Dry eyes can be challenging to manage, and nobody wants to deal with that feeling of discomfort. The first step to finding relief is visiting your optometrist for a comprehensive eye exam to get to the bottom of your dry eye symptoms.
From there, your optometrist can discuss your symptoms and work on finding the best solution. Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy is a revolutionary treatment for dry eyes that may offer you relief. IPL treatments are usually administered once a month, and it may take up to 4 treatments for you to notice an improvement.
Let’s look at how IPL therapy helps with dry eye disease and how far apart IPL treatments for dry eyes should be.
How Dry Eye Affects You
Before we get to how IPL therapy can help, it’s important to explore how dry eye disease affects your eyes. At least 30% of Canadians deal with the uncomfortable effects of dry eyes, which can negatively impact your day-to-day life and productivity.
Some common signs and symptoms of dry eye disease include:
- Eye redness
- Blurred vision
- A gritty feeling in your eyes
- General discomfort
Dry eye disease is usually related to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). This disorder clogs the small glands in your eyelids that produce the oily outer layer of your tears.
Your tears are comprised of 3 layers:
- The oily outer layer
- The watery middle layer
- The inner mucus layer
Dry eye disease can occur if the glands that produce these elements in your tears become inflamed or don’t work properly. You may be at a greater risk for dry eyes if you:
- Are over 50, when tear production usually decreases
- Work in a dry, smoky, or windy environment
- Use digital screens without breaks
- Wear contact lenses
What You Need to Know About IPL Treatments
Dry eye disease is uncomfortable and disruptive, but it can also lead to long-term complications if not treated. So getting your comfort back is crucial to protecting your eye health. The good news is that intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy is an excellent option to help you find relief from dry eyes.
IPL therapy targets the source of dry eye disease rather than the individual symptoms. It works by applying light energy to the eyelid area to warm the meibomian glands, making it easier for your eye doctor to express the glands. It also directly addresses the inflammation that blocks your meibomian glands, providing longer-term relief.
This process improves the quality of your tear film, helping resolve your dry eye symptoms. Our team at Discover Eyecare uses the InMode Forma RF and InMode Lumecca IPL to help treat the root cause of your dry eyes.
InMode Forma RF
The InMode Forma RF is a skin and tissue remodeling tool equipped with a subdermal heating applicator. Forma applies radiofrequency (RF) signals to specific areas of the face, delivering non-invasive and pain-free treatment.
This machine can be used on your upper and lower eyelids to treat MGD, targeting the root cause of your dry eyes.
InMode Lumecca IPL
The InMode Lumecca IPL offers high-efficiency treatment with high peak power and optimized output.
Lumecca works like other IPL systems but streamlines your treatment schedule and allows for rejuvenation in 2–3 treatments for most patients thanks to its high pulse rate and large spot size.
How Far Apart IPL Treatments Should Be
Generally, IPL treatments are done monthly, and you may require up to 4 treatments, but your optometrist will recommend a schedule based on your needs. Depending on the severity of your dry eye symptoms, your optometrist may recommend fewer or more treatments.
Getting Relief from Dry Eyes
Dry eyes are a result of not having enough high-quality tears. You deserve comfortable vision, and IPL treatments can help you get the relief you need. The InMode Forma RF and InMode Lumecca IPL offer innovative therapies that target the root cause of dry eyes to improve your quality of life. Book an appointment at Discover Eyecare today to see if IPL therapy is right for you.
