Dry Eye Treatment

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Dry Eye can have a major impact on your quality of life. You may find your eyes get tired faster or you have difficulty reading. Your eyes also could water or have a burning sensation or blurry vision. Let us take a look at dry eye treatments, – from simple self-care to innovative prescriptions and therapies, – to help you see clearly and comfortably.

What is Dry Eye?

Understanding dry eye will help you determine the best treatment option. Dry eye occurs when a person does not have enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Tears reduce eye infections, wash away foreign matter, and keep the eye’s surface smooth and clear. People with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears or their tears are of poor quality. It is a common and often chronic problem, especially in older adults.
 

Preventive Self-Care

Before we delve into more serious dry eye treatment options, here are a few simple self-care options that can manage minor cases of dry eye.

• Blink regularly when reading or staring at a computer screen for a long time.

• Make sure there is adequate humidity in the air at work and at home.

• Wear sunglasses outside to reduce sun and wind exposure. Wrap-around glasses are best.

• Take supplements with essential fatty acids, as these may decrease dry eye symptoms.

• Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water each day to avoid dehydration.

• Find out if any of your prescriptions have dry eye as a side effect, and if so, see if you can take an alternative.
   

Artificial Tears

For mild cases of dry eyes, the best option is over-the-counter eye drops. Here are a few tips for selecting the right one:

• Low viscosity – These artificial tears are watery. They often provide quick relief with little or no blurring of your vision, but their effect can be brief, and sometimes you must use these drops frequently to get adequate relief.

• High viscosity – These are more gel-like and provide longer-lasting lubrication. However, these drops can cause significant blurring of your vision for several minutes. For this reason, high-viscosity artificial tears are recommended at bedtime.
   

Prescription Dry Eye Treatments

There are several prescriptions that treat dry eye differently. Dr. Wu can advise the best option for your situation.

• Prescription Eye Drops – Some drops that may calm the general inflammation along with swelling in your tear glands. Other eye drops may stabilize the tear film to keep the tears from evaporating as fast.

• Amniotic Membranes – Natural placental tissue has been shown to act as a bandage to the front surface of your eye, improving any pain.

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In Office Dry Eye Procedures

• ZEST (Zocular Eyelid System Treatment)  – Zocular products contain an okra-infused gel which gently lifts and clears the oils and debris, Demodex mites, from the eyelid margins.

• Thermal Pulsation – This treatment helps to unblock oil glands. Placed over your eye, the device delivers a gentle, warm massage to the eyelid for about 15 minutes.

• Low Light Level Therapy (LLLT) – Focused red LED light can relieve pain and inflammation along the eyelids.

• Intense-Pulsed Light Therapy – This therapy utilizes pulses of light to liquefy and release hardened oils that have clogged glands in the eyelids.

You do not have to suffer from the symptoms of dry eye. Talk to Dr. Wu about dry eye treatment options designed to address the underlying cause of your condition.