Dry Eyes? Here’s what you need to Know!

Dry eyes can be a bothersome problem when it occurs from time to time. For approximately 20 million people in our country, this condition is more than a nuisance; it is a chronic condition that brings with it a number of unpleasant symptoms. These include a scratchy sensation, burning, itching, redness, light sensitivity, blurred vision, and even excessive watering. The degree of symptoms varies substantially from one person to another, as can the underlying cause of dry eyes. To adequately plan treatment, we perform a thorough evaluation that provides us with the valuable information we need.

What is Dry Eye Syndrome?

Dry eyes are the result if some type of tear deficiency. This could be that production itself is very low, or it could be that the tears that are being produced contain too little oil content versus water. It is also possible that this condition could be related to inflammation, either on the eyelid or on the surface of the eye. Whatever the cause, dry eye syndrome needs to be treated. Otherwise, symptoms could affect quality of life, and could eventually lead to scarring on the cornea.

Treating Dry Eyes

It is important that you obtain professional care for persistent dry eyes. Over-the-counter lubricating eye drops and artificial tears may be suitable for minor, temporary discomfort; but these products are not intended as a viable treatment for true dry eye syndrome. In fact, frequent use could lead to more problems, because the root cause is never addressed.

There are a number of different treatment options to restore adequate tear production. In our two Amarillo offices, patients can address the issue of dry eye syndrome with a combination of two innovative therapies: Lipiflow and EyeXress. These two therapies work in a similar fashion, applying gentle massage and heat to the oil glands that have become dysfunctional. Lipiflow takes just over ten minutes, and treats the glands that are inside the eyelid. EyeXpress treats them from the outside in. After treatment, these glands will have been gently expressed of backed-up oil and debris.

Don’t let dry eye syndrome affect your vision, or your eye health, for one more day. Call (806) 351-1177 to explore your treatment options.