Specsavers is adding more IPL capacity to its Australian network

One year after launching its intense pulsed light (IPL) pilot, Specsavers Australia is rolling out the service to two more stores, taking the total to 11, with more expected to follow.

IPL treatment has been identified as a highly effective treatment for dry eye and in particular meibomian gland dysfunction, the leading cause of evaporative dry eye, said Dr Joseph Paul, head of professional services for Specsavers Australia and New Zealand.

To date, the nine pilot stores in Australia have provided care for 319 patients, providing over 1,000 IPL applications.

Data showed the treatment was more likely to be taken up by females than males, with the most common age group receiving treatment being 51–60 years old. “This is in line with the anticipated uptake of the treatment, largely following published prevalence rates of dry eye disease and our core customer demographics for the locations we’ve piloted in,” Dr Paul said.

While it’s too early to see comprehensive data on outcomes, trends indicate very good compliance with follow-up treatments and around 90% of patients reporting improvements to their dry eye symptoms after a full course of treatment, he said. “Ongoing data monitoring and evaluation of patient outcomes will inform any future decisions regarding integration into more Specsavers locations, but the initial positive feedback from practitioners and patients supports the potential of IPL therapy becoming a cornerstone of Specsavers’ dry eye management offering.”

In Australia, since IPL treatment is currently not funded by Medicare, all treatment costs are covered out-of-pocket by the customer. “A key aim of this pilot was to make IPL therapy as accessible as possible for patients, leading to enhanced eye health outcomes for Australians,” Dr Paul said. “Industry-wide, there is an inconsistent adoption or offer of IPL for the treatment of dry eye, so in the pilot phase we spent a lot of time determining a price point that is good value for customers, while also sustainable for our store partners.”

When asked about a potential extension of service to include New Zealand stores, Specsavers didn’t wish to comment.