When Nikki Iravani, OD, owner of eyeXam Optometry in Newport Beach and Santa Clara, California, learned about OptiLIFT device earlier in 2025, she immediately saw the opportunity to help her patients in an exciting new way and enhance her practice reputation and patient base.
Dr. Iravani notes that OptiLIFT’s dual action brings both aesthetic and functional benefits. The cosmetic tightening plus functional rehabilitation meets her patients’ growing interest in aesthetic treatments in both of her offices. She has long discussed aesthetics and cosmetics along with ocular disease conditions such as red eye in her practices.
Stopping by the Lumenis booth at an industry event, she made the decision that she needed to bring the advanced system into both practices. OptiLIFT’s ability to tighten the periorbital muscles and address lower lid laxity dovetails perfectly with the kind of high-tech offerings and her love of aesthetics and beauty that she’s known for.
By mid-September, the systems were installed. Dr. Iravani volunteered to be a patient to allow technicians to train on the device under the guidance of a Lumenis trainer who was on hand.
FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE
She was curious, but she also wanted to be able to give a first-hand description for her patients. She posted videos on the practice Instagram page of herself and the staff throughout the procedure, describing the sensation and the science behind the OptiLIFT system that can simultaneously tone the periorbital muscles, provide rejuvenation. It allows her to address patients’ impaired blinking. She explains how the orbicularis oculi muscle weakens, causing the eyelid to sag and impairing proper lubrication and tear film stability.
OptiLIFT uses gentle electrical stimulation to tighten periorbital muscles, reduce skin laxity and boost collagen remodeling. For patients with mild to moderate eyelid droop, puffiness or early age-related changes around the eyes, it can offer functional and aesthetic benefits. Functional benefits come through addressing blink quality and strength, improving tear breakup time. The aesthetic benefits can include a more youthful and lifted appearance. 1,2,3
FOUNDATION OF TRUST
Dr. Iravani’s confidence in OptiLIFT traces back to a stellar experience with the OptiLIGHT IPL system from Lumenis. Installed in both offices a few years ago, OptiLIGHT is the first and only IPL FDA-approved for the management of dry eye disease due to MGD. It uses intense pulsed light to reduce inflammation in the eyelid margin, clear demodex and jump-start meibomian gland function. “That was my first foray into light-based eyelid therapy,” Dr. Iravani recalls. “We saw rapid reduction in redness, less burning and improved tear-quality reports from patients—even those who hadn’t complained about dryness.”
Patient feedback was tremendous. “They looked better, and their eyes felt better,” she says. That outcome convinced her that investing in Lumenis’ technology was more than an upgrade—it was a practice-changing decision.
Her decision to double down and bring OptiLIFT into both practices also grew out of her experience with OptiLIGHT, which does very well in both locations. Initially, Dr. Iravani contemplated equipping only her Santa Clara office. The demographics differ substantially between Silicon Valley’s heavy-screen users—who often suffer chronic evaporative dry eye—and Newport Beach’s sun-exposed, rosacea-prone clientele.
Patients in both communities, she realized, stand to gain from lower eyelid tightening that OptiLIFT could deliver, “I wanted every patient—regardless of ZIP code—to benefit,” she explains.
So having OptiLIFT alongside OptiLIGHT in both locations creates an identical standard of care for all eyeXam patients. To help identify dry eye patients, every patient receives a complimentary meibography scan to evaluate gland health. And every treatment plan—whether OptiLIGHT, OptiLIFT, or a combination—gets customized based on those images.
WORTHY INVESTMENT
Though acquiring two OptiLIFT units represents a substantial capital outlay, Dr. Iravani views it as an investment in practice growth. “Patients seek out high-tech providers. When you have the latest technology, it sends a clear message: You’re committed to excellence.” Just as OptiLIGHT created a word-of-mouth referral stream, she expects her OptiLIFT treatments will do the same.
“You have to believe in the technology—and your patients expect you to be updated. Not every patient will opt for the latest treatments, but they help generate the noise in the community about the brand.”
She’s contributing to the buzz with her own social media presence. On her Instagram, Dr. Iravani says, “I love this so much. Only one session in, and the results speak for themselves. There are fewer wrinkles, and my eyes look more open and lifted.”
She compares the muscle stimulation from OptiLIFT to muscle stimulation from exercise. “We don’t really exercise our periorbital muscles, so this technology does it for us.”
References
1. Kavanagh, S, J Newell, M Hennessy, and N Sadick. 2012. “Use of a neuromuscular electrical stimulation device for facial muscle toning: a randomized, controlled trial.” J Cosm Dermatol 11: 261-6.
2. Gold, MH, and J_ Biron. 2020. “Improvement of wrinkles and skin tightening using TriPollar® radiofrequency with Dynamic Muscle Activation (DMA™).” J Cosm Dermatol 19 (9): 2282-7.
3. Chelnis & Chelnis 2024. “Dynamic Muscle Stimulation of the Periorbital Area for Improvement of Blinking in Dry Eye Patients,” Clin Ophthalmol (19) 1057—1071.
INDICATION FOR USE:
The OptiLIFT System and its accessories are intended for dermatological procedures requiring ablation and resurfacing of the skin when using VoluDerm Energy (Microneedling Applicator). It is also intended for use in dermatologic and general surgical procedures for non-invasive treatment when using RF Energy and for muscle conditioning to stimulate healthy muscles (OptiLIFT Applicator). OptiLIFT System is not intended to be used in conjunction with therapy or treatment of medical diseases or medical conditions of any kind.
OptiLIFT System is intended to be operated by a licensed healthcare practitioner who is present to monitor treatment.
WARNINGS AND RISKS:
OptiLIFT System is contraindicated for patients with pacemakers, defibrillators, any implanted electronic device, or metal implanted in the treatment area.
Side effects may appear either at the time of treatment or shortly after. Side effects may include any of the following: prolonged or significant pain, damage to natural skin texture (blister, burn), excessive skin redness (erythema), excessive swelling (edema), fragile skin bruising, excessive itching, change of pigmentation (hyper-pigmentation or hypopigmentation), scarring transient skin break-out such as acne and pimples. For a complete list of contraindications, please refer to the User Manual.
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