Do your eyes suffer from redness, dryness, scratchiness, blurred vision, burning, or sandy sensation? You might have dry eye syndrome. Dry eye syndrome is caused by insufficient or poor-quality tears. Dry eyes can be uncomfortable and even painful at times, especially in severe cases. Thankfully, there’s a therapy for this.
Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy to treat dry eye syndrome. The Cleveland Eye Clinic is here to give you an overview of IPL therapy to better help you determine if this treatment is the right solution for you.
Understanding Dry Eyes
Dry eyes can be caused by a deficiency in the oil layer of the tear film which is made in the meibomian glands. The deficiency in this gland causes the tears to dry up too quickly, making the eye surface dry and also possibly causing inflammation. It’s common for individuals to have dry eyes or experience symptoms synonymous with dry eyes. The failure to produce that oily layer is specifically known as meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
Here are some of the factors that cause dry eyes and inflammation: 
- Being in a smokey, windy, or very dry climate
- Using contact lenses for a long time
- Having refractive eye surgery
- Certain medications for heartburn, allergies, sleeping, high blood pressure, heart problems, and anxiety or depression
- Aging
The eye symptoms that can result from dry eyes include:
- Dryness
- Inflammation
- Redness
- Scratchiness
- Blurred vision
- Burning or sandy sensation
What is Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)?
IPL is a light therapy that has been commonly used for various skin conditions. Studies have shown that IPL is a helpful resource for treating moderate to severe cases of chronic dry eye disease.
How IPL Works for Dry Eye Treatment
IPL laser for dry eye works by treating the red blood vessels around the eye, reducing inflammation and redness. It can also potentially eliminate harmful bacteria and microorganisms that live on the eyelids and eyelashes. IPL provides long-term success in treating inflammation for dry eyes.
The IPL Process for Dry Eye Treatment
Eye shields are placed to protect the eyes. Next, a thin layer of cooling gel is applied to the treatment area.
The pulses of light will then be administered from a handpiece. Patients may experience a slight tingling or snapping sensation during this part of the treatment. The treated area can appear flushed and red shortly after the treatment.
How Many Treatments Are Needed?
While some patients may see improvements after their first or second IPL treatment for dry eyes, it is recommended to undergo a series of four treatments. These treatments typically occur at 2-week to 1-month intervals with the series completed within four months of each other to achieve the best results.
With multiple treatments, the long-term benefits that help in treating dry eyes begin to show.
What Are the Risks of IPL Treatment?
While IPL treatment has been administered safely over time, there are still some risks for side effects. Possible side effects include:
- Skin discoloration
- Infection
- Pain
- Scarring
- Burns
- Corneal abrasion
- Eye irritation
- Allergic reaction to the topical agents used
- Inability to treat the condition
And much like any other procedure done to the eyes or around them, loss of vision is a possibility. However, IPL treatments that have been used with eye shields have seen no eye injuries or loss of vision reported.
Who is a Candidate for IPL Treatment?
IPL treatment is best suited for individuals with dry eye syndrome, inflammation, ocular rosacea, or those who have seen little or no improvement with other treatment methods or medications.
What to Expect Before, During, and After Your IPL Treatment
To have a better understanding of what your IPL treatment will look like, it’s important to cover the before, during, and after of the treatment.
Here is what you can expect from the three stages of your IPL treatment:
Before Treatment
First, avoid extended periods of sun exposure for 3-4 weeks before treatments. This includes using tanning beds and tanning lotions. Then, you’ll want to stop using any products containing Retin-A, retinol, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic/salicylic acids, astringents, or Vitamin C for one week before the treatment. Notify Cleveland Eye Clinic if anything changes in your health history or medications before each session of your IPL treatments.
During Treatment
On the day of your treatment, please arrive with a clean face; no creams or make-up should be applied to the treatment area. Your face will be cleaned with a micellar wipe beforehand as well. Pre-photos may be taken for documentation.
For the treatment portion, an eyeshield or protective goggles will be placed over your eyes and a coupling gel will be applied to your face.
Each session of IPL treatment will have five treatment pulses applied below each lower eyelid.
During the treatment, your eyes will be protected but you will see a bright flash of light with each recurring pulse from the device.
After Treatment
Post-treatment, your skin may be sensitive and experience warmness, redness, or swelling. These symptoms can resolve within hours to three days after the treatment is finished. This feeling is often compared to feeling a sunburn. It’s okay to use aloe vera, Aquaphor, or a cold washcloth for cooling. It’s also common for sun spots and age spots to darken, crust, or flake, but it’s important to not pick, rub, scrub, or exfoliate while healing.
Avoid hot showers and baths; only use cool to warm water to cleanse the area. Stay away from saunas and hot tubes until the area is fully healed. Make-up can only be applied to the area if the treated area isn’t broken, irritated, or inflamed. Avoid sun exposure for the first 48 hours.
Make sure to also apply sunblock with SPF 30 or higher daily afterward and avoid extended sun exposure for four weeks after the treatment.
Schedule a Consultation
Looking for IPL for dry eyes? Schedule a consultation today with Cleveland Eye Clinic by visiting our contact page and using our easy-to-access online scheduler.
