Dry Eye Treatment

Dry eye is more than an occasional annoyance—it can affect your comfort, vision, and quality of life. If your eyes feel dry, irritated, tired, or watery, you don't have to live with the symptoms. Today's dry eye treatments are designed to address the underlying cause of your condition, not just provide temporary relief.
 

What is Dry Eye?

Dry eye occurs when your eyes don't produce enough healthy tears or when your tears evaporate too quickly. A healthy tear film keeps the eyes comfortable, protects the surface of the eye, and helps you see clearly. When your tear film becomes unstable, you may experience:
 

• Dryness or irritation

• Burning or stinging

• Redness

• A gritty or sandy sensation

• Blurry vision that comes and goes

• Watery eyes

• Light sensitivity

• Discomfort while wearing contact lenses

Preventive Self-Care

For mild symptoms, these habits may improve comfort:
 

• Take regular breaks from digital screens.

• Use a humidifier in dry indoor environments.

• Taking a supplement with omega-3 fatty acids, particularly from fish oil, can help alleviate dryness symptoms.

• Wear sunglasses outdoors to protect your eyes from wind and sun.

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

• Talk with your doctor if you think one of your medications may be contributing to dry eye

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.

Advanced Dry Eye Treatments

Because dry eye has many different causes, treatment is personalized for each patient.

Depending on your condition, we may recommend:
 

• Prescription eye drops to reduce inflammation and improve tear production.

• In-office treatments to improve the function of the oil glands in your eyelids, including Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and TempSure® Envi Radiofrequency.

• Punctal plugs to help keep natural tears on the surface of your eyes longer.

• Amniotic membrane therapy to promote healing of the eye's surface in patients with severe dry eye or damage to the cornea.

Dry eye is a chronic condition, but it can be successfully managed with the right treatment plan.

A comprehensive dry eye evaluation allows us to identify the root cause of your symptoms and recommend therapies that provide long-term comfort, healthier eyes, and clearer vision.