Optilight- relief from dry eye – what to expect from a patient’s perspective

Since my late 40s, I found my eyes began to run water and itch.  I initially thought I had an eye infection and got antibiotic drops from my GP.  That had no effect.  Then on a recent trip to my  optician for reading glasses, I spoke to the optician about it and he suggested I had dry eye disease.

Apparently the glands under my eyes don’t work properly and don’t produce enough tears so I got some drops over the counter at the chemist- I tried every type of drop and they worked temporarily but it was a constant issue. A friend told me she heard of a new light treatment so I decided to look into it and opted to go to Progressive Vision as it was recommended by my optician.

My first trip to the clinic in Sandyford involved filling out a questionnaire followed by a chat with Eve who was so kind and informative.  Then she did an eye exam using a machine called Antares.  This machine measures tear break up time and was totally painless- it took just a few minutes.  The results indicated dry eye disease so I booked in for the recommended 4 sessions with two weeks between treatments.

My first treatment took about 20 minutes– Eve explained carefully what would happen.  I needed to take off my makeup first of all.  Eve then applied a cooling gel to the area around my eyes and covered my eyes with protective shields.

Optilight intense pulsed light (IPL) was applied to the skin around the eyes and light was directed into the skin – it was absolutely painless- sensation was like a torch going on and off.

Eve recommended avoiding direct sunlight for about 48 hours after my appointment. There was no redness after the treatment and several people commented that my eyes looked clearer and brighter.

Following my four OptiLight treatments, my dry eye symptoms have really eased.  Eyedrops were just masking the problem.  My eyes are clear now- not red, gritty or streaming water.  I’m delighted with the treatment- it was quick and painless and staff were very kind, especially Eve and Hannah.

-Niamh Crosbie, Kildare