Dry Eyes
Dry eyes are a complex disorder of the ocular surface which may lead to many symptoms including pain, burning, tearing, redness, sandy feeling, gritty feeling, and even blurred vision. Dry eye can be related to reduced production of tears or reduced quality of tears. The tear film is made of 3 components including mucus, water, and oil. Any combination of dysfunction of these layers can lead to dry eyes.
How Are Dry Eyes Diagnosed?
There are several ways your doctor may diagnose dry eye. Some of the more common tests include:
- Fluorescein testing
- Schirmer’s testing
- Tear osmolarity
- Meibomian gland analysis
- Blood tests for Sjogren’s disease
How Are Dry Eyes Treated?
Being a dry eye center of excellence, we offer several options for the treatment of dry eyes. Each treatment plan is individualized to the patient’s needs.
These treatment options include:
- Artificial tears
- Ointments
- Prescription drops
- Compounded specialty eye drops
- Punctal Plugs
What Is the Latest Treatment for Dry Eyes?
BlephEx
BlephEx is an amazing new technology used to treat Blepharitis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the eyelids. Blepharitis is caused by an overgrowth of normal bacteria that lives along the eyelid margin and is often the precursor to more severe eye disease including dry eye and chalazion.
The BlephEx tool works by spinning a medical-grade micro-sponge along the eyelid surface, eliminating scruff, bacterial debris, and the biofilm that builds up along the lid and base of the eyelashes.
Very similar to how a dentist removes plaque and tartar to prevent gingivitis, your eye doctor can now use BlephEx to remove the lid’s biofilm to prevent and treat blepharitis. With regular treatments and intermittent at-home maintenance, we finally have the ability to treat a previously unsuccessfully treated disease!
Topical tea tree therapy
Certain organisms can live on the eyelid margin and their build-up can contribute to both blepharitis and chalazion. Recent research supports these organisms can be reduced with topical tea tree therapy making dry eye symptoms better.
Our cornea specialist has recently published an article on the association of demodex with chalazion.
The Association of Demodex with Chalazia: A Histopathologic study of the Eyelid by Dr. Schear et al.
Please click here call us today at 845-896-9280 to schedule an evaluation with one of our dry eye specialists.
