Dry Eye Treatment | Manhattan

DRY EYES

Dry Eyes

Dry eyes feel uncomfortable. It occurs when your tears are not able to provide adequate moisture for your eyes. Often there are many different symptoms that one may notice such as blurred vision, stinging, burning, itching, redness, sensitivity to light, or a gritty/scratchy feeling in the eye. Your dry eye symptoms often may be exacerbated in certain situations, such as on an airplane, in an air-conditioned room, while riding a bike, or after looking at a computer screen for a few hours.

Tears are needed to lubricate the eyes and to wash away particles and foreign objects. A healthy tear film on the eye is necessary for good vision. Dry eyes develop when the eye is unable to maintain a healthy coating of tears. The tear film can become inadequate for many reasons. In certain cases, one may not produce enough tears, while in others one may produce poor quality tears.

Dry Eye or MGD?

There are two forms of Dry Eye disease.

The most common form of Dry Eye is Evaporative Dry Eye, which affects 9 out of 10 (86%) of Dry Eye cases. This form results from a shortage of oil in your tears caused by a blockage in your eyelid (Meibomian) glands, leading tears to evaporate faster than normal. This lack of tear oil is often referred to as Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD).

Now, with the breakthrough IPL and RF dry eye treatment, it’s possible to directly treat the root cause of MGD.

If you’re like many people with Dry Eye symptoms, your condition is related to blocked meibomian glands and an inadequate protective layer of oils in your tears. Your tears are made up of three layers:

Common Symptoms of MGD

Burning
Dryness
Sensitivity to light
Blurred vision
Discomfort in windy or dry conditions

Your Evaluation

A series of evaluations will be performed to determine if you have MGD. You will have a LipiScan®, a form of gland imaging, to assess meibomian gland function. Knowing what is causing your Dry Eye will help your doctor determine the best treatment option.

Normal Eyelid (meibomian) Glands

Meibomian glands produce the oils needed for a healthy tear film

Gland (oil) Dropout

MGD occurs when the meibomian glands become blocked. If this blockage is left untreated the glands will drop out entirely.

IPL AND RF DRY EYE TREATMENT

VISION NYC is proud to offer the latest ground breaking, nonsurgical precision treatments for dry eyes:

• Forma-I: bipolar radiofrequency (RF)
• Lumecca-I: intense pulsed light (IPL)

Using small, precise applicators, we can perform these safe and highly efficacious procedures to improve your quality of life.

Forma-I Radiofrequency treatment (RF)

Forma Radiofrequency treatment (RF) uses Radio-Frequency energy to generate heat which is applied to the skin around the eyes. This heat stimulates collagen formation, bringing white blood cells, and stem cells to the skin around your eyes while reducing inflammation. This treatment aids in opening up clogged meibomian glands, allowing for improved tear production and secretion. RF is usually followed by a Meibomian Gland expression.

Lumecca-I Intense Pulse Light treatment (IPL)
Lumecca-I Intense Pulse Light treatment (IPL) works to control the inflammatory process and to stop the vicious cycle of inflammation and to reduce the need for medications. IPL treats ocular rosacea, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, and Inflammatory dry eye. It has been shown to decrease demodex and bacteria around the eyelids. The powerful bursts of light also close off blood vessels that release inflammation in ocular rosacea.

IPL and RF reverse the signs of aging by stimulating collagen production that smooth wrinkles and eliminate dark spots for younger looking eyes.

Before

After

Before

After

FAQs

WHAT IS FORMA-I?
This is an innovative nonsurgical procedure that delivers bipolar radiofrequency (RF) technology to smaller, more delicate subdermal layers. Designed with unprecedented safety, the small size applicator, precision RF depth control, and intelligent temperature monitoring, ensure a safe non-drug alternative.

HOW DOES FORMA-I WORK?
Forma-I feels like a warm massage in the eye area, improving blood circulation. The small size applicator and precision RF depth control allow for treatment in small and delicate areas.

WHAT IS LUMECCA-I?
Lumecca is the most powerful intense pulsed light (IPL) designed to treat pigmented and vascular lesions. Lumecca-I uses photothermolysis, which provides a photofacial through the delivery of a comfortable light treatment. IPL has been FDA approved for more than 15 years to remove superficial skin lesions.

HOW DOES LUMECCA-I WORK?
Lumecca-I creates tissue heating which helps to reduce inflammation. During treatment there will be a bright flash of light and a sensation on your skin that feels like a light snap from an elastic band. Redness and a slight warming of the skin are normal after treatment and usually subside within an hour.

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 treatments 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.

LIPIFLOW DRY EYE TREATMENT

Relief with LipiFlow

LipiFlow is a procedure designed to treat the root cause of Evaporative Dry Eye, blocked Meibomian glands. LipiFlow works by applying directed energy to the eyelid near the affected glands — precisely targeted warmth from the back of the eyelid, and slight pressure from the front.

LipiFlow treatment cross-section

The LipiFlow treatment can unblock glands, interrupt physical deterioration and, in most cases, provide symptom relief. This treatment is performed right in our office.

LipiFlow treatment

ALTERNATIVE DRY EYE TREATMENTS

Alternative Treatments

Dry eye usually occurs in people who are otherwise healthy, but becomes more prevalent as one ages. Other common causes of dry eyes include:

Dry environment or workplace (wind, air conditioning, heating duct)
Sun exposure
Smoking or second-hand smoke exposure
Cold or allergy medicines
Heat or chemical burns
Previous eye surgery
A rare autoimmune disorder, in which the glands that produce the tears are destroyed (Sjogren Syndrome)

Early detection and aggressive treatment of dry eye syndrome (DES), or keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), may help prevent corneal ulcers and scarring. We take dry eye very seriously and apply a large armamentarium of medications to treat dry eye syndrome. Other options may include punctual plugs or punctual cauterization. Lubricating supplements are the mainstay of treatment and most commonly used to treat DES. Agents that we often use with our dry eye patients include:

Artificial tear substitutes
Gels and ointments
Anti-inflammatory agents – Restasis, Xiidra, and Cequa
Tear-producing nasal spray – Tyrvaya
Omega-3 fatty acids
Topical or systemic tetracyclines
Autologous serum tears
Amniotic membrane contact lens
Systemic immunosuppressants

No two dry eye patients are the same, and therefore each patient warrants personal examination and treatment. Here at Vision NYC we formulate a unique treatment plan that will work best to make your eyes feel better.