Low Light Level Therapy (LLLT)

LLLT uses focused red LED light at a wavelength of 633 nanometers to safely heat the eyelids. Red light has been used in the field of dermatology for a decade. It's now being used in eye care to treat lid lumps and bumps along with dry eye, ocular rosacea and more. Because the heat is endogenous, there are no thermal risks.

LLLT Increases tissue repair and healing. It has beneficial effects on wrinkles, acne scars, hypertrophic scars and the healing of burns.

Millions of people suffer worldwide from Dry Eye Disease (DED), which can affect their work, lifestyle and comfort. The causes are varied, but a signification factor is the health and operation of the Meibomian glands. These glands are visible just behind the eyelashes on both lids; they supply an oily top pater to the tears to reduce evaporation. When they are not working well, suggested treatment ranges from lid hygiene and warm compresses to eye drops and oral medications.

Inflammation is a major cause of Dry Eye Disease. After LLLT, the amount of tear volume was increased and corneal surface irregularities were restored. Also, the level of inflammatory cytokines significantly decreased as well.

Sustained heat to the Meibomian glands is key in treating Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and getting to the root cause of dry eye symptoms. The melting point of Meibomian gland secretions ranges from 32°C to 40°C, with melting points elevated in patients with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, allowing secretion to stagnate. LLLT generates endogenous heat at the point of use. The depth of penetration of light with a wavelength of 600 - 650 nm into the skin is 1 - 2 mm.

Warm compresses have long been recommended by eye care practitioners. However, warm compresses rapidly lose heat and fall below the therapeutic temperature of 40°C within the first application. Even commercially available eyelid masks microwaved for 10-20 seconds do not remain consistently above 38°C for the entire 10-min treatment. An evaluation of eight methods of eyelid warming found that the method that mostly effectively maintained internal eyelid temperature, the bundle method, was also the most cumbersome.
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