Dry Eye Treatment
What is Dry Eye?
Dry eye is a very prevalent issue that affects patients of all ages. It not only affects how your eyes feel but may also hinder the quality of your vision.
Symptoms of dry eye include:
- Blurred Vision
- Redness
- Eyes Watering
- Overall Discomfort
What Causes Dry Eye?
There are many risk factors to consider when determining the cause of the dry eyes. It all comes down to not only the amount of tears your eyes produce, but also the quality of the tears.
Your tears have three different layers:
- Aqueous Layer: The liquid layer that your lacrimal glands produce.
- Lipid Layer: The oily layer that your meibomian glands produce to keep your tears from evaporating off of your eyes.
- Mucin Layer: The layer that helps keep your tears adhered to your corneal and conjunctival surface.
Inflammation plays a major role in affecting the quality of all of these layers and your body’s ability to produce good tears. A few examples of factors that affect the different layers of your tears include:
- Mebomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)
- Autoimmune Disorders (i.e. Sjogrens, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Steven Johnson’s, etc.)
- Post-LASIK Patients
- Menopause
- Side Effects of Many Medications
- Prolonged Screen Time
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Environmental Factors
Dry Eye Treatments
Prescription drops for dry eye like Restasis, Xiidra, etc. are more effective if over the counter tears are not doing the job. They can be very expensive even with insurance coverage and require strict compliance for maximum benefit. Many take weeks to months to start noticing the full therapeutic effect.
These are plugs you put in your puncta (the hole where your tears drain) to keep tears on your eyes. These work well for patients who do not produce enough tears. They can be uncomfortable for some patients and can also cause issues if you have a lot of inflammation in your tears.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment for dry eye with the LUMENIS IPL device, the only FDA approved equipment for dry eye treatment.
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Meibomian gland dysfunction is an eye condition that is the leading cause of dry eye. This condition occurs due to lipid layer deficiencies.
The lipid layer of your tear film is produced by glands located on your eyelids called Meibomian glands. These glands can become inflamed and not produce a good lipid layer in your tears that prevents your tears from evaporating off of your eyes too quickly. Because of this, your Meibomian glands become clogged with lipid and bacteria.
The lipid is like a wax that clogs the glands and prevents them from expressing the good lipids that your tear film needs. The bacteria is what can cause grittiness and overall discomfort. This condition is called Meibomian gland dysfunction and/or Blepharitis.
Treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Treatment
At Hardin Valley Eyecare and Optical, we offer Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment for dry eye with the LUMENIS IPL device. The LUMENIS IPL device is the only FDA approved equipment for dry eye treatment.
This device uses Intense Pulsed Light to target chromophores in your eyelids and help get rid of all the inflammation in your Meibomian glands. This is one of the best ways, if not the best, to address Meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye.
Patient Testimonials
We are dedicated to providing exceptional eye care services that enhance your vision and improve your overall well-being. Our commitment to excellence has earned us the trust and appreciation of our valued patients. Here’s what they have to say about their experiences with us:
