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If you are suffering from itchy, watery, red, irritated eyes, you may have a condition called dry eye. Often, the cause of dry eye is meibomian gland dysfunction or evaporative dry eye. These are oil glands in the eyelids that make up an important part of your tears. Blockage or inflammation of these oil glands can prevent them from functioning properly, leading to irritation and poor quality tears. Ultimately this results in discomfort, inflammation and even bacterial infection. It is estimated that 80% of people have this form of dry eye.
An effective treatment method may be Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy. Originally used to treat rosacea, IPL decreases inflammation and opens the eye glands. The process involves the application of warm light pulses near the eyelid glands. The light is absorbed by the blood vessels, heat is generated and the glands open to allow fluids to flow freely.
During each 15-minute treatment, a gel is applied to your face in the areas around your eyes and protective pads are placed over your eyes. The IPL treatment is gentle and comfortable for most patients. For maximum effects, you may benefit the most after 3 treatments, 1 month apart and then additional treatments as needed to maintain your results.
It is normal to experience temporary redness around the eyes for a few hours after treatment. We recommend that you avoid direct sunlight for a few days after your treatment and frequently apply sunscreen.
Occasionally, 20% of patients suffer from aqueous dry eye but may still benefit from an IPL treatment as well.
Not everyone is a good candidate for IPL treatment. Our doctors can assess your condition and let you know if this might be an effective treatment for you.
To learn more about IPL treatment in Harrisburg or to find out if you have dry eye, contact us today to schedule an eye exam.
