What Is the Best Treatment for Dry Eyes?
Many people complain about dry eyes. Individuals over 65, especially women, often suffer from this problem due to hormonal changes. Dry eyes can be uncomfortable. If you suffer from dry eyes, simple actions and treatments can give you relief.
Read on to learn the best treatment for dry eyes.
What Are Dry Eyes?
Dry eyes are a condition that occurs when the eyes cannot produce adequate or quality tears to lubricate the eye. It can be temporary or chronic, depending on the factors that lead to it.
Symptoms of Dry Eye
Below are some of the symptoms:
Scratchy, stinging, or burning sensation in the eyes
Eye fatigue
Stringy mucus in and around the eyes
Water eyes due to dry eye irritation
Light sensitivity
Challenges driving at night
Difficulty wearing contacts
Eye redness
A sensation of a foreign object in your eyes
Causes of Dry Eyes
Dry eyes have several causes. Less tear production often leads to eye dryness. It is often related to the lacrimal or tear gland. Conditions such as Sjogren’s syndrome directly reduce the production of tears. You can also have fewer tears due to old age, contact lens use, or diabetes. Your tear duct can get blocked when you get older.
Increased tear evaporation can cause dry eyes. It reduces the moisture and lubrication on your eye surface. Swollen eyelids often increase tear evaporation. Chronic contact lens use, eye allergies, and reduced blinking increase tear loss.
Below are more conditions that increase your risk of dry eyes:
Environment - Living in arid or windy climates or spending most of your time looking at computer screens can cause dry eyes.
Eye conditions - Blepharitis and prior eye surgery can cause dry eyes.
Medications - Some medications, such as those for blood pressure and allergy, can cause less tear production.
Diagnosis
Your eye doctor can determine the cause of your dry eyes through various procedures and tests. A comprehensive eye exam that entails your overall health and eye health history can diagnose why your eyes are getting dry.
Schirmer test will help measure your tear production volume. Your doctor will use blotting paper strips and place them under your lower eyelids. They will then gauge the tears soaked in the strips after five minutes.
A phenol red thread can also measure tear volume. It has a pH-sensitive dye that tears can change color. Your eye doctor will place it over your lower eyelid. They will measure the tear volume after 15 seconds.
Some tests use unique dyes in eyedrops to help determine the condition of your eye surface. Your specialist will look for staining patterns on your corneas. They will also measure how long your tears take to evaporate.
Your eye doctor will also measure the water and particles in your tears through a tear osmolarity test. You will have less water in your tears if you have dry eye disease.
Best Treatment for Dry Eyes
Occasional use of over-the-counter eye drops is ideal for individuals with mild dry eye symptoms. But with more severe and persistent symptoms, treating the underlying cause of the problem is the best way to go about it.
Lipiflow eye treatment has proven to be effective in treating meibomian gland obstruction. It clears blockages in the glands by using a patented algorithm-defined heat on the inner eyelids of a patient.
Treatments focusing on managing the factor or condition causing dry eyes are the best. Meibomian gland dysfunction can cause gland loss and structural damage if left untreated.
For more on dry eye treatment, call Brandon Eyes at (608) 833-7256 for our office in Middleton or (608) 833-0301 for Madison, Wisconsin.
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