF 30 or above immediately after the treatment as well as the days to follow.