DRY EYE TREATMENT & IPL
We find the cause -not just prescribe drops.
As an independent optometry practice in North Strathfield, we know that if your eyes feel dry, gritty, or tired no matter what you try, the problem usually isn't a lack of drops. It's blocked oil glands. We diagnose what's actually going on and treat the root cause — including IPL therapy for lasting relief.
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Mark Joung B.Optom (Hons) UNSW,Grad Cert Ocular Therapeutics | Updated March 2026
WHAT IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF DRY EYES
Why your eyes feel dry — and why drops aren’t enough
Most dry eye is caused by meibomian gland dysfunction — blocked oil glands in the eyelids that prevent your tear film from staying stable. Studies show this evaporative form accounts for approximately 86% of all dry eye cases. Artificial tears temporarily supplement moisture but don't unblock the glands, which is why symptoms keep returning. Effective treatment requires diagnosing the underlying cause first.
We assess your tear film stability, check the health and function of your meibomian glands, look for inflammation along your lid margins, and evaluate your blink pattern. It takes about 20 minutes, and we'll explain everything we find in plain language.
If your dry eye is caused by blocked meibomian glands — which it usually is — that's where IPL comes in. If it's something else, we'll tell you that honestly and recommend a different approach.
Another common cause is chronic eyelid inflammation — a condition called blepharitis — which is closely linked to dry eye and often needs to be treated alongside it.
DO THESE CHRONIC DRY EYE SYMPTOMS SOUND FAMILIAR?
Common signs of dry eye disease
The most common signs of dry eye disease include a persistent gritty or sandy sensation, burning or stinging, eyes that water excessively, blurred vision that comes and goes, and increased discomfort in air-conditioned or heated environments. Symptoms are often worse after screen use or reading because blink rate drops by up to 60% during concentrated visual tasks.
Dry Eye Severity Assessment
Based on TFOS DEWS II diagnostic criteria. Select the symptoms you experience regularly to calculate your symptom burden score.
Awaiting Input...
Check the boxes above to evaluate your tear film stability.
If you're ticking several of these, it's worth getting a proper assessment. Dry eye is a chronic condition — it doesn't go away on its own, and it tends to get worse if the underlying cause isn't treated.
HOW WE DIAGNOSE THE ROOT CAUSE OF YOUR DRY EYES
Finding out why your eyes are dry
A dry eye assessment at Concord Eyecare takes about 20 minutes. We measure your tear break-up time to assess tear film stability, examine your meibomian glands using imaging to check for blockages, look for signs of blepharitis or Demodex along your lid margins, and evaluate your blink pattern and rate.
The diagnosis determines the treatment. Evaporative dry eye caused by meibomian gland dysfunction(MGD) — which accounts for roughly 86% of cases — responds well to IPL therapy. Aqueous deficient dry eye, where the eye isn't producing enough tears, needs a different approach — sometimes prescription drops like cyclosporine, sometimes punctal plugs, sometimes a combination.
We screen for dry eye during every comprehensive eye examination — often we find it before the patient has even mentioned symptoms. We'll tell you exactly what type you have and why. If IPL isn't the right fit, we'll recommend what is — whether that's therapeutic drops, lid hygiene, omega-3 supplementation, or a referral.
Advanced Dry Eye Treatments in North Strathfield
IPL therapy — treating the root cause,
not just the symptoms
IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light. We use the E-Eye device — designed specifically for treating meibomian gland dysfunction, not a skin clinic device adapted for eyes.
It works by delivering gentle pulses of light to the skin around your lower eyelids. This targets the underlying inflammation and blocked blood vessels that are stopping your oil glands from working properly. Each session takes about 20–30 minutes, it's well tolerated by most people, and there's no downtime — you can drive home straight after.
The treatment works across four sessions spaced over about three months (Day 1, Day 15, Day 45, Day 75). Most patients notice improvement by the third session, and the full course typically provides relief lasting 12–18 months.
Ready to find out what's causing your dry eye?
or call (02) 8765 9600
Evidence-based Dry Eye Management
Clinically shown to work.
IPL for dry eye is supported by multiple randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses — not just theory.
