Visits to your optometrist can encompass more than just eyecare!
Devices like TempSure radiofrequency (RF) treatments bridge eyecare with dermatology.
This treatment targets the root cause of dry eye by unclogging blocked meibomian glands and rejuvenates the look of skin by stimulating cellular turnover, elastin, and collagen production.
To help prepare you for your first session, we’ll walk you through what happens before, during, and after a TempSure treatment for dry eye and skin rejuvenation.
What is Radiofrequency Treatment?
Tempsure is a radiofrequency (RF) treatment offering ocular and cosmetic benefits.
Radiofrequency technology uses safe levels of low-frequency electromagnetic waves to generate heat, penetrating layers of the skin. RF is a gentle, non-invasive, FDA-approved treatment that targets specific areas of the skin to provide skin-tightening advantages and has also been found to alleviate dry eyes.
The non-invasive nature of this device means procedures are quick and there’s little to no downtime after ocular or cosmetic sessions!
Radiofrequency Treatment for Dry Eyes
Dry eye disease (DES) is a chronic eye condition affecting about 16 million Americans. It refers to the dry, irritating, and gritty sensation that develops when our eyes don’t produce sufficient tears or if our tears evaporate quickly.
Symptoms of dry eyes include:
- Blurry vision
- Burning or stinging sensation
- Frequent blinking
- Watery eyes
While it may not appear to be a serious condition, it can severely impact our quality of life by interfering with visual clarity and comfort. Untreated dry eyes can lead to severe eye complications, including inflammation, infection, corneal abrasions and ulcers, and even vision loss.
Fortunately, advanced therapies like radiofrequency treatments can help alleviate dry eyes and provide long-term comfort by targeting the meibomian (oil) glands along the eyelids.
When these oil-producing glands that lubricate the eye are clogged they’re unable to produce enough oil onto the tear film. The lack of oil allows tears to evaporate too quickly, leading to dry eyes.
RF works similarly to warm compress therapy. The heat generated from the device penetrates the skin and helps stimulate clogged meibomian glands, promoting the secretion of oil to lubricate the eyes, improving the stability of the tear film, and alleviating dry eye symptoms at their root.
Your optometrist will determine how many sessions of RF are required to alleviate dry eyes based on your ocular health and the severity of dryness. After 3-4 sessions, you may feel improvement in your dry eye symptoms!
Radiofrequency for Skin Rejuvenation
Along with monitoring and treating ocular health and vision, our team offers gentle, non-invasive medical aesthetic services aimed at improving the appearance of skin and helping you feel and look your best!
The heat generated by RF technology stimulates cellular turnover, collagen, and elastin production in the skin. Over time, this helps to gradually firm and tighten the skin providing a youthful and fresh-looking appearance.
This treatment has been shown to provide optimal results for individuals who have just started showing signs of aging. RF can help improve the appearance of skin by reducing:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Loose skin
- Chin dimpling
- Sunspots
RF is gentle and safe to use along the eyes and surrounding skin, face, neck, and decolletage.
Similar to managing dry eye symptoms, the duration of RF treatment for skin rejuvenation depends on the skin concern you would like to target and will be determined by your optometrist.
RF treatment is meant to work gradually providing natural-looking results. You may begin to see changes in the texture of your skin, softened fine lines and wrinkles, and overall appearance between 2- 6 months.
If you’re undergoing RF treatment specifically for dry eye therapy, you will still experience the benefits of skin rejuvenation provided by this device. The skin surrounding the eyes will undergo cellular turnover providing subtle changes in the appearance of your skin!
What to Expect During Your Radiofrequency Treatment
The length of your RF session depends on the area of your skin and the specific concern you would like to target. A TempSure treatment for dry eye may take about 20-30 minutes, while skin rejuvenation can take an hour.
Before the Procedure
Before your first RF session, an initial consult with your optometrist will determine the specific concern you’d like to target and map out a plan highlighting the duration of the treatment and frequency of sessions.
There are several ways you can prepare before your first RF session. First, it’s important to avoid skin treatments like chemical peels or laser treatments, keep your skin and body hydrated by drinking plenty of water, use sun protection, and arrive at your session with a fresh clean, makeup-free face.
During Your Session
On the day of your treatment, you’ll be made comfortable in a reclining chair. Your optometrist will apply a soothing gel to the targeted areas of your skin, providing sufficient delivery of the RF energy.
A handheld device distributes the RF energy to the targeted areas. You will feel some heat and gentle pressure.
For dry eye therapy, you may feel some gentle pressure around the eyes and surrounding skin. The pressure applied confirms any blocked oil glands along the eyelids are removed.
Post-procedure Care
Post-procedure care includes taking necessary precautions to keep your skin hydrated and protected and visiting your optometrist for follow-up visits.
After your session, you’re free to continue your daily activities as there’s little to no downtime. Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated, use sun protection for the rest of the week, and use face creams to keep your face and targeted areas moisturized.
After the procedure, it’s normal to feel some tenderness, swelling, and redness on and around the targeted areas for a few days. Avoid rubbing or touching those areas. Gently wash and cleanse your face, avoid using certain skincare products like retinoids for at least a week, and avoid chemical peels and laser treatments for 3-4 weeks.
Following up with your optometrist for your scheduled visits is important to make sure your skin, eyes, and targeted areas are handling the treatment well, to monitor your progress and any potential reactions, and to determine the date of your next treatment session.
Schedule Your Consult
TempSure radiofrequency treatment provides benefits for ocular health and skin rejuvenation.
To learn more about the details concerning this innovative procedure, connect with our team at Heartland Eye Consultants to schedule your radiofrequency consultation!
