Eye drops, steroids and surgery have long been the go to treatment for dry eye, but new non-invasive technology may change the face of treatment for the condition in Australia.
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According to the latest Optometry Vision Index report about 80 per cent of Australians suffer from dry eye, with almost one in three reporting deteriorating eye health due to excessive use of laptop and smartphone screens.
The InMode Envision platform uses a new method known as bipolar radiofrequency to teat the upper and lower lid area of the eyes, where the thinnest skin on the body is located.
The peer reviewed technology has been proven to reduce symptoms of dry eye by rejuvenating the glands around the eye and is launching in Australia.
Canadian optometrist Bruce Dornn said he is getting referrals from ophthalmologists to treat an average of five patients per day using the new technology.
Dr Dornn said Canadian optometrists are increasingly shifting away from using medical forms of treatment for dry eye in favour of the new technology, which addresses the cause.
"The... platform is a game changer in the optometry industry as eye drops, steroids, even surgery have long been the 'band-aid' solution for people battling itchy, red eyes and a slight burning sensation, which are all symptoms of dry eye," Dr Dornn said.
"Unblocking the meibomian glands and getting them to produce their own tears again is much healthier than relying on prescription eye drops, often for life, which is inconvenient and costly."
The human eye extracts and processes more than 10 million pieces of information per second, blinking 15-20 times per minute on average. Blinking decreases when people are using screens, which can cause dry eye.
To read the study on the efficacy of the new technology - published in The Open Ophthalmology Journal, click here.
