Dry eye occurs when your tears are not sufficient or not balanced to keep the surface of your eyes comfortable and clear. Common causes include meibomian gland dysfunction, inflammation, aging, hormonal changes, certain medications, and extended screen time.

How do you treat dry eyes?

We begin with a detailed dry-eye evaluation to identify the root cause of your symptoms. Treatment options may include prescription eye drops, in-office lid hygiene, advanced therapies like OptiLight IPL and Equinox low-level light therapy, lifestyle changes, and customized at-home care to restore comfort and tear-film health.

What is OptiLight IPL?

OptiLight is an Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment designed to target inflammation and meibomian gland dysfunction, two major contributors to dry eye disease. Gentle pulses of light are applied to the skin around the eyes to improve oil-gland function, reduce redness, and support a healthier tear film.

What is Equinox LLLT?

Equinox Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) uses warm, soothing light to gently heat the eyelids and stimulate the meibomian glands. This helps melt thickened oils, improve gland function, and enhance overall tear quality without discomfort or downtime.

Is dry-eye treatment covered by insurance?

Some components of a dry-eye evaluation may be covered by medical insurance when medically necessary. Advanced in-office treatments such as OptiLight IPL and Equinox LLLT are often considered elective and may not be covered. Our team will review your benefits and discuss pricing and financing options before treatment begins.

Dry Eye Care in Greenwood, SC

Dont Leave Your Eyes Out to Dry!

If your eyes have ever experienced an annoying, gritty, teary feeling, then there is a chance you might have dry eyes.

But wait—before you head down to the supermarket to load up on eye drops, you should know a little bit more about dry eye, its causes, and the treatments you might need to achieve your desired eye comfort.

Integrated Vision & Aesthetics is committed to providing leading solutions for all of your dry eye needs. Find out how we can help you see a little more comfortably by requesting an appointment with our team today!

What is Dry Eye?

Dry Eye is a common eye disease that can develop for many reasons, but we can break every cause into 2 very distinct types:

~Aqueaus Tear Deficiency: Lack of Water being produced

~Evaporative Dry Eye: Lack of oil to causing tear evaporation

80% of People with Dry Eyes have Evaporative Dry Eye or an Oil Problem

Both of these causes affect your tear film. Your tear film covers the entire surface of your eye and is mostly made up of 2 different ingredients: Water & Oil

Each of these ingredients plays a vital role in your eye comfort.

Meibomian Gland Dysfunction~MGD

Clogged or Poor Oil Glands

The Vast majority of people suffering with dry eyes has an oil problem. This is due to the glands becoming clogged and then dying over time. This damage can be occuring with or without symptoms. We recommend treating and maintaining the oil glands early to avoid dry eyes all together and of course prevent progressing to more severe dry eye disease.

Approximately 40% to 60% of Adults in the U.S. Have some form of dry eye disease or MGD!

What Can We do To Prevent or Relieve Dry Eyes?

Identify the Problem

At Integrated Vision & Aesthetics, every dry eye evaluation begins with advanced imaging and analysis using our Medmont Meridia diagnostic system. This state-of-the-art platform allows us to capture detailed, high-definition images of the Meibomian glands, the tiny oil-producing structures responsible for maintaining a healthy tear film. By assessing gland structure, tear quality, and surface stability, we can pinpoint the exact cause and type of dry eye—whether it’s evaporative, aqueous deficient, or a combination of both. This level of precision helps us design a truly personalized treatment plan to restore comfort, protect your ocular surface, and prevent long-term damage.

Our Targeted Dry Eye Treatments

Equinox LLLT

Optilight IPL

Opus RF Focus

Blephex Lid Scrub

Revolutionary New Treatments For Dry Eyes

Targeted Treatment, Restoring Comfort, Clarity, and Ocular Surface Health

Once we identify the underlying cause of your dry eye disease, our specialists craft a customized care plan using the most advanced technology available. Treatments may include:

Lumenis Optilight M22

Lumenis Optilight

OptiLight by Lumenis is the only FDA noninvasive treatment of dry eye disease caused by meibomian gland dysfunction.

This treatment system uses intense pulsed light (IPL) to:

~Decrease inflammation

~Minimize abnormal blood vessels

~Improve the function of the meibomian glands

~Improve tear break-up time

~Reduce the population of Demodex

Alma Opus Focus RF

Alma's Opus Focus is an effective and noninvasive treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction. This handheld device uses plasma and radiofrequency and to safely and gently heat the skin around the eyes to melt thick oil blocking the meibomian glands. Once unclogged, a sufficient amount of oil can be secreted into the tear film to prevent your tears from evaporating too quickly.

The Focus is also an incredibly effective treatment for fine lines and improving skin elasticity. Not only can you find relief from your dry eye symptoms, you can rejuvenate your skin at the same time!

Equinox Low Level Light Therapy

Our Equinox Light Therapy is a soothing, non-invasive treatment that targets one of the most common root causes of dry eye—inflammation and blockage of the Meibomian glands. By delivering precise, therapeutic wavelengths of light to the eyelids and surrounding tissue, Equinox helps melt and release the hardened oils that clog the glands, restoring their natural function and improving the quality of your tear film. Regular Equinox sessions can calm inflammation, enhance comfort, and serve as an economical maintenance option to keep your eyelids and glands healthy between more advanced treatments like IPL or RF therapy. It’s an ideal way to preserve your results and maintain clear, comfortable eyes year-round.

