How OptiLIGHT Therapy Helps Heal Dry Eye

Most people don’t think much about the tears that their eyes make. But if you live with dry eyes, they’re likely on your mind quite a bit. Insufficient moisture in your eyes can cause a gritty sensation, stinging, blurred vision, noticeably red eyes, and a whole host of other problems. 

If that sounds familiar, come see Elaine Phuah, DO, MBA, FACOI, at Hanami Medspa in Fort Worth, Texas. If your dry eyes are due to a problem with your oil glands, she can use OptiLIGHT to help correct the issue.

How OptiLIGHT works for dry eye disease

You might not be familiar with OptiLIGHT, but you may be familiar with the technology behind it. This dry eye treatment uses intense pulsed light (IPL). That’s the same technology behind photofacials, which use IPL to improve skin tone and texture.

OptiLIGHT harnesses the same energy but uses it in a different way. With the specialized handpiece, Dr. Phuah can direct pulses of light into your eye. This works to encourage better hydration in your eyes by addressing problems with your meibomian glands. 

These are the glands near your eyes that produce oil to add to your tears. Without enough oil, your tears evaporate too quickly, leaving you with dry eyes. In fact, meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a leading cause of dry eye disease. 

OptiLIGHT targets and destroys faulty blood vessels around your meibomian glands while reducing inflammation. This helps the gland perform better, adding more oil to your tears. And that helps to reduce dry eyes.

IPL is a relatively new treatment for dry eye, but studies have already found that it’s safe and effective. 

Deciding if OptiLIGHT is right for you

Consider OptiLight if you’ve tried more conservative treatments, like eyedrops, and still haven’t found relief. OptiLIGHT is FDA-cleared to treat dry eyes caused by meibomian gland dysfunction.  That means you’re a good candidate for this procedure if your eye doctor has told you that you have MGD. 

To decide whether OptiLIGHT is right for you, it helps to know what to expect. Let’s walk through the process. 

Usually, Dr. Phuah recommends four treatments spaced 2-4 weeks apart. 

At each appointment, we place a shield over your eyes, then apply a thin layer of gel to your eyelids and the area around your eyes. Next, Dr. Phuah uses the OptiLight handpiece to direct the IPL into the skin underneath your eyes. It should be mildly uncomfortable at most. 

In total, each treatment usually takes 30 minutes or less. You can go back to your day immediately afterward. The only recovery protocol is that you need to protect the treated area from the sun for a few days. 

One noticeable benefit is needing to use less lubricating eye drops, which in turn saves money over the long run. 

If you’re living with dry eyes, schedule some time with Dr. Phuah to see if OptiLIGHT could bring you relief. Call our team at Hanami Medspa or make your appointment online today.