How is your dry eye care different from what I've gotten elsewhere?

Most dry eye treatment stops at "use these drops." Our protocol layers diagnostic testing, in-office treatments (IPL, meibomian gland expression), prescription medication, and at-home support — based on what's actually causing your dry eye, IPL, radio frequency, low-level light therapy, and meibomian gland expression.

Will I be on drops forever?

Often, no. Many of our patients reach a point where they need only periodic in-office treatments and minimal at-home maintenance. Some patients do continue prescription drops long-term, but the goal is always sustained relief with the lightest possible treatment burden.

Yes — when performed by trained providers on appropriate candidates. We do a thorough screening before any IPL session and never treat patients who aren't good candidates.

Will my insurance cover this?

Diagnostic evaluations and prescription treatments are typically covered under medical insurance. Some advanced treatments like IPL are out-of-pocket — we'll discuss costs upfront.

For most patients, no — it's a chronic condition. But it is highly manageable. Our patients consistently report substantial relief with proper treatment.

How quickly will I see results?

Most patients notice improvement within 4-6 weeks of starting a comprehensive protocol. Severe cases take longer. We track progress with objective measurements at each follow-up.

What if I've already tried prescription drops with no results?

Then prescription drops alone weren't the answer for your case. That's exactly the kind of patient our protocol was built for. We can layer in IPL, meibomian gland expression, scleral lenses, or other treatments based on what's driving your symptoms.

SPECIALTY CARE / DRY EYE

Dry eye isn't something you have to live with.

Most patients with chronic dry eye have been told to use drops to cover up their symptoms, all the while, allowing the underlying disease process to worsen overtime. Our approach is different. L0•0K Optometric is one of the only dry eye practices in Orange County, offering a multimodal dry eye protocol, built specifically to address the underlying cause, not just the symptoms.

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OUR APPROACH

Most dry eye treatment stops at the bottle.

Nearly 23 million Americans suffer from dry eye disease — and most are handed a bottle of artificial tears and told to come back if it gets worse. The problem is, dry eye is rarely just dryness. It's an inflammatory disease with multiple contributing factors: meibomian gland dysfunction, blepharitis, environmental triggers, hormonal changes, autoimmune conditions, and more.

A single drop can't address all of that an all-inclusive protocol can. Our doctors built our dry eye program around the way the disease actually works. We diagnose the underlying causes, then layer treatments based off what your eyes specifically need.
A real protocol can. Our doctors — Dr. Elson and Dr. Ngo — built our dry eye program around the way the disease actually works. We diagnose the underlying causes, then layer treatments based on what your eyes specifically need.

THE PROTOCOL

A multi-step approach to dry eye relief.

01

Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation

This exam is separated from your comprehensive eye exam to give your dry eye disease the time and attention it needs. We use advanced imaging and diagnostic tools to pinpoint exactly what's contributing to your dry eye, and what needs treatment.

02

Personalized Treatment Plan

Based on what we find, we build a treatment plan tailored to your case. Most patients receive a combination of in-office and at-home treatments, layered for maximum effect.

03

In-Office Advanced Treatments

For patients with inflammatory or evaporative dry eye, we offer advanced in-office therapies designed to address the underlying causes of symptoms—not just provide temporary relief.

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy — helps reduce inflammation that contributes to dry eye disease
Low-Level Light Therapy — uses gentle therapeutic light to support healthier gland function and ocular surface comfort
Radiofrequency Treatment — delivers controlled heat to help improve meibomian gland function and tear film quality
TearCare® — targeted heat therapy designed to clear blocked oil glands and restore natural oil flow
Meibomian Gland Expression — manually releases blocked oil glands to improve the stability of the tear film
Punctal Plugs and Lacrifill — help preserve natural tears by reducing tear drainage
Amniotic Membrane Therapy — supports healing in cases of more severe ocular surface damage

04

Prescription Treatments

When indicated, we prescribe targeted medications: cyclosporine (Restasis, Cequa), lifitegrast (Xiidra), varenicline (Tyrvaya), or compounded options, Perfluorohexyloctane ( Miebo)

05

Specialty Contact Lenses

For severe dry eye, scleral lenses can be a game-changer — they hold a reservoir of saline against the cornea, providing all-day moisture and visual clarity. Dr. Elson is fellowship-trained in scleral lens fitting.

06

Lifestyle and At-Home Support

We create a personalized home-care plan to support long-term relief, including guidance on lid hygiene, nutrition, hydration, screen habits, and environmental triggers. Over time, we monitor your progress and adjust your regimen to match your eyes' changing needs.

SYMPTOMS

Could it be dry eye?

Many patients live with dry eye for years without naming it. If any of these sound familiar, an evaluation may be worthwhile:

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A burning or stinging sensation, often worse in the evening

The feeling of something in your eye (a "gritty" or "sandy" feeling)

Episodes of blurry vision that come and go, especially when reading or on screens

Watery eyes that don't seem to help

Redness, especially after long screen sessions

Sensitivity to light and wind

Difficulty wearing contact lenses you used to tolerate

Tired, heavy eyes by the end of the day

WHILE YOU WAIT

A few things you can try today.

These won't replace an evaluation, but they often help:

Hydrate

Aim for at least eight glasses of water a day.

Take screen breaks

Every 15-20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. (The "20-20-20 rule.")

Wear sunglasses outdoors

Lenses trap a small humid layer in front of your eyes and block wind, dust, and pollutants.

Be selective with artificial tears

If you're using them more than 4x a day, switch to a non-preserved formulation.

Use a humidifier in winter

Heated air dries everything out, including your tear film.

Consider omega-3

A high-quality, triglyceride-form fish oil can support tear film health.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Your first dry eye evaluation.

Before your visit:

We’ll ask you to fill out a dry eye symptom questionnaire, the SPEED Score, so we have a baseline.

During your visit

Comprehensive diagnostic testing including meibography, tear breakup time, osmolarity, and surface staining. We talk through what we find and build the plan together.

After your visit:

You leave with a clear treatment plan and a follow-up scheduled. Dry eye is a chronic condition — progress comes from sustained, layered care, not a single appointment.

FAQ

Dry eye FAQ

FOCUSED ON REAL SOLUTIONS

Stop putting drops on a problem they can't solve

Schedule a comprehensive dry eye evaluation with Dr. Elson or Dr. Ngo. We'll find what's actually causing your symptoms — and build the plan to fix it.

Book a Dry Eye Evaluation