Nearly five million older Americans have dry eye syndrome, and many younger people have the condition, too. Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes don’t make enough tears, when the quality of the tears is poor, or when your eyes don’t distribute the tears the way they’re supposed to. If you have dry eye syndrome, you probably also have symptoms like itching, burning, redness, blurry vision, or excessive tearing.
While you might think dry eye syndrome is just an annoyance, without treatment, it can increase your risk of infections and corneal damage. With locations in Manhattan, New York, and Pasadena, and Long Beach, California, Advanced Lasik helps men and women manage their dry eye syndrome, relieving symptoms and helping them enjoy better eye health, too. Here’s how dry eye treatment can help you.
It’s easy to think of tears as a sign of emotion. But actually, your tear film plays a critically important role in keeping your eyes healthy. Tear glands, ducts, and even your eyelids work together to bathe the eye surface in soothing fluid that helps wash away impurities and germs. Plus, the moisture from your tears helps keep your eyes comfortable and your vision clear.
Your tears are produced in glands above your eyes. Tiny openings or ducts allow your tears to enter your eyes, and your eyelids help distribute the tears evenly. Excess and “used” tears exit the eyes through ducts near your nose. Problems with any of these structures can interfere with the way your tears work, resulting in chronic dry eyes.
Sometimes, it’s the tears themselves that are to blame for dry eyes. Normal tears contain a mixture of fluids that help tears distribute evenly and prevent them from evaporating too quickly. If your tear fluid is too thin, it may not cover your eye surface evenly, and it can also dry up too quickly.
Finally, while getting older makes dry eyes more common, the condition can also be caused by medications or underlying diseases that affect the eyes. Many people develop dry eye syndrome from staring at computer or phone screens for long periods of time, or from being around airborne irritants, like dust, chemicals, smoke, or other fumes. Long-term use of contact lenses also increases your risk of dry eye syndrome.
In order to make sure you get the best treatment for your dry eye, Dr. Randa Garrana begins every treatment with a comprehensive eye exam. During the exam, she’ll conduct a special test to examine how well your tears are being distributed, and she may examine the tear film itself. She’ll also look for signs of corneal damage, like tiny scratches on the eye surface that can increase your risk of eye infections.
Once she determines what’s causing your dry eyes, she’ll prescribe a treatment aimed at providing long-lasting relief while also improving your overall eye health.
Treatment options can include:
If your dry eyes are related to an underlying medical problem or a medication you’re taking, your treatment will need to address those issues, as well.
Dry eyes can be extremely uncomfortable, and their symptoms can really interfere with your regular daily life. Thanks to today’s advanced treatment options, relief for those symptoms may just be an office visit away. To get relief from your dry eye symptoms, call the office, or book an appointment online.
