Dry Eye Treatment: What Are Your Options?

Do your eyes feel dry, stiff, and uncomfortable? Do you suffer from eye fatigue or find it hard to wear contact lenses? If so, you could have dry eye.

Dry eye is an extremely common ocular problem, but many people who experience it don’t realize that they are suffering from a real condition that could be improved with treatment. Instead, they live with uncomfortable and debilitating symptoms that affect their vision and their quality of life.

Dry eye occurs when the eyes either don’t produce enough tear film, the quality of tear film is poor, or it drains away from the eyes too quickly. Irrespective of the cause, the result is eyes that feel dry, sore, and irritated. You may even experience increased sensitivity to light and blurred vision. Fortunately, there are plenty of different treatments which could help to relieve your dry eyes.

Artificial Tears

As you may have guessed from their name, artificial tears are designed to replicate natural tear film. They are available as eye drops over the counter and can usually be applied as little or as often as you need them to keep your eyes moist and hydrated. They don’t treat the root cause of dry eye, but they can help you to manage your symptoms.

Prescription Eyedrops

Many patients with chronic dry eye are prescribed medicated eye drops to help with their condition. These can have anti-inflammatory properties or contain steroids. Both help to reduce inflammation that could be contributing to your dry eyes. However, steroid eye drops are only ever prescribed for a very short term since they can have some unpleasant side effects.

Antihistamines

Many people suffer from eye allergies, which can be triggered by anything from dust and mold to animal fur. When you have an allergic reaction, your body produces histamines which cause itching, watering, and other symptoms of an allergy attack. Unfortunately, these can make dry eyes worse. If you have allergies, you may be prescribed antihistamines to help.

Warm Compress

If your dry eye is caused by blockages in the glands responsible for producing the oils for tear film (a condition known as meibomian gland dysfunction) warm compresses can help. This is because they can break down hardened oil deposits, releasing oil from the glands more effectively.

Lipiflow

Lipiflow is a popular treatment for people with meibomian gland dysfunction. It is a technological solution that uses thermal pulsations (heat and massage) to break down oil deposits and encourage proper gland function.

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)

If your dry eye isn’t alleviated using any of the other suggestions, you may be recommended to try IPL treatment. IPL stands for intense pulsed light. IPL treatment involves a small, handheld device being used to target bright light onto the skin. This bright light is said to have a therapeutic effect that can reduce the effects of dry eye syndrome.

Punctal Plugs

If your dry eye is thought to be caused by the tear film draining from the surface too quickly, your eye doctor may recommend a treatment called Punctal Plugs. These are tiny, biocompatible devices that are placed into the drainage ducts to slow down the rate at which tear film can leave the eyes, keeping it on the surface and your eyes hydrated.

For more on dry eye treatment options, visit Family Eye Clinic in Midlothian, Texas. Call 972-775-8000 to schedule an appointment today.