Did You Know that Rosacea can affect your eyes?

Ocular rosacea is more than just a red-eye concern—it’s a condition that can impact your vision and daily life. In this blog, we’ll explore what ocular rosacea is, its symptoms, and solutions to find relief.

 

1. What is Ocular Rosacea? Ocular rosacea is a subtype of rosacea, a chronic skin condition that often affects the face. However, ocular rosacea specifically involves the eyes. Common symptoms include redness, dryness, burning, itching, and sensitivity to light.
2. The Link with Skin Rosacea: Ocular rosacea is often associated with skin rosacea, and both conditions share some common triggers. Flare-ups can be prompted by factors like stress, spicy foods, alcohol, and environmental elements.
3. Recognising Symptoms: Ocular rosacea is often under diagnosed. If you experience persistent redness, a gritty sensation, or changes in vision, don’t hesitate to consult Progressive Vision for a personalised assessment.
4. Treatment: Progressive Vision can offer you treatment with OptiLight, the only IPL with FDA approval.  OptiLight IPL targets inflammation, the root cause of Dry Eye Disease and Ocular Rosacea to give you relief from symptoms and improve ocular appearance.

How can OptiLight help with Ocular Rosacea and Dry Eye Disease?

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) therapy has been used for years in dermatology to treat many different skin conditions including age spots and wrinkles. Treatment includes the application of intense pulses of light to abnormal blood vessels in the skin.

 

 

What Is OptiLight IPL?

• OptiLight is a safe, gentle, and effective treatment to manage ocular rosacea and dry eye disease.
• This non-invasive procedure is the first and only FDA-approved intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment for dry eye management.
• OptiLight uses pulses of light precisely administered in the area below the eyes to reduce symptoms. This 10-15 minute procedure can relieve ocular rosacea symptoms.

 

Relief from ocular rosacea

Reduction of Redness: OptiLight IPL can target the blood vessels that contribute to redness in the skin, including the eye area affected by ocular rosacea. By coagulating blood vessels, IPL can reduce the overall redness and improve the appearance of the skin.

 

Anti-Inflammatory Effects: The heat generated during OptiLight IPL treatment may have anti-inflammatory effects, helping to alleviate some of the discomfort associated with ocular rosacea.

 

Improvement in Symptoms: OptiLight IPL therapy has been reported to improve symptoms such as burning, itching, and dryness associated with ocular rosacea.

 

What to Expect

If your eye doctor has recommended the OptiLight treatment, they will go over everything you can expect before, during, and after your appointment.

Preparing for Your Appointment

To prepare for your appointment you should avoid:

• Using skin brightening agents or serums for the week before your appointment
• Using tanning beds 1 month prior to your appointment
• Getting botox for at least 3 months before your appointment
• Taking oral isotretinoin, tetracycline, or doxycycline in the 3 months prior to your appointment

Standard courses of treatment take place over 4 sessions, about 2-4 weeks apart.  However, at Progressive Vision, we will create a personalised plan based on our patient’s individual needs.

OptiLight Treatment

This treatment is fast and simple, taking only 10–15 minutes. During your treatment your doctor will apply a cool gel on the treatment area and cover your eyes with shields to protect them.

As light is applied to the skin, you may experience a warm or a tapping sensation, but you shouldn’t feel any pain.

 

Post-Procedure Care

While side effects are uncommon, your eyes may feel slightly more dry or gritty for the day following your procedure. Following your treatment, your skin will be sensitive, so we recommend avoiding sun exposure and wearing sunscreen.

 

Am I a Good Candidate for OptiLight treatment?

During an eye exam, your eye doctor or Optometrist can determine whether or not it is the right option for you.  Our team is always here to help you find relief from dry eyes and ocular rosacea.

 

Request an appointment today to see how OptiLight can help you!

Progressive Vision, Unit 6, The Plaza, Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, Dublin 18

Phone: 01 213 5652  Email: info@progressivevision.ie  www.progressivevision.ie