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Advanced Medical Dry Eye Treatments: OptiLight and iLux

October 13, 2023 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

Dry eye disease is becoming increasingly common, affecting millions of people worldwide. This chronic condition can significantly impact your life, sometimes making even the smallest of tasks seem difficult. If you have eye pain, blurry vision, and dry or watery eyes, it could be a sign that you have dry eye disease. But don’t worry! With an in-depth eye exam, our team can assess your vision and eye health to get you the treatment you need.

Although we do already offer an array of in-office and at-home treatments for dry eye syndrome, OptiLight by Lumenis and Systane^® iLux^® can help manage your dry eye symptoms and get you back to seeing clearly and comfortably. Keep reading to learn more about OptiLight and iLux and how they can improve your life.

What Is Dry Eye Disease?

Dry eye disease is a common eye condition that occurs when there is an issue with any one of the three components of your tears. Your tears are made up of 3 distinct layers, all of which work together to keep your eyes healthy:

The oily layer prevents your tears from evaporating too quickly
The watery layer delivers nutrients to your eyes
The mucus layer keeps your tear film stuck to the surface of your eyes

What are the 2 Types of Dry Eye Disease?

Evaporative Dry Eye (EDE)

EDE is the most common type of dry eye disease. This type of dry eye occurs when you lack the proper amount of oil in your tears. When this happens, your tears can evaporate too quickly,

drying out your eyes.

In some cases, EDE can be caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), a disorder where the meibomian glands in your eyes become blocked, limiting the amount of oil being produced for your tears.

Aqueous Tear Deficiency (ATD)

If you suffer from ATD, your eyes lack the aqueous layer in your tears. This means that your eyes aren’t producing enough tears to keep the eye moist, which can lead to irritating and uncomfortable symptoms.

What are the Symptoms of Dry Eye Disease?

If you are suffering from dry eye disease, you may notice any of the following symptoms:

A burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes
Stringy mucus in or around your eyes
Irritated or overly-watery eyes
Sensitivity to light or photophobia
Eye redness, blurred vision, or eye fatigue
A sensation of having something in your eyes
Difficulty wearing contact lenses

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, book an appointment with your eye doctor to receive a dry eye disease diagnosis and get the treatment you need.

What Is OptiLight by Lumenis?

OptiLight by Lumenis is a safe, gentle, and effective treatment done to manage 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 dry eye symptoms. This 10-15 minute procedure can relieve dry eye symptoms by:

Increasing tear break-up time
Reducing the amount of demodex mites and bacteria around your eyes
Decreasing inflammation
Improving meibomian gland functionality

Not only will it give you dry eye relief, OptiLight treatments makes you feel better and look better, reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

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. Your doctor will recommend a series of 4 treatments followed by an iLux treatment for optimal results.

The OptiLight 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.

What is Systane^® iLux^®?

iLux is the world’s first meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) thermal pulsation system. Through the use of a handheld device, iLux uses gentle heat and pressure to remove oil blockages in these glands, all in a minimally invasive treatment process that takes less than 15 minutes.

Pairing the use of OptiLight and iLux, we can ensure reduction in dry eye symptoms long-term. Based on your specific case, your doctor may recommend maintenance treatments on a bi-yearly basis.

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 long-term sun exposure for 6 weeks 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

Post-Procedure Care

While side effects are uncommon, your eyes may feel slightly more dry or gritty for the day following your procedure. If you do experience dry eyes, you can use preservative-free artificial tears. Following your treatment, your skin will be sensitive, so we recommend avoiding sun exposure and wearing sunscreen.

Am I a Good Candidate for OptiLight and iLux?

How do you know if OptiLight and iLux are the right treatments for you? Your eye doctor will be able to recommend the best course of action. In general, OptiLight isn’t recommended for patients who:

Are taking certain medications, like Accutane
Have active acne
Suffer from certain skin disorders
Are susceptible to keloid scarring
Have severe scarring
Have severely sunburned recently

Find Relief Today

You don’t have to live with the uncomfortable symptoms of dry eye disease. With OptiLight and iLux, your symptoms can be managed effectively and efficiently, restoring your quality of life. Our team is always here to help you find relief from dry eyes. Call Anne Arundel Eye Center at 410-224-2010 to learn more.

Discover the Clinical Diagnostic Visit: Efficient Eye Care that Fits Your Schedule

June 21, 2023 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

At Anne Arundel Eye Center, we strive to improve our services, accommodate our patients, and offer convenient care options – all while providing you with the best eye care available. In the interest of saving you time during your visit while providing additional availability, we have implemented – with great success – a new appointment option: the Clinical Diagnostic Visit (CDV). The CDV is similar to a nurse visit or diagnostic appointment that other medical practitioners offer at their offices, such as a Biopsy or MRI, that offers you a streamlined and efficient experience.

