Intense Pulse Light (IPL) for Dry Eyes
Intense pulsed light (IPL) is an FDA approved in-office treatment that is non-invasive and requires no medication. It uses pulses of non-laser light to eliminate abnormal blood vessels and thereby decrease inflammation around the eyelids. IPL stimulates healthy meibomian gland function and reduces the population of both Demodex and bacteria, creating healthy eyelid function and tear production.
The initial treatment protocol requires 4 sessions scheduled 2-4 weeks apart. Many patients report increased symptom relief after each session with a noticeable improvement in symptoms at the end of the 4 sessions. Quarterly maintenance IPL treatments are recommended for patients who suffer from chronic ocular surface diseases, including:
- Ocular rosacea
- Styes
- Dry eye
- Demodex
- Blepharitis
If left untreated, inflammation in and around the eyelids can affect the health and function of the meibomian glands. Vascular abnormalities often develop in the presence of inflammation. When these abnormal vessels develop around the eyes, they begin releasing inflammatory agents that spread to the eyelids.
These inflammatory agents can lead to inflammation of the eyelids and tear film, thereby triggering complications such as ocular rosacea (eyelid redness), poor meibomian gland function, and increased frequency of styes. Uncontrolled ocular surface inflammation further contributes to the development of dry eye disease (DED).
Treating dry eyes can bring many benefits to those who suffer from this condition. Here are some of the most significant advantages:
Improved comfort: Dry eyes can cause discomfort and a gritty or burning sensation. Treating the condition can help to alleviate these symptoms and improve overall eye comfort.
Better vision: Dry eyes can cause blurriness and visual disturbances, which can negatively impact daily activities such as reading and driving. Treating the condition can help to restore clear vision. Reduced risk of complications: Left untreated, dry eyes can lead to more serious eye problems such as corneal ulcers, scarring, and even vision loss. Treating the condition can help to reduce the risk of these complications.
Better eye health: Dry eyes can cause damage to the surface of the eye, but treating the condition can help to protect the eyes and maintain good eye health.
Improved quality of life: Dry eyes can
impact daily activities, social interactions, and overall quality
of life. By treating the condition, sufferers can regain their
confidence and live a more comfortable and fulfilling
life.
Optimal Ultra Widefield Retinal Imaging
Optomap is a tool that assists us in the evaluation of your
retina. With optomap we can discover any abnormalities or confirm
the health of your retina, diagnose any potentially harmful
diseases, and if necessary, determine the best course of action. An
annual comprehensive eye exam is an important component of your
health care regimen. These yearly check-ups enable us to test your
vision and examine the inside and back area of your eye, known as
the retina. The sensitive tissue that makes up the retina is
susceptible to a variety of diseases that could lead to loss of
vision or in some cases blindness. The early detection of any
retinal abnormality is crucial to maintaining your ocular and
systemic health because in most cases of eye disease, in the early
stages, you will experience no signs or symptoms.
Optomap is a simple, non-invasive procedure. In less than a half
a second we can generate a high-resolution, digital, color image of
your retina. This image becomes a part of your permanent medical
record and enables us to see more of your retina, measure aspects
of your eye, and magnify some of the finer details. We can also
track changes in your eye over time by comparing each year’s
optomap. In addition, you take a more active role in your eye care
by reviewing the images with your doctor and learning more about
how best to protect your vision. If you are interested in learning
more about the optomap, please visit
www.optomap.com.
The optomap contributes to our standard of care and improves patient education and satisfaction. At Greater New Orleans Eye Care, we are dedicated to offering our patients the best eye care possible.
OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography)
We are excited to have this ground breaking technology in our office. This will allow our doctors to manage and treat certain eye conditions much sooner and easier than ever before! Please ask our staff about our new OCT machine.
Contact Lenses
Acuvue contact lens with light adapting technology.
Did you know you can wear contact lenses for one day and then throw them away? These lenses are called daily disposable contacts. Dr. Wilhite and Dr. LeBlanc primarliy fit daily disposable contact lenses. This is because they are the safest and healthiest option for contact lenses. There is a large reduction in the risk for infections because the lens is never put back into the eye after it has been worn. It is truly a daily replacement contact lens.
These are great options for patients that would like to wear contact lenses on the weekends, beach trips, camping trips, sports. etc. It allows our patients to use contact lenses at their discretion and as frequently or infrequently as they choose.
Why Daily Disposable Contacts?
- Safest option for contacts.
- Better vision. Fewer deposits on lens surface leads to sharper clearer vision.
- Reduction in allergies and infections.
- Great for weekend or evening wear
- Best option for our contact lens and glasses wearer that prefer to split time between each modality.
- Great for first time wearers. If a lenses is ripped or torn, only out one day. If a monthly lens is ripped or torn, 30 days have been lost.
- Multiple options for vision correction as noted below.
- No more solution and lens cases.
Colored Contacts
Daily disposable lenses come with color enhancements to change or alter the appearance of your eye color. These are ideal for our patients that would like an enhancement for the weekend or evening out on the town and would like to stand out a bit more.
Multi-Focal / Bi-Focal Contacts
Multi-focal/Bi-focal- Daily disposable lenses now come in bifocal fits that allow a patient to give up glasses completely. Our more experienced patients that need a bifocal lens now have the opportunity to see the world without their progressive bifocal lens. These multi-focal daily lenses are also great options for weekend, beach, or evening use.
Astigmatism
Most astigmatism prescriptions come in a daily disposable option. Please ask our staff and doctors if daily disposable contact lenses are an option for you.
