What Is the OptiLight by Lumenis & How Can It Manage Your Dry Eye?

Dry eye disease is a widespread and common issue for up to 49 million Americans.

This chronic condition can have a significant impact on your quality of life, causing a foreign body sensation in your eyes, pain, blurry vision, and dry or watery eyes. Untreated, it can even lead to further eye health complications.

Despite these constant detrimental effects on quality of life, many dry eye sufferers are not aware that they’re suffering from dry eye disease or that real treatments exist. Instead, they just live with the discomfort.

Bidwell Optometry is committed to being your home of dry eye relief, so we’ve invested in a variety of diagnostic techniques and treatment technologies to bring you the comfort you deserve. Among our treatments is the FDA-approved intense pulsed-light treatment OptiLight by Lumenis.
We’re proud to offer OptiLight by Lumenis to our patients. To get the help you need, all you have to do is book your appointment today.

What Is OptiLight by Lumenis?
OptiLight by Lumenis is a light-based, non-invasive treatment done in the area below the eyes to manage dry eye. The first and only IPL FDA-approved for dry eye management.
The treatment is safe, gentle, and is backed by more than 20 clinical studies.

How Does It Work?
OptiLight uses precise pulses of light to reduce the inflammation that is typically associated with dry eye disease, improve tear break-up time, and increase meibomian gland functionality.
This application can significantly relieve dry eye indicators and has a multi-factorial effect, including:
●      Increasing tear break-up time
●      Reducing the amount of demodex mites and bacteria living around your eyes
●      Eliminating blood vessels that contribute to inflammation
●      Improving meibomian gland functionality

What to Expect Before Your Treatment:
Before we can perform your OptiLight treatment, we’ll first need to understand your dry eye symptoms and the issues causing them.
Using the information we gather through slit-lamp examination, and the answers you provide on our dry eye questionnaire, we’ll have a comprehensive understanding of your corneal health and tear film quality.
In many cases, dry eye affects the quality of your tear film. One of the most common causes is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which affects the oil content your tears use to prevent evaporation. We can also examine your meibomian glands, located on the margins of your eyelid, to determine if MGD is causing your symptoms.

Our team will discuss how you should prepare for your OptiLight treatment. Your doctor will list any creams, moisturizers, make up, and skin care products you’ll need to remove before your appointment, and you’ll have to avoid direct sun contact for a few days before coming in.

When you come in for your treatment, we’ll have you relax in our dry eye spa. Our team will prep you by:
●      Describing the treatment process again
●      Answer questions
●      Asking you to wash your face

Once you’re ready to start your treatment, we’ll apply an ultrasound gel to your face and place eye protection.
During Your TreatmentThis treatment is fast and simple. During the treatment your doctor will apply a coupling gel on the treatment area and cover your eyes with shields.  As light is applied to the skin, you may experience a warm sensation. The treatment is gentle with minimum discomfort. The treatment itself will only take 10–15 minutes.

After Your Treatment:
After your treatment, you might experience some redness, discomfort, or tingling around your treated areas, but these should dissolve after a few hours. If you have tanned or dark skin, you may notice some lightness to your treated skin, but this will also dissolve in a few hours.
We’ll ask you to avoid sun exposure for your entire treatment schedule, or wear SPF 30 sunscreen if you do plan to go outside. However, the treatment has no downtime and you should be able to go back to your regular routine right after your appointment!

Part of Your Custom Treatment Plan:
A course of treatment typically includes 4 sessions spaced 2–4 weeks apart. We may also perform a meibomian gland expression to help treat MGD-related issues.
If you need additional treatments, we can offer:
●      Prescription eye drops
●      Prescription nasal spray
●      Biologic eye drops with proteins and growth factors to support your eye health
●      Omega-3 supplements to support meibomian gland function
●      Warm compresses and in-office meibomian gland expression
●      Lid hygiene like cleansers and in-office scrub treatments
●      Punctal plug treatment

Will the OptiLight by Lumenis Work for Me?   
While OptiLight by Lumenis is an effective dry eye management solution, we want to make sure it’s right for you. We do not recommend this treatment if you:
●      Suffer from aqueous deficiency dry eye (rather than evaporative dry eye or meibomian gland dysfunction)
●      Have a history of keloid scarring
●      Have severe scarring around your eyes

​Ultimately, your doctor is the only person who can determine whether this option is right for you. During your next appointment, ask us if you are a good candidate for OptiLight by Lumenis.

You Don’t Have to Live With Dry Eye Anymore.
Dry, irritated eyes can be managed with a new treatment that brings comfort and can restore quality of life. Visit your eye doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan tailored to your needs.