Dry Eye Treatment

What Is Dry Eye?

Dry eye is a common condition that occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or produce tears of poor quality. This condition can lead to discomfort, irritation, and vision problems and is not just a minor inconvenience—It can affect your eye health and quality of life.

Common symptoms include redness, stinging, burning, a gritty sensation, and blurred vision. Our team is dedicated to alleviating dry eye symptoms and improving vision. We’ll work with you to find solutions that bring comfort back to your eyes. Book an appointment today.

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Causes & Triggers of Dry Eye

While dry eye is ultimately caused by an instability of the tear film, this instability can be caused by many different factors, including:

Poor diet
Dehydration
Aging
Hormonal changes
Medications
Contact lens use
Environmental conditions

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and blepharitis are common causes of dry eye, as they affect the eyelid glands and tear production.

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Types of Dry Eye

Dry eye is a complex condition classified into 2 categories: evaporative and aqueous deficient dry eye.

Your treatment depends on the type. Both types can significantly impact your eye comfort and health, but our team can provide specialized care to help manage your symptoms.

Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye

Aqueous deficient dry eye occurs when your lacrimal glands, located in the upper outer corners of your eyes, don’t produce enough of the watery component of tears. This lack of water can be caused by conditions like Sjögren’s syndrome or damage to the glands themselves. Treatments focus on stimulating tear production and preserving existing tears.

Poor-Quality Tears

Good-quality tears depend on a balanced and effective tear film. The tear film is made up of 3 layers—a mucus layer to spread the tears over the surface of the eye, a water layer to hydrate the eye, and an oil layer to keep the water from evaporating too quickly. If there’s an imbalance in the tear film, dry eye syndrome can result.

The tiny glands along the top and bottom edges of the eyelids, called the meibomian glands are responsible for producing the oil layer of your tear film. Blockages in these glands can cause a reduction in the amount of oil produced, leading to dry eyes.

When we diagnose your dry eye syndrome, we’ll also look at the condition of your meibomian glands and recommend treatment options if they’re not functioning properly.

Evaporative Dry Eye

Evaporative dry eye happens when your tears evaporate quickly due to a lack of oil in the tear film. This oil, produced by tiny glands in your eyelids, helps keep your tears from evaporating too quickly. MGD, a common cause of evaporative dry eye, occurs when these glands don’t function properly. Treatments can improve gland function and stabilize your tear film.

Meibomian Gland Disorder

Meibomian gland disorder (MGD) occurs when the oil glands in your eyelids become blocked or malfunction, leading to insufficient tear lubrication.

Our team at Martin Eyecare can diagnose and treat MGD. We offer a variety of effective treatments, including:

Warm compresses
Eyelid hygiene
Prescription eye drops
In-office procedures

How Is Dry Eye Diagnosed & Treated?

Accurate diagnosis is important for dry eye management. At Martin Eyecare, we use modern diagnostic tools like meibography to visualize and assess the health of your meibomian glands. This process helps us determine the cause of your dry eye and is invaluable for developing a personalized treatment plan.

We also offer several treatment options for dry eye. While over-the-counter eye drops can provide temporary relief, they’re only one part of the solution. Our treatments are tailored to your needs and are designed to offer long-term relief.

Intense Pulsed Light

Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy is an innovative treatment that uses targeted light energy to stimulate the meibomian glands and improve their function. This treatment can significantly improve dry eye symptoms and overall ocular health.

OptiPLUS

OptiPLUS is a radiofrequency treatment that helps unclog and open blocked meibomian glands, allowing for a better flow of oils. This treatment can provide long-lasting relief from dry eye symptoms.

Optase

Optase is a specially designed eye care regimen that uses a warm compress, eyelid cleansers, and other methods to manage dry eye symptoms. This simple at-home routine can be easily incorporated into your daily life for ongoing relief.

Dry Eye Relief at Home

Our office offers a variety of Optase products to help you find relief at home. We have the solutions you need, from soothing warm heat masks to gentle eyelid cleansers, preservative-free lubricant drops, and nourishing night-time ointment.

Visit Martin Eyecare today to learn more and find the right products for your dry eye symptoms.

Book an Appointment

If you’re experiencing symptoms of dry eye, we can help. Book an appointment with us today.

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Our Location

We’re on the corner of Rock Springs Road and Cedar Grove Road, and you can access us from either way. Our convenient location boasts plenty of free parking on-site.