Low Level Light Therapy (Dry Eye)

Low level light therapy (LLLT), also called photobiomodulation, is available at Rose Optometry, Hamilton, using our LED Pro system. Treatment starts with a dry-eye assessment with Jacqueline Rowe at our Dry Eye Clinic, because the assessment decides whether LLLT on its own, LLLT with IPL, or something else is the right treatment for you. This page explains what it does, who it suits and how to book.

Book a Dry Eye Evaluation online: open our online booking, then scroll down the appointment list to "Dry Eye Evaluation" and choose a time. This is a paid, in-depth assessment (TearCheck, meibography and ScoutPro osmolarity) and the fee is confirmed when you book. Prefer to talk? Call (07) 847 3195.

What LLLT is

LLLT uses a mask lined with LEDs that emit specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light over the closed eyes and surrounding face for around fifteen minutes. The light is low energy. It does not heat, burn or flash; you feel gentle warmth at most. Photobiomodulation is thought to work at the cellular level: the light is absorbed by the mitochondria, the energy-producing parts of the cells in the eyelid, meibomian glands and skin, and appears to increase energy production and reduce inflammatory signalling. A 2025 UK randomised mechanism-of-action trial measured changes in cellular metabolic markers in the lids after treatment. The hope is glands that function better and a lid margin that is less inflamed. LLLT was used in dermatology and wound healing before being applied to dry eye. Our article on meibomian gland dysfunction explains why gland function is the key problem in most dry eye.

Who it may suit

• People with meibomian gland dysfunction who need a gentle, non-invasive way to improve gland function.
• People who are not suitable for IPL, because of darker skin type, photosensitising medications, or a history that rules out pulsed light. LLLT is low-energy and does not carry the same skin-type restrictions, and a 2025 randomised trial concluded it could be considered as an adjunct where IPL is contraindicated.
• People having IPL, where LLLT is commonly given in the same session. The IPL treats the abnormal vessels and warms the glands; the LLLT works on the cells' energy and inflammation. Many clinics now pair the two.
• Chalazia and styes, where LLLT is being explored as a non-surgical option, and lid inflammation more broadly.
• Sensitive patients for whom heat and expression are uncomfortable.

What a course looks like

A typical course is around four sessions, one to four weeks apart, each taking about fifteen minutes with the mask on, either on its own or immediately after IPL. There is no downtime and nothing to feel afterwards. Maintenance sessions may follow depending on your measurements. Suitability, and whether LLLT is the right first step or something to add to another treatment, is decided at an assessment at our Dry Eye Clinic in Hamilton. The assessment decides the treatment.

The evidence, honestly

LLLT for dry eye has a younger and smaller evidence base than IPL or LipiFlow. There are encouraging studies: a 2025 meta-analysis of twelve studies of LLLT combined with IPL found improved symptoms and tear break-up time, a small randomised paired-eye trial found LLLT alone improved symptoms and gland expressibility, and there are case series in chalazia. But most of the data is for LLLT combined with IPL rather than on its own, sham-controlled trials are few and small, and the mechanism is proposed rather than proven, so we will describe it as promising rather than proven. We will not quote outcome percentages. What we will do is measure your tear film with TearCheck, image your glands with meibography and check osmolarity with ScoutPro before and after, so that whether it is working for you is a matter of record rather than impression.

LLLT in Hamilton

Waikato patients have been driving to Auckland for combined IPL and LLLT. With IPL, LipiFlow, Blephasteam and BlephEx already at Rose Optometry, LLLT completes the range, so people from Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Morrinsville, Huntly and Raglan can be assessed, treated and followed up in Frankton. Home care between sessions uses lid hygiene, heat masks and preservative-free drops from our online store. Assessment is also offered at our affiliated practice, Visique Rototuna Optometrists. Rose Optometry is a member of the Dry Eye Specialist Group.

Book an assessment

LLLT for dry eye is available at Rose Optometry, 38 Lake Road, Frankton. To start, book a Dry Eye Evaluation with Jacqueline Rowe online here (scroll to "Dry Eye Evaluation" in the list; it is a paid assessment), call (07) 847 3195, email info@roseoptom.co.nz with "LLLT" in the subject line, or use our contact page. TearCheck, meibography and osmolarity at that visit tell us whether LLLT is the right treatment and how many sessions to plan.

Frequently asked questions

Does it hurt?

No. It is painless. You lie back with the mask on for about fifteen minutes and feel, at most, gentle warmth.

Is it safe for my eyes?

The eyes are closed under the mask and the light energy is low. The published dry-eye studies to date have not reported serious adverse events, and LLLT has a long safety record in dermatology.

Can I have it if I cannot have IPL?

Yes, that is one of its main roles. Skin type and photosensitising medications do not rule it out.

Can I book LLLT now?

Yes. LLLT starts with a dry-eye assessment with Jacqueline Rowe so that we treat the right problem. Call (07) 847 3195 to book. Or book the Dry Eye Evaluation online.

Does red light therapy help dry eyes?

Low level red and near-infrared light applied over closed eyelids appears to improve gland function and symptoms in meibomian gland dysfunction in several small studies and a 2025 meta-analysis, mostly when combined with IPL. The evidence is promising but early; we describe it that way and measure your results.

How many LLLT sessions do I need for dry eye?

Published protocols use around four sessions, one to four weeks apart, each about fifteen minutes, sometimes with maintenance sessions later. Your measurements decide the number.

How much does LLLT for dry eye cost in Hamilton?

We quote assessment and course pricing plainly before anything is booked; the number of sessions depends on your assessment. Call (07) 847 3195 for current pricing.

References

• Chan KE, Lau BSR, Lim BXH, et al. Low-level light therapy and intense pulse light therapy in meibomian gland dysfunction. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2025;48(2):102344. PMID 39638706. doi:10.1016/j.clae.2024.102344
• Chiang JCB, Dremin V, Semp DA, et al. Low-level light therapy alone versus combination therapy with intense pulsed light in the treatment of dry eye disease with meibomian gland dysfunction: A randomised paired-eye and mechanism of action trial. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2025;48(6):102456. PMID 40494722. doi:10.1016/j.clae.2025.102456
• Stonecipher K, Abell TG, Chotiner B, Chotiner E, Potvin R. Combined low level light therapy and intense pulsed light therapy for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction. Clin Ophthalmol. 2019;13:993-999. PMID 31354233. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S213664
• Stonecipher K, Potvin R. Low level light therapy for the treatment of recalcitrant chalazia: a sample case summary. Clin Ophthalmol. 2019;13:1727-1733. PMID 31564823. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S225506
• Ben Ephraim Noyman D, Chan CC, Teichman JC, et al. Dry Eye Disease Management Via Technological Methods: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. Ophthalmol Ther. 2025;14(8):1917-1954. PMID 40601205. doi:10.1007/s40123-025-01187-y
• Jones L, Craig JP, Markoulli M, et al. TFOS DEWS III: Management and Therapy. Am J Ophthalmol. 2025;279:289-386. PMID 40467022. doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2025.05.039