FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nearly 5 million Americans age 50 and older suffer from dry eyes, a common condition that can cause discomfort and vision problems.
Fortunately, there are some simple solutions that can provide much-needed relief.
Morgan Marziali says she never had vision problems until she moved to South Florida a few years ago.
“I noticed I was in the air conditioning a lot, so I felt as though when I’d sleep at night I started to wake up with really dry eyes,” she said.
Dr. John Bascome, an optometrist with Broward Eye Care, said dry eye can be triggered by certain medications or environmental factors.
“Dry eye is on the rise and, unfortunately, due to COVID and the increased screen times that we’re seeing, it’s dramatically increasing,” he said.
Bascome starts his treatment approach by first taking an infrared image of the eyelid to see if gland dysfunction is the underlying cause.
If that’s the case, he can use intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy and a process called photobiomodulation.
“The intense pulsed light, what that does is help alleviate the inflammation around the periocular structure of the eye. It also helps reduce the demodex and bacterial load around the eye, so it’ll also help with the break up time of the tears,” Bascome said.
The procedures are suited for patients who don’t get relief from eye drops or oral medications.
While the series of treatments are not covered by insurance, Marziali said the process was affordable and well worth her time.
“I would say when I wake up in the morning now I’m not sitting there with my eyes closed, waiting for them to come to life. I wake up in the morning and I can actually see right away and I’m not constantly rubbing them or feeling tired later in the afternoon,” Marziali said.
IPL therapy and photobiomodulation can also be used to treat styes, which are painful red bumps on the lid.