Specialized and Primary Optometric Eye Care
What is Dry Eye Syndrome?
Symptoms of Dry Eye include red, gritty and irritated eyes that may water, itch or burn. If this sounds familiar to you, you may be suffering from Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). MGD is the most common type of dry eye and occurs when your Meibomian glands that produce oil get blocked or the oil is too thick or of poor quality—leading to tears evaporating quickly and drying out your eyes, which is exacerbated by our dry Colorado climate. When left untreated, MGD can result in decreased functionality and permanent loss of oil glands. Therefore, the goal of treatment is to unblock the Meibomian glands, ultimately helping to restore healthy tear film and prevent gland loss.
Meibomian gland loss is non-reversible and permanent.
Radiofrequency(RF) and Intense Pulse Light(IPL) therapy are nonsurgical, energy-based dry eye treatment systems focused on treating dry eye that may result from aging, hormonal changes, environmental conditions, UV exposure, and excessive screen usage. The treatments are quick, safe, and carefully tailored to your specific eye needs without annoying medication or prolonged recovery times. The treatments are aimed to restore the meibomian gland function and improve your symptoms.
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What is Radiofrequency (RF)?
Radiofrequency (RF) is an innovative and safe dry eye treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to deliver a non-invasive heat treatment to the eyes. RF has been shown to stimulate the oil glands in the eyelids which improves the quality of the tear film and alleviates dry eye symptoms. The heat further stimulates collagen formation, bringing white blood cells, and stem cells to the skin around your eyes while reducing inflammation.
RF works by delivering radiofrequency energy to the obstructed Meibomian glands, allowing for free-flowing oil production and preventing the rapid evaporation of your tears that result in dry eye symptoms. The pressure from the applicator further allows the oils to be expressed. This treatment is ideal for those looking for immediate results as it can be performed as a stand-alone treatment or can be paired with Intense Pulsed Light therapy (IPL) to further combat dry eye symptoms.
Benefits of Radiofrequency
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Immediate improvements of your dry eye symptoms
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Safe, comfortable and painless
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Quick, non-invasive with no downtime
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Tailored treatment to your specific need
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Bonus aesthetic benefits including reduced wrinkles,
crow’s feet and fine lines and tightened skin
What is Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)?
Intense Pulsed light (IPL) to deliver a comfortable light treatment that has been approved as an effective treatment for dry eye, blepharitis and ocular rosacea. IPL has further been shown to decrease demodex (eye mites) and blepharitis (bacteria around the eyelids).
IPL technology works in the treatment of dry eye by stimulating the facial tissue through controlled light pulses that target blood vessels and pigmented lesions. This results in a significant reduction of inflammatory levels along the eyelid margin. The light energy, wavelengths, pulse rate and duration can be adjusted to meet each patient’s severity of dry eye.
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Benefits of Intense Pulsed Therapy:
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Decrease in dry eye symptoms and ocular rosacea
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Reduced abnormal blood vessels to alleviate inflammation
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Safe, quick, in-office procedure
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Same day recovery, slight redness for up to an hour
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Tailored treatment to your specific needs
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Bonus aesthetic benefits including decreased redness,
sun spots and hyperpigmentation
FAQs
HOW MANY SESSIONS ARE RECOMMENDED? Your provider will recommend the ideal number of sessions to be performed based on your personal condition. Most people need 3-4 treatment sessions to get the full benefit. Maintenance treatments are recommended to be done once a year after the initial 3-4 treatments. Treatment times and frequency will be specifically tailored to obtain the optimal results.
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HOW LONG DOES EACH TREATMENT TAKE? Each treatment takes about 45-60 minutes and is performed in our office.
WHAT KIND OF PRE-PROCEDURE CARE IS REQUIRED? There are no specific pre-treatment requirements. However, your doctor may ask you to stop using certain medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and Accutane, before the treatment.
WHAT KIND OF POST-PROCEDURE CARE IS REQUIRED? Most patients do not experience any side effects and any skin reactions such as mild redness and swelling typically resolves within a few hours. There is no recovery period or downtime associated with these procedures.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT? All treatments are performed right in your physician’s office. As a result, there is no general anesthesia, no incisions, or downtime that is associated with excisional interventions. Most clients find the treatment very comfortable. Your provider will discuss in detail with you the specifics of your customized treatment plan and how it will address your individual condition
HOW SAFE ARE THESE TREATMENTS? These treatments are recommended for patients who are seeking non-invasive procedures to address their symptoms. The small size applicators allow for treatment in small and delicate areas. These are very safe and effective procedures that can be used on all skin types and skin tones.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RADIOFREQUENCY/INTENSE PULSED LIGHT THERARPY AND OTHER DRY EYE TREATMENTS? It is a non-surgical treatment that uses heat and light energy to improve tear production and relieve dry eye symptoms. Other dry eye treatments, such as artificial tears and prescription eye drops, can help relieve dry eye symptoms, but they do not address the root cause of dry eye, which is meibomian gland dysfunction.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SEE RESULTS FROM ENVISION BY INMODE? Most people start to see results within a few days of the treatment. However, it may take several weeks to see the full benefits of the treatment.
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Check out the Research Data
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