Dry Eye Treatment

Are your eyes red, burning, gritty, watery?

You may have dry eye

What Is Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome?

Tears are produced to keep the eye bathed in fluid, lubricate the surface, and keep the eye free from infection. Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome results from poor tear volume or poor tear quality. With this disease, tear glands either don’t produce enough tears or they are of poor quality resulting in redness, irritation, burning, and inconsistent vision. Ultimately, it can cause a reduction in the quality of life since it can affect how we feel, how we work, and how we live our lives and is one of the most overlooked problems since most people think it’s something expected. CDES affects about 20% of our population.

What Are The Types of Tears?

There are two different types of tears: constant lubricating tears and reflex tears. Constant lubricating tears are what bathe and nourises our eyes on a daily basis and reflex tears are what is produced in response to irritating factors such as smoke, injury, or emotion. Since relfex tears do not have the proper omposition as our constant lubricating tears, the flood that usually results washes out all the nutrients, enzymes, proteins that are needed for a healthy eye. If it persists it can further exacerbate CDES. A “watery eye” may be a symptom of CDES.

Treatment

ARTIFICIAL TEARS are often the only treatment that people think of when it comes to CDES. They add to the moisture that eyes need and may temporarily soothe dry eye symptoms. Most bottles of artificial tears contain preser- vatives which with repeated application can be toxic to the eyes. Artificial tears can also cause a dysruption in the normal function of tears on the surface of the eye. This sequence leaves the surface of the eye vulnerable and can lead to CDES. Thus artificial tear use should be thought of as a second line of defense in the vast majority of cases.

​​​​​​​Certain medications may bring relief for dry eyes. Restasis is a product that was developed specifically for dry eyes and was introduced a few years ago. Unfortunately it tends to only help about 15% of dry eye cases and it takes up to 6 months to even have an effect. Steroids can be used but long term use of steriods (months if not years) is not recommended because of side effects. The only truly effective means for modifying the volume and thus composition of tears is collogen inserts or punctal plugs.

Collagen Inserts

Certain medications may bring relief for dry eyes. Restasis is a product that was developed specifically for dry eyes and was introduced a few years ago. Unfortunately it tends to only help about 15% of dry eye cases and it takes up to 6 months to even have an effect. Steroids can be used but long term use of steriods (months if not years) is not recommended because of side effects. The only truly effective means for modifying the volume and thus composition of tears is collogen inserts or punctal plugs.

Why Is This So Important?

Collagen inserts increase the volume of tears available on the eyes. And they are YOUR tears! Since any bottled product clearly cannot make up for the complexity of important enzymes, proteins, electrolytes, and antibiotics in your tears, collagen inserts are the best way to increase tear volume! There’s no pain and you don’t know the are there! Your eyes will feel better, see better, and your overall life will improve! They are safe, effective, and the best means to treat Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome.

Common Causes of Dry Eye

The ocular surface can be affected by lack of tears (dry spots), lack of tear volume (not enough tears), or poor tear quality (what’s in the tears). This is called “Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome” or CDES. The most comon causes include:

  • AGING Tear flow normally decreases with age. 75% of those over 65 sufer from CDES.

  • CONTACT LENS WEAR Contact lens wear can increase tear evaporation, causing discomfort, infection, and/or increased protein deposits. Research shows that CDES is the leading cause of contact lens intolerance.

  • FEMALE HORMONES Hormonal changes at all ages, pregnancy, oral contraceptives, and menopause can contribute to CDES.

  • ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Smoke, air pollution, poor indoor air quality, fans, dehumidifiers, pollen, high altitudes, jobs dealing with paint, chenicals, flying debris or dust.

  • MEDICATIONS Many medications including blood pressure medications, decongestants, antihistamines, anti-depressants, sleeping pils, diuretics, and many others can afect tear production and/or tear quality.

  • AUTO IMMUNE DISEASE Auto Immune Disease accompanied by dry mouth or dry eyes is called Sjogrens Syndrome.

  • LASER VISION CORRECTION It is not uncommon to have symptoms of dry eyes post vision corrective surgery.

AVAILABLE TREATMENTS

For the most mildest of cases, artificial tears may help. However, for most people, artificial tears may only be a temporary treatment and more frequent use can cause problems since each drop washes out natural tears and preservatives cause toxic build up. The best longer term treatment is with collagen inserts into the tear ducts. This process is called “punctal occlusion.”

SYMPTOM CHECKLIST

If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may have Dry Eye:

  • Redness

  • Dry Sensation

  • Burning

  • Gritty, Sandy Feeling

  • Tired Eyes

  • Watery Eyes

  • Stinging

  • Itching

  • Mucous Discharge

  • Sensitivity To Light

  • Soreness, Tenderness

  • Irritation From Wind Or Smoke

  • Inconsistent Blurry Vision

If you have any of these conditions combined with any of the above symptoms you may be more likely to have Dry Eye:

  • Smoking

  • Diabetes

  • Arthritis

  • Joint Pain

  • Thyroid

  • Rosacea

  • Birth Control

  • Computer Use

  • Antihistamine Use

  • LASIK

  • Dry Throat/Dry Mouth

  • Sjogrens Syndrome

  • Contact Lens Sensitivity

  • Reduced Contact Lens Wearing Time

If you experience any of these symptoms or have any of the conditions listed you may be suffering from CDES. Left untreated, your symptoms may likely intensify, making your daily life unpleasant and may lead to worsening physical problems like reduced vision and damage to the eyes. Ask a doctor at Doc Eye for more information.