NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Ivanhoe Newswire)— About 16 million adults are living with dry eye disease in the United States. It’s a condition that occurs when your tears are unable to produce adequate lubrication for your eyes, causing them to become dry and feel an itchy or burning sensation. Over-the-counter drops can provide temporary relief, but a treatment originally used to treat the skin condition rosacea is giving patients long-lasting relief. OptiLight
Whether it’s acting, guitar playing, or flying, Phyllis Spielman is always up for a new challenge, but battling dry eye was not a challenge she was expecting.
“The worst thing you can have is itchy and burning eyes because it is a distraction. You could cause an accident,” Spielman explained.
When over-the-counter drops and compressions didn’t work as Spielman hoped they would, she turned to her doctor for help.
Rolando Toyos, MD, the founder and CEO of Toyos Clinic, said, “You give somebody some artificial tears and say, ‘just lubricate your eye and you’ll be fine’, but this is an inflammatory disease.”
The inflammation in the meibomian eye glands is what causes insufficient tears to be produced. Doctor Toyos suggested the OptiLight treatment, which is a light-based treatment given in four sessions at two to four weeks apart.
Patients can begin to feel relief right away, and for Spielman, the treatment was a win in her book.
“It was really painless. It was quick. There wasn’t any downtime. You wouldn’t even know that I had the treatment,” Spielman said.
Dr. Toyos said that this is the first and only FDA approved light treatment for managing dry eye disease. After the initial four sessions, someone with severe dry eye disease may need additional treatments. Dr. Toyos also said that right after a session, patients should avoid sun exposure as the skin around their eyes will be more susceptible to sunburns.
Contributors to this news report include: Milvionne Chery, Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer, Editor.
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Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28705660/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-eyes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371863
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: OPTILIGHT FOR DRY EYE
REPORT: MB #5016
BACKGROUND: According to the Mayo Clinic, dry eye disease is a common condition that occurs when you aren’t able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes. This tear instability leads to inflammation and damages the eye’s surface. The Dry Eye Directory says that currently between 16 million and 49 million Americans have dry eyes, which is between 5% and 15% of the population.
(Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-eyes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371863
https://dryeyedirectory.com/dry-eye-statistics/)
DIAGNOSING AND SYMPTOMS: There are many different tests that help optometrists diagnose dry eye. Symptoms that you should be cognizant of are stinging or burning of the eyes, blurred vision, especially when reading, mucus in or around the eyes, or eyes that are red or irritated. Some of the main causes of dry eye are hormonal changes, certain diseases, being in smoke, wind, or dry climates, looking at a screen for a long time or taking certain medicines. It is imperative to pay attention to any changes that happen with your eyes so that you can be treated appropriately.
(Source: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-dry-eye)
NEW TECHNOLOGY: A new device was unveiled at Stanford University that electronically stimulates tear production. Before the device was unveiled, a group of researchers tested the device on rabbit eyes just below the inferior lacrimal gland. The researchers found that the tearing increased proportionally with an electronic pulse of increasing strength, duration, and frequent. The researchers also found that activating the ethmoid nerve promoted reflex tearing and a more efficient way to enhance tear production.
(Source: https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/new-technology-for-dry-eye-treatment)
MORE FROM DR. TOYOS:
“It’s when the meibomian glands are not functioning properly. These glands produce an oily secretion to lubricate your eyes and prevent your tears from evaporating. The OptiLight treatment is light-based and given in four sessions at two to four weeks apart.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Audra Friis
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at mthomas@ivanhoe.com
