According to contemporary ophthalmologists, one out of every 5 patients visiting their office comes for issues related to dry eye syndrome or its complications.
In Europe and North America, one out of every 6 people suffer from constant or frequent drying of the eye. In Asia, the problem is even worse – one out of every 3 people suffer from dry eye syndrome.
After the age of 40, 1/3 of the patients who have never suffered from drying of the eyes encounter the problem.
Can we say that dry eye syndrome is the new biggest problem in ophthalmology? Does it only cause temporary symptoms or is it a real medical problem?
Categorically, dry eye syndrome is not one of the most serious eye diseases in ophthalmology, but its constant, progressive and causing complications character is a serious risk factor for the modern man. The timely treatment of the condition is of critical importance. Until recently no lasting solution to the problem was available. The recommendations of the doctors were mainly to prescribe temporary relief measures (such as local products like eye drops from the “artificial tear” type).
The short-term relief of the eyes when one suffers from dry eye syndrome is already in the past. Science has a ready, working solution with lasting results for this unpleasant condition. Meet Lumenis OptiLight DryEye – the answer of modern technology against pain and stinging in the eyes caused by drying. Medical Center Vereya in Stara Zagora already successfully uses this solution!
Dry eye syndrome – the new disease of civilization
Dry eye syndrome has changed over the last few years. Before, this condition was understood as a natural result from objective modifications of lacrimal glands that come with aging, today in at least 70% percent of cases, it is acquired and occurs earlier.
Dry eye syndrome – what is it?
Dry eye syndrome means dehydration of the eyes. Generally, it can be explained with the lack of the optimal quantity of tears. They are the main mechanism for constant lubrication of the eyes. In more than 85% of diagnoses, the cause of the syndrome is an issue with the lipid metabolism of meibomian glands in the eyelids. In the others, a holistic decrease in tear production is seen.
Most of the cases of dry eye syndrome are caused by a change in the lipid layer of the tears, which makes diagnostics focused on the anatomy of the meibomian glands in question. Doctors use meibography to measure the extent of the disease and the progress of the prescribed treatment. The aim is to determine how well the tear film works – the main lubrication for the eye. Its functionality depends on the condition of its main three components:
- Water layer
- Mucosal layer
- Lipid layer
Dry eye – symptoms
Dry eye syndrome manifests in the way it sounds – the eye loses a high amount of water, which is critical for it, as its natural structure is made up of mainly water. Drying of the eye causes all classical symptoms of the condition:
- Stinging or burning
- Pain
- Redness
- Feeling of a sunburn in the eye
- Blurry vision
- Feeling of decreased sharpness in vision
- The eyes get tired quickly and easily, even in the middle of the day
- Thick secretions in the eye
- Itching
- Issues with vision at night
- Constant tearing
- Impossibility to use contact lenses or their drying or falling out of the eye
- Light sensitivity
- Headaches
- And others
Dry eye – reasons
Drying of the eyes is most commonly a sporadic, incidental condition. When its severity and frequency increase, or it is treated improperly, it can become chronic. In this case, ophthalmologists use the diagnosis “dry eye syndrome.” The progress of this unpleasant and uncomfortable condition in the eye is only one of many reasons for the disease. It can also be caused by:
- Aging (usually after 50 years of age), including menopause for women;
- Long and improper use of contact lenses;
- Comorbidity with another ophthalmological disease, such as blepharitis;
- Complications after allergic reactions and conjunctivitis;
- Serious eye infections – viral and bacterial;
- Past trauma
- Others.
Dry eye – risk factors
The main risk factors for the appearance of dry eye syndrome are connected to the unpleasant environment of modern lifestyle and the bad habits acquired by society in the past year. Usually the experts point out the following specific reasons:
- Long term use of screens;
- Increase of workload connected to digital devices;
- Increase in the number of professions connected entirely to IT and technologies;
- Use of heating and cooling systems;
- Increase in daily stress and decrease in personal resistance to it;
- An increase in the number of patients who use contact lenses instead of glasses;
- An increase in hormonal disruptions (especially in women);
- Smoking;
- A diet poor in nutrients important for eye health (Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants such as vitamins A and E);
- Worse quality of air in the environment and dryer air in the environment
What is Lumenis OptiLight?
Lumenis OptiLight is the only method that is effective in the long term which treats dry eye syndrome. As a proof of this, it is also the only device that is FDA approved for treating the condition.
OptiLight is the name of the device used to treat dry eye syndrome. It is a professional medical device that uses intense pulsed light (IPL) technology to treat different aesthetic and medical problems.
Lumenis is its manufacturer. The company exists for a little under a century and has big international influence in the sector of professional devices for medical and aesthetic purposes.
How does the OptiLight technology work on the dry eye syndrome?
Lumenis OptiLight is a solution offered by Medical Center Vereya for treating dry eye syndrome. Its high effectiveness is caused by the specific method of its work and innovative technology, which so far hasn’t been used on the condition. It is known as OPT (Optimal Pulse Technology). It is a type of phototherapy or photobiomodulation. It successfully treats dry eye syndrome by:
- Blocking the inflammatory process, directly reducing the number of mediators causing it
- Removes the newly formed blood vessels which stimulate the spread of the inflammatory process
- Regenerates tissues of the meibomian glands and helps the recovery of their main and additional functions
- Reduces the risk of frequent breakdown of the tear film
- Stops the spread of the so-called micelles demodex – additional proinflammatory formations causing worsening of the symptoms including by bacterial infection of the eyelids
Why should we trust Lumenis OptiLight for dry eye syndrome?
The advantages of treatment with Lumenis OptiLight are proven by science and practice. Treatment of dry eye syndrome with this innovative device is the best possible alternative, as it is:
- The only one which provides long-term results
- Completely safe and without any meaningful contraindications
- Without any serious side effects in the long run and without a long recovery period
- Approved and offered by leading ophthalmologists worldwide