We've run IPL for dry eye at Concord Eyecare since the E-Eye device launched in Australia. Patients who complete the full 4-session protocol and follow the at-home warm compress routine tend to notice the most change — typically in tear-film stability, meibomian gland expression, and evening comfort. Results vary by individual. We're direct with patients at assessment about whether IPL is likely to help their specific form of dry eye, or whether something else will work better.
YOUR IPL TREATMENT JOURNEY
What to expect — from first visit to lasting relief
Four sessions over roughly 11 weeks. Your IPL journey at Concord Eyecare follows the E-Eye treatment protocol used in most published clinical trials: four sessions spaced to let your meibomian glands respond progressively. Between sessions, you'll use a simple at-home routine to support the treatment.
IPL suitability assessment
A 15–20 minute consultation where we assess your dry eye, check your skin type (IPL isn't suitable for every skin tone), and review your medical history. You'll leave knowing whether IPL is the right option for your dry eye, or whether something else would work better. No treatment is performed at this visit. No charge, no obligation.
Your first IPL treatment
We place protective shields over your eyes, apply a coupling gel, and deliver a series of light pulses across your lower eyelids and cheekbones using the E-Eye device. The session takes about 20–30 minutes. You'll feel a warm, gentle sensation during the pulses — that's the infrared component warming the tissue.
Second session, two weeks later
Same protocol as Session 1. The spacing matters — your meibomian glands need time between treatments to respond. We'll check in on how your eyes have been feeling and review your at-home routine.
Third session, one month later
The longer gap between Sessions 2 and 3 is deliberate — published protocols show the gland response is cumulative, and the extended interval lets your tear film adapt. We'll assess meibomian gland expression and check tear-film stability to see how your eyes are responding.
Final session in the initial protocol
The last of the four initial sessions. We'll do a full dry eye reassessment — tear break-up time, meibomian gland expression — and compare against your baseline readings from the suitability assessment. Together we'll discuss what we've found and what the next step looks like for you.
Maintenance and review
Dry eye is usually a long-term condition, so treatment doesn't end at Session 4. Most patients in published protocols benefit from a maintenance session every 9–12 months to hold the response. We'll review with you annually — whether that means another top-up session, a step back to drops, or a different approach altogether depends on how you're doing.
IPL THERAPY TREATMENT COST
We believe in 100% transparent pricing
We believe you should know what something costs before you walk in.
Comparable IPL protocols elsewhere in Sydney typically run $1,200–$2,500. We price the full package at $800 because partial treatment rarely works — we'd rather patients complete the protocol than start and stop.
What's included
- IPL suitability assessment (no charge, no obligation)
- All 4 IPL sessions with the E-Eye device
- Between-session check-ins and at-home care plan
- Full reassessment after Session 4
Individual sessions $250. Maintenance sessions $250 each. Not covered by Medicare or private health funds.
WHY CONCORD EYECARE FOR DRY EYE
Dry eye is a spectrum. We treat it as one.
Dry eye isn't one condition — it's a spectrum. Treatment that doesn't match the cause rarely works. We diagnose the type, image what's happening, and match the treatment to what we find.
We work out the type first
Evaporative, aqueous-deficient, or mixed — the right treatment depends on which one you have. A proper diagnosis is why IPL works for the right patients, and why we don't recommend it for the wrong ones.
Equipment most optometrists don't have
Meibography and non-invasive tear break-up time aren't part of a standard eye test — they're dedicated dry eye diagnostics that need dedicated equipment. We invested in both because diagnosing the type of dry eye needs more than symptoms. Meibography shows whether your oil glands are structurally healthy or atrophied; NIBUT measures how stable your tears are without the old fluorescein-and-stopwatch method. Most independent optometrists in Sydney don't have either.
Everything under one roof
All three optometrists are therapeutically endorsed. If you need prescription drops or medication alongside IPL, we prescribe directly — no GP visit, no delays, one clinical file.
"Mark treated my dry eyes with IPL and I can't thank him enough. After my 3rd session I noticed an improvement, and by the 4th the dryness was almost completely gone. Now I can sit in front of the computer without any irritation. Really happy with the results."
Book an IPL suitability assessment.
