Dry Eye Treatment with IPL The health of our eyes and their ability to see well depends on the cornea being wet. Tears form a thin film on the surface of the eye, keeping the eyes moist and helping to protect the eyes from external factors. If there are structural changes in tears or a decrease in the amount of tears, the moisture balance in the eyes is disrupted and a feeling of dryness occurs. In order to understand dry eye disease, it is necessary to first understand the structure of tears. Tears are the liquid layer that wets the surface of the eye. In fact, the tears secreted when we cry are not the tears that normally wet our eyes. Untreated dry eye can have serious effects on eye health, so it is important to follow the treatment methods recommended by your ophthalmologist to protect the health of your eyes. The most common cause of dry eyes is decreased tear production due to age. It causes dry eyes in women, especially after menopause.

What are the factors that cause dry eyes?

Rheumatological diseases,

Thyroid gland dysfunction,

Endocrinological diseases related to testosterone-estrogen imbalance,

Contact lens use,

Environmental factors, such as air conditioning, heaters, cigarette smoke, wind or dry air,

Long-term work with a computer or other illuminated screen devices,

Vitamin A deficiency,

Acne, depression, blood pressure medications,

Obstruction of the tear gland ducts and lid margin inflammation (blepharitis, meibomite).

What are the Symptoms of Dry Eye?

Eye sensitivity to wind and smoke,

Difficulty in using contact lenses,

String-like formations called 'secretion' in and around the eye,

Difficulty opening the eyes when we wake up in the morning,

Having difficulty driving at night,

Feeling of closing eyelids due to fatigue in the evening hours,

Stickiness or burrs on the eyelids,

Eye redness,

Blurred vision.

Dry Eye IPL Laser Treatment
IPL light (laser) therapy, used in the treatment of dry eyes, uses strong light waves to clean the hardened secretions that block the pores of the sebaceous glands. It also reduces enlarged veins and inflammation in this area, allowing the sebaceous glands to secrete more intensely. Thus, thanks to these effects, the sebaceous glands work better, eyelash root inflammation is taken under control, and the oil secretion covers the eye surface and prevents the tear water layer from evaporating. In the treatment of dry eye, treatment methods such as dressings, hot compresses, drops, and eyelash base gland cleaning have been recommended for a long time to open the eyelash base glands. Providing a faster and more comfortable treatment experience, IPL has opened a new era in dry eye treatment by responding to an important need.

How is IPL Treatment Applied?
There should be no make-up or contact lenses in the eyes during the procedure. Before the examination, the patient wears protective glasses and a laser is shot around the eyes. Then, for mask treatment, a light modulation mask is usually placed on the eye and the mask is removed after approximately 15 minutes.

The patient's vision may be blurred for a minute or two after the procedure. The procedure is usually completed by taking the patient to the examination room and massaging the eye to drain the softened tear glands. Thanks to the method, Blepharitis, Post-Blepharoplasty, Chalazion, Demodex, Stye, Ocular Rosacea problems can also be solved. In order to ensure the permanence of dry eye treatments;

Care should be taken to drink plenty of fluids,

The room you are in should be humidified,

The use of digital screens should be limited,

Routine eye examinations should not be interrupted.

Difference of Dry Eye IPL Laser Treatment from Other Dry Eye Treatments
Classic dry eye treatment depends on artificial tear drops. Most of these drops contain the water layer of the tear. When the main deficiency is in the oil layer, the drop evaporates in half an hour and its effect disappears. These drops are solutions that provide a temporary feeling of well-being rather than a treatment.
The quality of life of people who have to use drops 5-10 times a day decreases.
IPL treatment and light modulation mask application are the only treatments today that can provide a permanent solution to eye dryness and reduce the need for drops by improving the quality of the tear oil layer.

Dry Eye Treatment Light Modulation Mask
Thanks to the light of different wavelengths applied to the lower and upper eyelids, the sebaceous glands are heated deeply, making their work easier, and the secretion quality is increased by increasing intracellular energy production. This method is called photobiomodulation or LLLT treatment. It is applied immediately after the IPL treatment and strengthens the effect of the IPL treatment. It is a unique, completely painless photobiomodulation technology used in various fields of medicine (e.g. dermatology, dentistry).

What benefits do IPL light (laser) therapy and light modulation mask application provide in the long term?
This treatment not only relieves dry eye complaints in the short term. By preventing the destruction of the oil glands at the base of the eyelashes, it also prevents chronic meibomian gland loss, which causes very serious dry eye symptoms in the long term, and constitutes a preventive treatment. In the studies, 86% of the patients who received this treatment experienced relief. The treatment effect lasts up to 29 months, not less than 6 months. No complications or undesirable effects of IPL and dry eye modulation therapy have been reported. It is a very safe treatment method.