Your Tears and Dry Eye Disease

Do your eyes BURN, STING or feel SCRATCHY?

Are you eyes SENSITIVE to light?

Do your eyes WATER?

You may be suffering from DRY EYE DISEASE

How does your tear system work?

Tears are essential for good vision. For a good tear film, there needs to be a good water layer and a good oil layer for clear vision.

What causes dry eye?
Too little tears or blocked glands that make the oily outer layer resulting in inflammation on the surface of the eye

What triggers dry eye?

·       Too many birthdays!

·       Dry, cold, windy environments

·       Insufficient blinking with device use

·       Contact lens wear

·       Some medications

·       Eye surgery

·       Thyroid or other auto immune illness

But my eyes don't feel dry??  They water!!!

A foreign body sensation does not need to be present to have dry eye. Eyes can water significantly if the oil layer is insufficient. Contact lens use can desensitize you to feeling dryness.
Much like in your mouth, if your lips are cracked or your tongue is dry you are dehydrated. When you feel your eyes dry, you are in crisis. At times the only symptom is foggy vision...like the inside window of your car.

Dry Eye Treatment

To ensure you have a sufficient quantity of the water layer of tears, you need to lubricate your eyes. Prevent dryness rather than wait until your eyes feel bad! Lubricate your eyes every day with a long lasting effective drop. Ask your optometrist!

What can you do to prevent dry eye?

·       Just as you do for the rest of the body, HYDRATE! Your eyes will be happier if you drink your water!

·       Consider omega3 supplements! The oil glands along the eyelids will benefit from the omega3s. We know it should be EPA/DHA only.

·       Remove oils along your eyelids from makeup and avoid oil-based makeup removers.

·       Carefully consider the presence of glue from eyelash extensions.

·       Consider lid wipes that are pre-moistened to help reduce swelling and blockage of the oil glands. Moist heat for 5minutes with a Bruder mask will heat the glands and help release blockage.

Add to the water layer

·       Consider drops, gels, ointments at bedtime or even sprays for over closed lid if you are apprehensive!

What if my eyes are still dry?
Advanced treatment option?

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and LLLT(Low Level Light Therapy) is a combination treatment that helps provide relief from dry eye by stimulating the oil glands and reducing the evaporation of tears. Thermal pulses around the eyes increases the oil gland production.
It can also be used to treat styes, rosacea, lid inflammation (blepharitis) and chalazia(blocked glands)

IPL AND LLLT(Intense Pulsed Light and Low Level Light Therapy)

What happens during treatment?

A good tear film is essential for clear vision!!!

For more information, please contact [email protected]