During a CDV, patients will meet with one of our highly trained ophthalmic technicians. They will take precise measurements, capture diagnostic imaging, conduct visual field tests, and gather all the necessary information for Dr. Boles. The clinical findings are then reviewed by Dr. Boles with the technician and his scribe, ensuring thorough documentation in the patient’s chart. Afterwards, if needed, the patient may receive a call to discuss the results. If the findings indicate stability and align with expectations, a standard follow-up appointment will be scheduled for the future. However, if a diagnosis is in need of more immediate attention, Dr. Boles may request the patient to come in for an appointment sooner.

The CDV offers a time-saving advantage for patients who require a checkup rather than a full, comprehensive visit. This is similar to having a blood test followed by a call from your doctor’s office. The new CDV minimizes the time a patient needs to spend at our office while still receiving much needed care.

Of course, Dr. Boles will continue to see new patients, conduct full glaucoma evaluations, and address cataract concerns as usual. The introduction of CDVs is to enhance our existing care services, allowing us to manage eye health – all while respecting your valuable time.

Patients will be interviewed by our clinical staff to determine if a CDV is appropriate for their specific needs. If a CDV is not the best option for your care, we will schedule you with Dr. Boles for a comprehensive appointment. However, if a CDV is suitable, then we’ll get you in the door for your appointment sooner, providing you with prompt and efficient care.

If we call to offer you a Clinical Diagnostic Visit (CDV), we encourage you to check it out. Call Anne Arundel Eye Center at 410-224-2010 to lear more. We’re dedicated to making the best eye care accessible to everyone, while prioritizing your time and convenience.

iLux: Say Goodbye to Dry Eye

January 6, 2023 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

If you’ve experienced dry eyes before, you know that its interference with daily activities – from reading to driving to using the computer – can affect your quality of life. Thankfully, there are multiple treatment options that Anne Arundel Eye Center currently offers, such as artificial tears and medications, to help with this uncomfortable and chronic condition. While these treatment options are effective for many, we’re happy to offer a new in-office, non-surgical treatment, iLux, that has already been performed with outstanding success on dry eye patients.

Causes of Dry Eye: Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Blepharitis

While Dry Eye Syndrome can be caused by an array of factors, such as age, medication side-effects, or long-term contact use, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) and Blepharitis are two underlying conditions that can bring about Dry Eye symptoms.

Every time you blink, a protective layer of moisture called the tearfilm coats the front surface of your eye. An essential part of the tearfilm is an oily layer called meibum. MGD occurs when the meibomian glands that produce meibum get blocked or the secreted meibum is of poor quality which can lead to excessive evaporation of the tear film and dry eye symptoms. MGD is actually one of the most common causes of dry eye, as it has been shown to occur in over 85% of disease cases.

Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelid and eyelash structures, and while it is uncomfortable, it usually does not cause permanent eye damage. Anterior blepharitis, along the front edge of the eyelid, is typically caused by either a bacterial or skin condition such as dandruff of the scalp and eyebrows or acne rosacea. Posterior blepharitis, which is on the inner edge of the eyelid that comes into contact with the eyeball, is usually caused by an irregular production of oils by the glands along the eyelid margin (meibomian blepharitis). Those with blepharitis may experience itching or burning of the eyes, tearing, or dry eye symptoms.

What is iLux?

Although we do already offer an array of in-office and at-home treatments for dry eye syndrome, our new iLux treatment is a nonsurgical option that can help patients find significant relief.

iLux targets the meibomian glands of the eyelids. Through the use of a handheld device, iLux uses gentle heat and pressure to remove oil blockages in these glands, all in a minimally invasive treatment process that takes less than 15 minutes. The procedure does offer long-term relief, but it may need to be repeated for patients who suffer from chronic dry eye.

When you come to Anne Arundel Eye Center for this treatment, we will first perform a consultation with one of our doctors to determine if you are a good candidate and would benefit from the treatment. If we determine that iLux is the appropriate treatment method for you, our specially trained technicians will administer the procedure. They’ve undergone intense training to become specialists in administering iLux, and work under the step-by-step guidance with our doctors.

While iLux is a newly offered service in our office, we’ve already performed the treatment on patients with much success. We’re excited to be equipped and trained in this technology that works to restore the power of vision and comfort to those who suffer from MGD and Blepharitis dry eye symptoms. Watch this video to learn more about the iLux treatment.

If you think you would benefit from the iLux procedure, know that while the consultation is covered by insurance, the treatment itself is out of pocket. However, you can use your healthcare flex dollars or HSA account funds to cover the expense.

Are you interested in talking to our doctors about iLux? Call Anne Arundel Eye Center at 410-224-2010 and we’ll set up a consultation to see if it is right for you. We’re dedicated to making the best eye care accessible to everyone.

Give your eyes the gift they need

August 30, 2022 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

Before we know it, the air will be getting cooler and the days shorter – and the holidays will be upon us. During this joyous time of the year, the last thing you want to worry about is your cataracts and worsening vision preventing you from being able to fully enjoy your time with family and friends.

Planning for a needed cataract surgery before the holiday season can help you avoid this dilemma, not to mention, you’ll use up leftover FSA funds, avoid cataracts worsening in poor winter weather, and promote a better overall quality of life.

What Are Cataracts and How Do You Treat Them?

As you age, proteins begin to build up and clump together in the eye’s lens, preventing light from passing clearly through the lens and obscuring vision. These protein deposits are known as cataracts and are a normal part of the aging process.

When a cataract has progressed to the point that it is interfering with normal, everyday functions, such as driving or reading, surgery is often the recommended course of action.

When you come to Anne Arundel Eye Center, our goal is not only to treat the cataract, but to get you back to doing the things you love. Cataract surgery involves removing the lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens. We have multiple options to enhance your near or far vision, including special lenses that can often give you a range of vision beyond what it was before the cataracts formed. Approximately 90 percent of cataract surgery patients report better vision following the surgery.

Why Treat Cataracts Now?

The clearer vision associated with cataract surgery provides many quality of life benefits including better near and distant vision – making colors brighter and making it easier to read, work on your computer, watch TV, and even drive. As well, according to a 2022 study in The Medical Journal of Australia, people over the age of 65 who received timely surgery for cataracts in both eyes not only increased their visual acuity, but minimized their risk of falls and injuries related to falls. This is because with a cataract, the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, which can significantly interfere with vision, leading to falls and injuries.

Not to mention, vision changes caused by cataracts may become more noticeable during the winter months. “Dim lighting caused by late sunrise and early sunset can make vision changes from cataracts more noticeable,” says Dr. Kathryn Gurganus Turner, Consultative Optometrist at Anne Arundel Eye Center. “Also poor weather tends to cause glare and blur from cataracts to be more bothersome.” Taking care of cataract surgery prior to the winter season will help you avoid these worsening conditions for untreated cataracts.

Plus, if you have funds left in a FSA account, taking care of a cataract surgery before yearend will put you at ease from losing those funds if not used. Anne Arundel Eye Center also offers two cataract surgery elective additions: LenSx Laser Assisted Surgery and Multifocal Lens Implants. LenSx Laser Assisted Surgery is a blade free procedure that additionally addresses astigmatism during cataract surgery, while Multifocal Lens Implants offer an expanded view over the standard lens implant, causing many patients to find that their dependence on glasses is decreased significantly after surgery. As these optional add-ons are not covered by insurance carriers and are out-of-pocket expenses, they are a great way to use up extra FSA funds.

So – believe it or not – it’s already time to schedule your surgery appointments prior to the holidays. If you treat yourself now, you won’t have to worry about squeezing in a much-needed appointment later, and you’ll be able to fully connect with the ones you love before the New Year.

Want to get holiday-ready? Call Anne Arundel Eye Center at 410-224-2010 and let us help you restore your vision. We’re dedicated to making the best eye care accessible to everyone.

Dry Eye: Understanding Symptoms and Treatment

February 22, 2022 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

Dry eye: you have heard the term before, but do you really know what it is? Dry eye is a little more complicated than it sounds, and the resulting consequences go beyond simple dryness. With the widespread use of face masks to reduce disease transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen that dry eye symptoms are increasing in our patients who are regularly wearing them. Research from the University of Utah published in the journal Ophthalmology and Therapy suggests that face masks without a tight fit can direct airflow from breathing up and across the eye surface, facilitating evaporation that promotes dry eye.

Dry eye can also be caused by a number of underlying conditions, ranging from the natural aging process to side effects of prescription drugs, structural problems with the eye lids (lid margin disease, blepharitis) and side effects of certain diseases, such as Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and other collagen vascular diseases.

Your eye depends on tears, a combination of water, oils, mucus, and antibodies, to provide constant moisture and lubrication in order to maintain not only comfort, but also proper vision. When there is an imbalance in the tear system, a person can experience dry eye. If you are experiencing eye stinging or burning, itching, inability to keep eyes open for long periods of time, the constant feeling of something in your eye, or excess tearing, then you may be suffering from dry eye. It is important to bring these symptoms up to your eye doctor – optometrist or ophthalmologist – to start treatment as soon as possible.

Thankfully, there are several treatments currently available for dry eye. Eye drops, which are artificial tears that can help keep your eyes properly lubricated, are an over-the-counter method of treating dry eye. Also, certain medications and topical steroids are non-invasive methods that can be used to temporarily bring the tear film to a healthy and stable state. These treatment options are typically successful, but there are also surgical options, such as temporary and permanent punctual occlusion, that your eye doctor can consider if symptoms persist.

If you believe you are experiencing dry eye, whether it is a chronic issue or if your symptoms started because of regularly wearing a face mask, it’s vital to let your eye care provider know. While untreated chronic dry eye may cause permanent damage to your eye, there are very successful and accessible treatments available. Even if you are not suffering from dry eye, these dry eye symptoms may be caused by another eye disorder which may need treatment by a specialist.

For more on this topic or other questions, contact Anne Arundel Eye Center. The staff is dedicated to making the best eye care accessible to everyone – call 410-224-2010.