Matossian Eye Associates offers the latest and most technologically advanced treatments for Dry Eye Disease. Since there are many causes for dry eye, there are many treatments necessary to reduce and/or eliminate the symptoms. We are pleased to be a Dry Eye Center of Excellence, offering state of the art technology and experience in the treatment of dry eye disease.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Treatment
If you’ve been suffering from dry eye syndrome, ocular surface disease, or meibomian gland dysfunction, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy could be right for you. IPL therapy used to only be a treatment option for skin rejuvenation. Now IPL technology can be used to treat dry eye syndrome. Matossian Eye Associates is proud to offer IPL therapy in our Doylestown, PA and Hopewell NJ locations.
What is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)?
Meibomian glands are found in your upper and lower eyelids. On average, there are about 25 to 40 meibomian glands in the upper eyelid and 20 to 30 in the lower eyelid. These glands secrete oils that help your tears from evaporating too quickly. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) occurs when there is a blockage or other abnormality. When left untreated, MGD leads to dry eye and other eye dysfunctions. Meibomian gland dysfunction is often the main cause of dry eye syndrome. If you are 40 years of age or older, your chances of developing meibomian gland dysfunction increase greatly.
Am I a Candidate for IPL if I have MGD?
There are natural remedies and eye drops that sometimes work for patients experiencing dry eye symptoms. If you’ve tried these methods and have not experienced relief, you may be a candidate for IPL therapy. Intense Pulsed Light therapy has been proven to relieve MGD and dry eye symptoms. IPL works because it treats the root cause of ocular surface issues like meibomian gland dysfunction. For patients with MGD, they may suffer from inflammation of the eyelids, as well as inflammatory skin diseases. IPL is good for treating both skin and eyelid inflammation. Schedule an appointment at Matossian Eye Associates today to get an evaluation and find out if you’re a good candidate!
What is IPL?
Matossian Eye Associates is now offering IPL Therapy with Lumenis M22 through our accredited Dry Eye Center of Excellence. IPL treatment is an in office procedure and takes only a few minutes to perform. Your eye doctor will apply brief, powerful bursts of light at specific wavelengths to the lower eyelid area. IPL works by closing the blood vessels that secrete the proteins responsible for chronic inflammation and damage the Meibomian glands. IPL therapy is a great option for those suffering from dry eyes who have not experienced relief from other treatments. We recommend patients who move forward with Lumenis IPL therapy start with four treatments. These will take place over the course of four months to get secretions thin and working properly. Once the gland normalizes, maintenance treatments are only needed a couple of times per year.
How do I Know if Lumenis IPL Therapy is Right for Me?
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, Lumenis IPL therapy could be a good fit for you:
- Scratchy feeling
- Blurry vision
- Stinging or burning sensation
- Contact lens discomfort
- Eye pain
- Redness
- Excessive tearing
- Mucus buildup around the eye
Once you set up an appointment with our experts, we will conduct a careful evaluation. If you have any questions about dry eye or IPL therapy, please schedule an appointment at Matossian Eye Associates.
LipiFlow
LipiFlow® is a pain-free, in-office treatment to address the root cause of evaporative Dye Eye Disease. This 12 minute, very safe procedure heats the thickened oils within the meibomian glands from the inside of the eyelid, then, gently unplugs the blocked meibomian glands to clear the impacted material. Over 400,000 treatments have been performed globally to date. Opening and clearing these blocked glands will allow them to resume their natural production of lipids (oils) needed for a healthy tear film.
How does LipiFlow Work?
A disposable activator is placed on each eyelid by a highly skilled lid hygienist, a technician or an eye physician. Numbing drops are instilled to ensure comfort during the treatment. The eye pieces use a patented technology to deliver a precise level of heat that is applied to the inner eyelid with pulsed pressure to unblock the meibomian glands. This thermal pulsation system not only unclogs the glands but also encourages them to resume their natural production of the lipids needed for healthy tears. Normal activities can be resumed immediately after the procedure including driving. There is no down time after the procedure.
Is LipiFlow Safe?
The single-use sterile activators are opened in front of the patient and inserted into each eye. They are discarded immediately after use. The built-in sensors ensure a safe, sterile treatment. The process is very soothing (likened to a spa treatment for the eyes) and lasts exactly 12 minutes. This treatment is usually recommended once a year. LipiFlow®, by Johnson and Johnson, is an FDA-cleared thermal pulsation treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction.
How to Schedule a LipiFlow Treatment?
If you have Meibomian Gland Disease (MGD) and suffer from Dry eyes, please call the office to make a dry eye evaluation appointment. Matossian Eye Associates is excited to be among a select group of practices to offer LipiFlow as a treatment option for MGD. You are encouraged to schedule a dry eye consultation to determine if this procedure is right for you!