15–20 minutes. We'll examine your dry eye type, check your glands, and review your skin type for IPL compatibility. You'll leave knowing whether IPL suits your dry eye — or whether we'd recommend something simpler first, like warm compresses or prescription drops. No charge, no obligation.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Dry eye & IPL — your questions answered
Is IPL for dry eye covered by Medicare?
IPL treatment itself isn't covered by Medicare or private health funds. Your initial dry eye assessment during a comprehensive eye examination is bulk billed, and any prescriptions we write are eligible for PBS subsidies where applicable. The full IPL course is $800 all-inclusive.
Does IPL for dry eye actually work?
The evidence base is strong. Multiple randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses support IPL for evaporative dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction — the 2024 systematic review covered 79+ studies. IPL has been part of the international DEWS II treatment step-ladder for over a decade. Results vary by individual — suitability assessment is where we work out whether it's likely to help your specific dry eye.
Is IPL for dry eye painful?
No. Most patients describe it as a warm, gentle sensation around the eyes during the pulses. We use protective eye shields throughout and apply a coupling gel to keep things comfortable. There's no downtime — you can drive home and go about your day straight after the session.
How long does IPL for dry eye last?
Most patients benefit from an annual maintenance session after completing the initial four-session protocol. The clinical rationale: dry eye is usually chronic, and the meibomian gland response to IPL needs periodic reinforcement. We'll reassess your meibography and tear film at your 12-month review before recommending any maintenance.
Do I need a GP referral for IPL?
No. All three of our optometrists are therapeutically endorsed, which means we can diagnose, prescribe, and treat dry eye directly — including anti-inflammatory drops and prescription medications alongside IPL. No referral, no extra appointments, one clinical file.
Can I keep using my eye drops during IPL?
Yes. IPL works alongside existing dry eye care — we'll advise which drops to continue and which to adjust at your dry eye assessment. The treatment addresses gland function and tear film stability; drops and lid hygiene continue to play their usual role.
Who isn't suitable for IPL?
IPL isn't recommended for very dark skin types (Fitzpatrick V–VI), pregnant or breastfeeding patients, or people taking certain photosensitising medications. We check suitability at the IPL assessment — if IPL isn't appropriate for you, we'll recommend alternatives.
What if IPL isn't right for my dry eye?
We'll tell you at the assessment. Not every dry eye responds to IPL — some cases do better with therapeutic drops, warm compress routines, lid hygiene protocols, or a combination. We'll build a dry eye treatment plan that fits your type of dry eye, whether or not IPL is part of it.
Dig deeper into dry eye
- Craig JP, et al. "TFOS DEWS II Definition and Classification Report." Ocul Surf. 2017;15(3):276-283. doi:10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.008
- Lemp MA, et al. "Distribution of aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye in a clinic-based patient cohort." Cornea. 2012;31(5):472-478. doi:10.1097/ICO.0b013e318225415a
- Nichols KK, et al. "The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: executive summary." Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52(4):1922-1929. doi:10.1167/iovs.10-6997a
- Toyos R, McGill W, Briscoe D. "Intense pulsed light treatment for dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction; a 3-year retrospective study." Photomed Laser Surg. 2015;33(1):41-46. doi:10.1089/pho.2014.3819
- Dell SJ, et al. "Intense pulsed light for evaporative dry eye disease." Clin Ophthalmol. 2017;11:1167-1173. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S139894
- Stapleton F, et al. "TFOS DEWS II Epidemiology Report." Ocul Surf. 2017;15(3):334-365. doi:10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.003
- Jones L, et al. "TFOS DEWS II Management and Therapy Report." Ocul Surf. 2017;15(3):575-628. doi:10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.006
- Geerling G, et al. "The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Report of the Subcommittee on Management and Treatment." Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52(4):2050-2064.
- Optometry Australia. "Clinical Practice Guide for Dry Eye Disease." 2021.
- Yin Y, et al. "Intense pulsed light therapy for meibomian gland dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Cornea. 2021;40(9):1206-1215. doi:10.1097/ICO.0000000000002743
READY TO BOOK?
Your eyes don’t have to feel like this forever.
Book a free IPL suitability consultation. 15–20 minutes, no obligation. We'll find out what's causing your dry eye and whether IPL can help.