IPL Treatment

Chicago Cornea Consultants™ offer cutting edge treatments for their patients including Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Treatment for dry-eye disease, eyelid inflammation, and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)

IPL Treatment for Dry Eye

Introducing real relief from dry, red, fatigued eyes caused by skin and eyelid inflammation.

Are you suffering from dry, red, tired, or burning eyes? It may be caused by eyelid inflammation. Affecting millions of Americans every year; over 85% of skin and eyelid inflammation patients also suffer from inflammatory ocular conditions, such as dry eyes.

Does the need for frequent eye drop use in an attempt to control your symptoms frustrate you?

Chicago Cornea Consultants™ is now offering a revolutionary treatment using IPL technology to eliminate the root cause of your dry, red, fatigued, and burning eyes that will also help your eyes feel calm and clear – while hoping to reduce your dependency on eye drops.

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How does IPL work?

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light, and is a light-based technology commonly used in dermatology for hair removal, treat acne, reduce redness, and improve the look of the skin, as well as treat rosacea and reduce telangiectasia (irregular blood vessels on the skin). Research has proven that IPL is also effective for reducing dry eye symptoms. IPL is now being used in eyecare to treat meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and dry eye disease.

eye

The tiny lacey blood vessels as seen by your eye doctor at the microscope are indicative of ocular inflammation.

eye

After a full series of IPL treatments, the blood vessels are gone and inflammation is improved.

During the procedure, calibrated light pulses penetrate the skin under the eye and cheek area from ear to ear and target the root cause of the inflammation. As the IPL treatment treats your overall skin appearance, your eyelid inflammation is treated and improved as well. IPL is effective, gentle, and safe. By delivering a targeted treatment, your doctor is not only able to offer symptom relief, but also slow the progression of your chronic dry eye condition.

person with severe rosacea

Severe rosacea, as seen here, causes the appearance of tiny vessels (telangiectasis) as well as a red flush to the cheeks, nose, and eyelid margins.

rosacea treatment results

Post-treatment, there is a dramatic improvement in skin tone, reduced redness, and many of the tiny vessels are gone.

older man kissing woman on the cheek while holding coffee cups

Treatment?

IPL treatment is for patients with moderate to severe dry eyes, especially those with blepharitis, ocular rosacea, or meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). The treatment helps to improve the health of the meibomian glands, which produce the oil layer that helps prevent the evaporation of the tear film. When this layer is unhealthy, the tears evaporate too fast and the tear film may become smeary and inflamed, leading to blurry or fluctuating vision, a burning feeling, discomfort, and redness of the eyes in many patients.

Preparation before the Procedure

Direct sunlight exposure and a sunless tan should be avoided a few days before any IPL session. The skin should be clean and free from cosmetics and moisturizers. Eye shields will be used during the procedure to protect your eyes from the bright light administered during treatment.

During the Procedure

You may experience a warm, tingling sensation as the light is applied to your skin. Ultrasound jelly is applied to the cheek region under the eye to help soothe the skin. Each session lasts approximately 15 minutes. Depending upon the severity of your condition, an additional procedure to remove the buildup of your meibomian glands, to accelerate your skin and eyelid healing process, may be recommended.

After the Procedure

You may experience some redness and mild irritation to the treated areas – this will usually disappear within a day. Most patients are able to resume their daily activities the same day and apply light makeup after the use of a moisturizer following the procedure. Direct sunlight exposure should be avoided for a few days following the treatment and sunscreen with >SPF-30 should be used on the treated area.

It may take at least 2-3 treatments before you feel improvement. You will notice an improvement in the appearance of the treated skin area. The number of treatments recommended, and the results will depend on the patient.

However, for optimal results, 4-5 sessions are typically recommended, with 3-4 weeks in between. No follow-ups are needed between sessions. Maintenance treatments, usually once every 6-12 months, are also recommended for optimal long-term results depending on the severity of the condition and oftentimes will be combined with other dry eye therapies. IPL treatment is not covered by medical insurance. If you suffer from the symptoms of dry eye and would like to see if you are a candidate for IPL, please call our office to schedule a consultation.