Light relief: Does LLLT help dry eye disease?

2 August 2023
Summer 2023

Interest is growing in the use of low-level light therapy to remedy dry eye disease. Adrian O’Dowd investigates the evidence behind the treatment.

Dry eye disease can cause symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance and tear film instability, with potential damage to the ocular surface (Vehof et al, 2014). One treatment is intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, which has been shown to be effective in treating patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) – the most common cause of dry eye (Thomas, 2021). An emerging treatment is low-level light therapy (LLLT), and alongside IPL is classed as a form of photobiomodulation. 

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The College of Optometrists has today launched a public consultation on the next edition of its Guidance for Professional Practice which will be open for the next six weeks until Monday 3 August 2026.

The Health Bill is part of the government's modernisation agenda to improve patient care in England.

Patients will be paid £20 per session and all travel expenses will be reimbursed.