Punctal Plugs

For patients whose eyes simply don’t produce enough tears, punctal plugs offer an immediate, gentle solution. These tiny, biocompatible devices are placed in the natural drainage openings of the eyelids to help retain your own tears longer, keeping the eye surface hydrated and comfortable. By reducing tear evaporation and increasing natural moisture retention, punctal plugs can significantly relieve burning, stinging, and fluctuating vision associated with dry eye. The procedure is quick, painless, and completely reversible—making it a safe and cost-effective maintenance option for patients seeking long-term comfort and protection of their ocular surfac

Maskin Gland Treatment

When Meibomian glands become chronically blocked or atrophied, simple surface treatments may not be enough. Maskin Gland Probing is a highly specialized procedure that gently opens and clears the oil-producing glands within the eyelids, relieving obstruction and restoring their natural function. Using micro-fine, sterile probes, our specialists carefully release trapped oils and scar tissue that prevent the glands from expressing properly.

BlephEx Lid Exfoliation

BlephEx is a quick and effective in-office procedure used to treat eyelid inflammation and promote good eyelid hygiene. Your eye doctor will use the handheld device fitting with a medical-grade micro-sponge to gently and safely remove any bacteria and debris. Cleaner, healthier eyelids are an essential part of normal tear production.

Your Top Ten

10 Reasons why Optilight is the Gold Standard for Dry Eye & Rosacea Care

1. The Only FDA-Approved IPL for Dry Eye:
  OptiLight by Lumenis is the first and only intense pulsed light system FDA-approved specifically for the management of dry eye disease due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
2. Targets the Root Cause, Not Just Symptoms:
  Instead of masking dryness with drops, OptiLight reduces inflammation, unclogs the oil glands, and restores healthy tear film stability for long-term relief.
3. Clinically Proven Results:
  Backed by numerous peer-reviewed studies, OptiLight treatments have been shown to improve gland function, reduce tear evaporation, and significantly decrease ocular surface inflammation.
4. Powerful Against Demodex Mites:
  The controlled light energy precisely targets and destroys Demodex mites and the bacteria they harbor — one of the most overlooked causes of chronic lid inflammation and irritation.
5. Breaks the Cycle of Rosacea & Dry Eye:
  Rosacea and ocular dryness go hand in hand — OptiLight calms the overactive facial blood vessels that fuel both skin and ocular inflammation, improving comfort and appearance.
6. Dual Benefit: Eye Health + Facial Rejuvenation:
  The same advanced light pulses that treat dry eye also even out facial redness, reduce broken capillaries, and soften sun damage, creating a healthier, more radiant complexion.
7. Precision-Controlled Safety & Comfort:
  OptiLight’s patented Optimal Pulse Technology delivers consistent, precisely dosed light energy that’s both gentle and safe for delicate periocular skin.
8. Quick, No-Downtime Sessions:
  Each session takes just minutes, with no recovery time — making it an easy addition to a monthly or quarterly dry eye wellness routine.
9. Enhanced Results When Combined with Other Therapies:
  OptiLight synergizes beautifully with Meibomian gland expression, Equinox, or BlephEx treatments, offering comprehensive restoration of lid and gland health.
10. Beauty and Vision in One Visit:
  Few treatments bridge medical eye care and aesthetics so seamlessly — patients leave not only with clearer, more comfortable eyes, but also smoother, more even-toned skin. We can easily customize each treatment to treat many other conditions for the entire face, such as redness, sun damage and pigment spots. See our aesthetics page for more information.

Optilight

Experience relief and renewal — schedule your dry eye evaluation today

Alma Opus Focus

Precision RF Power for Lid Tightening & Dry Eye Relief

Focus RadioFrequency Plasma

Advanced RF Therapy for Dry Eye and Lid Laxity

The Opus Focus Tip by Alma Lasers uses fractionated, focused radiofrequency energy combined with optional plasma to deliver controlled thermal stimulation to the eyelid margins and surrounding periorbital tissues. The result is collagen remodeling, enhanced meibomian gland function, and improved lid integrity, addressing one of the most overlooked causes of evaporative dry eye: eyelid laxity.

~Precision targeting of the upper and lower lids with adjustable intensity

~Higher energy density for greater tissue tightening and glandular support

~Simultaneous plasma activation for enhanced skin contraction and rejuvenation

~Safe use on all Fitzpatrick skin types (I–VI)

This procedure not only restores gland function and reduces ocular surface inflammation, but also significantly improves periocular aesthetics, reducing crepiness, fine lines, and lid droop that can mechanically worsen dry eye symptoms.

Key Benefits:
- Focused radiofrequency + plasma for unmatched lid tightening and skin rejuvenation
- Stimulates collagen and elastin to lift and firm drooping or lax eyelids
- Improves meibomian gland flow and tear film stability
- Safe for all skin types—no risk of pigment changes like IPL
- Relieves dryness, burning, and irritation by addressing structural lid support
- Visibly refreshes and smooths fine lines around the eyes
- No downtime, no needles, immediate comfort
The result is healthier, better-lubricated eyes and smoother, younger-looking lids—making Opus Focus the most comprehensive solution for patients seeking both comfort and cosmetic renewal.