020 7636 6080

Frequently asked questions

  • How do we differ from other dry eye clinics?

    We are a dedicated dry eye clinic. The first appointment is an hour long to ensure we have enough time to take a details history and time for the diagnostic tests to formulate a treatment plan. Tests include meibography and manual meibomian gland expression. We are the first in the country to use Intense Pulsed Light for the treatment of dry eyes. Our specialist optometrists are independent prescribers so can prescribe any medication that is deemed necessary.

  • How many IPL sessions are needed?

    4 sessions are ideally recommended for full effect. For more severe dry eye cases more sessions are needed.

  • How often do you need IPL treamtent after the initial 4 sessions?

    As dry eye is a chronic condition the treatment frequency varies, most patients need to have the treatment once or twice a year (every 6 months). In the more severe cases, patients my need top up treatment more regularly.

  • Is IPL safe?

    Our IPL machines are different to current ones seen on the market of hair removal and skin blemishes. We use settings that are calibrated to treat inflammation and provide photobiomodulation. Prior to IPL treatment we go through a checklist to ensure that you are suitable to have the treatment. During the procedure, protection is provided for the eyes. Some published papers report corneal damage from IPL but theses are reported with IPL machines calibrated for hair removal and skin treatment (different wavelength and energy settings). Also in these papers, patients were not provided with eye protection.

    The Lumenis M22 is CE mark approved for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction in dry eye disease.
    The Lumenis OptiLight is the first and only IPL FDA approved management of Dry Eye conditions.
  • Am I suitable for IPL?

    Certain things make you unsuitable for IPL treatment, these include having darker skin tone (ideally you need to have a lighter tone than Fitzpatrick type 4), having a pacemaker or being pregnant. Being on certain medication also can make you unsuitable for treatment, such as Doxycycline.

  • Who performs the IPL treatments?

    Our IPL treatments are never delegated and are only performed by one of the Optometrists. This ensures that the treatments are tailored to the individual patient.

  • Do we offer Lipiflow treatment?

    No- whilst we do use the Lipiview to help us with assessing dry eyes, we do not provide Lipiflow treatment. We have instead chosen IPL technology because we believe it to be more effective for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction. We also prefer to express the glands manually- we find this more useful as it helps us to see the quality of oil that is produced along each eyelid.