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 truly effective treatments exist. Instead, they just live with the discomfort.

At Medical Optometry America, our doctors are internationally recognized thought leaders in the dry eye field and are here to help you. From developing leading-edge clinical guidelines and research to speaking nationally and internationally about dry eye, our doctors are at the forefront of the science behind the management of dry eye disease.  

You can see this commitment and dedication every day at Medical Optometry America. Our doctors bring decades of experience and offer the latest diagnostic and therapeutic technology to provide long-lasting relief to their patients. 

As part of our commitment to offer the very best in therapeutic options, we’re proud to offer OptiLight by Lumenis to our patients, specially designed for dry eye management.

What Is OptiLight by Lumenis?

OptiLight by Lumenis is a light-based, non-invasive treatment focused on the skin around 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
• Reducing blood vessels that contribute to inflammation
• Improving meibomian gland functionality

What to Expect 

Before Your Treatment

Before your treatment, we’ll perform a complete assessment of your eye health, family history, and any medications you’re taking that may inhibit you from being a good candidate for the OptiLight procedure. Once we’ve deemed it the appropriate procedure, we’ll book you in for an appointment. 

When you visit Medical Optometry America for your OptiLight appointment, please come with a clean face. We’ll ask you to avoid wearing makeup on the day of your procedure, and products including retinol and glycolic acid products for three days before. To promote the best results possible, we’ll also ask you to avoid significant sun exposure, tanning beds or spray tans leading up to your procedure. 

When you arrive, all you have to do is check in and our team will handle the rest. We’ll start with a comprehensive exam tailored to you and your individual dry eye needs. Our goal is always to find ways to improve your vision and comfort using an all-encompassing approach. 

During Your Treatment

This 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.

OptiLight is often followed by meibomian gland expression, depending on the needs of the patient.

After Your Treatment

After your treatment, we’ll take the time to answer any questions or concerns you may have, and go over post-procedure care instructions. To protect your skin after your procedure, it’s best to avoid UV exposure and wear high-quality sunscreen for at least a month after your appointment. 

Your comfort and vision are important to us, so we’ll always follow up with you after your procedure to ensure things are going well, and answer any additional questions that may have come up. Of course, we’re always here to help, so please feel free to contact us at any time.

Part of Your Custom Treatment Plan

A course of treatment typically includes 4 sessions spaced 2–4 weeks apart, but we will build a personalized plan that suits your exact dry eye needs.

Our team can suggest a number of treatment options to help you find relief. OptiLight treatments can be paired with additional dry eye management solutions, such as:

• Thermal pulsation
• Microexfoliation
• Amniotic membrane therapy
• Regenereyes
• Serum tears
• Punctal plugs
• Scleral lenses
• At-home heat masks 
• Ocular nutrition

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.