Eye-Light

We had been running a dry eye service at the practice since 2015, and we had got to the stage where we were looking to invest in technology to improve our offering. Bringing in an intense pulsed light (IPL) device had been on the agenda for a couple of years and there were a lot of suggestions that dual light therapy would be a smart move, so we started exploring this.

The TFOS DEWS III Management & Therapy Report was released around this time, which recognises light-based therapy such as low-level light therapy (LLLT) and IPL, and Eye-light specifically, among the key interventions to manage dry eye disease.

For the practice, one of the biggest draws for Eye-light was that it would allow us to offer dual light therapy as part of the service.

It has since helped many patients, including some who had reached the end of their tether with persistent dry eye symptoms. While we had done everything possible up to that point, including home therapies and in-practice treatments, they still weren’t experiencing the relief they had hoped for. Introducing this technology has transformed the way we care for our dry eye patients.

Offering dry eye relief for patients

As a clinician, it’s incredibly rewarding to be able to offer a treatment option that makes such a meaningful difference, improving patients’ comfort and, ultimately, their quality of life.

An example that stands out for me was a female patient in her 70s. We’d been helping her navigate her dry eye journey for the two years leading up to her cataract surgery. She’d been following all the relevant at-home therapies, as well as receiving in-practice eyelid cleaning, but she continued to have chronic symptoms with very thick meibomian gland oils. She was the perfect candidate for the Eye-Light therapy when we introduced it in practice, and subsequently underwent the course of sessions we recommended for her. We performed LLLT therapy, using a combination of blue and red masks, as there was clearly a bacterial element to her condition.

It was amazing to see the results as her meibum became much less viscous and was expressing far more freely. From my perspective as a clinician, I was delighted. The day-to-day comfort she experienced in the run up to her cataract surgery and the speed of recovery afterwards was pleasing to see too.

As a long-standing meibomian gland dysfunction patient, I’ve also had the treatment. For me, one of the biggest benefits has been addressing the inflammatory component of the condition. On bad days, if I’ve slept poorly or been unwell, my eyes can feel very inflamed and dry. Undergoing dual light therapy myself has certainly made a difference – my bad days are far less severe than they used to be, and I have far fewer of them, so my day-to-day experience of dry eye is much more comfortable now.

Patient education

To date we’ve not proactively marketed the technology, but have spoken to our existing patient base about it. Every time we see a patient for a routine examination, if we feel they’re a candidate, we’ll have a conversation.

We explain the value of preserving the function of the glands and preventing further loss. If glands are lost, they can’t be recovered, but we can still use the therapy to help manage the patient's symptoms. Helping patients make a decision by understanding the bigger picture is really important.

We take scans and images to help educate patients. Being able to share these and show patients how we expect the management to help, is really beneficial. I also find it helps to show my own before-and-after images too.

Patient selection is important and it’s very important to manage expectations. Some people notice benefits after the first appointment, some people can actually feel like it gets worse and then notice a meaningful improvement after session two. It really depends where they are with their dry eye situation. The majority of patients I have treated have reported a meaningful difference by the third session.

Aside from the benefits to patient care, it’s a great way to build your practice, reputationally and as an additional revenue stream. We’ve found Eye-Light to be easy to explain, easy to use, and instrumental in helping us provide science-backed care for patients.