What causes dry eye and how do you treat it?

bloodshot eye cartoon

Do you suffer from dry, sandy, gritty, red, irritated eyes? Are you finding limited relief from drugstore eye drops? Do your eyes burn and feel fatigued after extended computer use? If you answered yes to any of the above, you are not alone. More than 33 million people suffer from some form of dry eyes.

Dry eye disease is an ongoing process that requires an understanding of the natural tear film and the effects of everyday environment, which can play constant havoc with your state of ocular dryness. With today's culture and extended computer use, the incidence of dry eye has increased. The extended focusing and absence of blinking causes our natural tear film to evaporate and leads to poor tear film stability. Ceiling fans, air vents, and cigarette smoke also dry the ocular surface. Many medications, in addition, can have the side effect of dry eyes, namely antihistamines, decongestants, diuretics, estrogens, and many antidepressants. Autoimmune diseases such as sjogren's, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and rosacea disrupt tear film stability and cause recurrent dry eye symptoms. Other causes of dry eye include extended contact lens wear, incomplete closure of eyelids at night, and local climate. Living in hot, dry, and windy parts of the country can contribute heavily to dry eyes.

With the multitude of predisposing factors to dry eye, it is not a surprise that this disease is so chronic and widespread. Women in general tend to suffer more from dry eyes than men, especially post-menopausal and pregnant women. Dry eyes can have a significant impact on quality of life. Without proper treatment, dry eye disease can be ongoing and debilitating.

If left untreated, this condition can lead to decreased vision, ocular pain, ulcerations, and formation of scars on the cornea. In most cases, visual acuity is restored once the ocular dryness is treated. However, in severe presentations, the effects can be permanent. Dry eyes can affect a person's overall quality of life and day to day functioning, leading to unwanted eye fatigue, discomfort, and eye strain.

Effective dry eye solutions and treatments are available to restore the tear film to a healthy state. Your physicians at Woodhams Eye Clinic are equipped to diagnose and treat mild to severe dry eyes and design specifics treatment regimens. Dr. Dena Woodhams and Dr. Anar Maurya are using diagnostic tools such as InflammaDry and Tear Lab Osmolarity to determine the degree of dryness and assess ocular inflammation under slit lamp examination to customize treatment options.

In-office procedures such as BlephEx and MiBo Thermoflo have been successful in combating dry eye symptoms. The BlephEx procedure exfoliates the upper and lower eyelids to reduce scurf and bacterial debris to improve the health of the eyelids and ocular surface. MiBo Thermoflo, on the other hand, is a therapeutic medical device designed to provide continuous heat to liquefy and regenerate atrophied oil glands, thus restoring the eyes' natural tear film.

A multitude of treatment regimens are available and are customized for each individual. Our clinic will also counsel you on various at-home treatment modalities to ameliorate your dry eye symptoms, such as therapeutic eye drops, heat masks, omega 3 supplements, hypochlorous cleansers, and lid wipes.

With combined in-office procedures and at-home and treatments, dry eye disease can be managed effectively. Call or contact Woodhams Eye Clinic to set up your dry eye evaluation today. 770-394-4000.