A Queensland independent optometry clinic is the first in Australia to introduce InMode’s combination treatment for dry eye disease into practise.
Eyecare Plus Mermaid Beach has installed the Envision system from InMode, which uses radio frequency (RF) and intense pulsed light (IPL) to permanently clear blocked glands in the eye and relieve patients of the need for eye drops and other topical treatments. This follows a surge in patients experiencing dry eye, largely due to excessive time spent on screens.
Practice owners Ms Shaina Zheng and Mr Jackson Yip said it’s a disease that’s now affecting people at a younger age.
“Typically, dry eye was an older person’s disease, but what we’re seeing now is people in their 20s, 30s and 40s who have developed dry eye because of screen time,” Zheng said.
“We’re supposed to blink around 20 times a minute, to keep the eye well lubricated, but when looking at a screen, the blinking rate drops down to an average of just six times a minute and over time, that causes damage.”
According to InMode, Envision treats the cause of dry eye through a unique combination of bipolar RF and IPL to unclog blocked glands.
The Forma-I device emits RF across the surface of the eyelid to stimulate oil glands in this region while the Lumecca-I device uses the latest IPL technology to stimulate the glands beneath the eye. A third device, the Morpheus8, uses a combination of RF and micro needling to rejuvenate the periorbital region.
“In the past, with dry eyes, there were only very limited treatment options available. So typically, we would run a single treatment. Here, we are using a combination treatment which in theory should create more benefits,” said Yip.
Zheng added: “A lot of people aren’t aware there are long term solutions for dry eye, other than eye drops, which really only mask the symptoms as opposed to treating the cause.”
Yip said that moderate to severe disease is difficult to treat and Envision is a viable therapeutic option for this patient demographic.
“In terms of patients with severe disease, InMode Envision is something that can take patients to that next level where they haven’t completely responded to the previous treatments. This gives them something to benefit from.”
Yip said that introducing Envision into the practice has been seamless due to the added benefits of its combination therapy.
“Hitting dry eye with Envision, offering three different handpieces, as opposed to hitting it with an alternative option increases the likelihood of our success,” he said.
Yip and Zheng have invested in a comprehensive suite of diagnostic and treatment technology to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
“I’m a strong believer in investing in the latest technology, especially for a condition like dry eye, because I know it will benefit a lot of people,” Zheng said.
“At the end of the day, our goal is to relieve patients of their condition and having this latest treatment gives us the best chance of achieving that.”
More reading
InMode Australia flying in Dr Bruce Dornn for Envision events
Experience InMode’s Envision dry eye platform at upcoming events
Positive findings for InMode Envision platform in dry eye study
