Radiofrequency Treatment

How Does RF Treatment Work?

Radiofrequency (RF) treatment uses heat to help improve dry eye symptoms. Heating the skin unclogs the meibomian glands, and manual expression of the glands after treatment aids in stimulating oil flow.

During the procedure, your eye doctor will use a RF handheld device to gently massage around your eye after applying a soothing gel. This sends a micro electrical current into your skin and creates a warming sensation. Our RF is temperature controlled and causes no pain or discomfort. Generally it takes on average 20 minutes to complete by the certified doctor and technician.

After Your RF Treatment

While certain patients notice immediate improvements in their dry eye symptoms, it generally takes a series of treatments to experience drastic change. Following the treatment, you should have no reason for concern, as it indicates that your meibomian glands are expressing more oil than your eyes are accustomed to. Aside from this, no downtime is required and you should be able to return to your daily activities right after the treatment.

While RF treatment can benefit dry eyes, you typically need several sessions to reach your desired results. Just like with IPL, some patients will continue with maintenance treatments on a 6 to 12 month basis following the initial series to maintain optimal results.

At Smart Eyecare, our dry eye specialist will create a treatment plan after completing a comprehensive eye exam to assess your meibomian glands, eyelid architecture and function, blinking capacity and consistency, tear film stability, skin type, medical history, and current medications. Both IPL and RF treatment help address the root cause of your dry eye symptoms, making them beneficial for improving your daily comfort. These treatment methods are best for patients with dry eyes caused by meibomian gland-related issues.

If you have tried various treatments and still struggle with unpleasant dry eye symptoms, we can help.

​​​​​​​Please call us at 201-751-2388 to schedule a comprehensive dry eye evaluation to discuss if you are a candidate for RF treatments.