OptiLight® Treatment – Belmont, MA

What is OptiLight®?

OptiLight® is a light-based treatment that focuses on the area below the eyes. It is a non-invasive solution for dry eye that has been approved by the FDA, and over 20 clinical studies have shown it to be a very safe and gentle procedure. It’s specifically meant to treat meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), one of the most common causes of dry eye. MGD can prevent your eyes from producing the quality tears they need to stay moist, but OptiLight® gives us a way to resolve the problem so that your body can produce tears normally again.

How Does OptiLight® Work?

The treatment is used to reduce the inflammation caused by MGD and help the meibomian glands responsible for producing tears function normally again. Precise pulses of light are focused on the area under your eyes, targeting the problem near its source. This has a number of benefits:

• It helps tears last longer on the eye between blinks.
• It gets rid of many of the blood vessels that were contributing to inflammation.
• It lets the meibomian glands secrete the oils needed for quality tears.
• It helps get rid of some of the harmful bacteria living around the eyes.

What to Expect

You’ll be told to limit the amount of sun exposure your face gets for about a week before your OptiLight® treatment. On the actual day of the treatment, a special gel is applied to the area in question, and your eyes are covered with shields. A special light will be directed at the skin for a specific amount of time, during which you may notice some warmth but otherwise will experience little to no discomfort. The treatment usually lasts around 10 to 15 minutes and is often followed up with meibomian gland expression to encourage the glands to start producing the oils needed for tears. The skin will be sensitive for a while, so plan to wear sunscreen on your face for up to 2 weeks after the treatment.