Dry Eye

While your issue could be related to allergies, most experts agree that near work – computers, smartphones, video games – is likely to blame for increased dry eye symptoms across the board. These activities (which most of us participate in) can interfere with quality and quantity of blinks, which can result in dry eye symptoms.

What are the Symptoms of Dry Eye?

Common symptoms of dry eye can include:

• Dryness
• Grittiness
• Soreness
• Irritation
• Redness
• Burning
• Eye fatigue

Some people with dry eye also experience a “foreign body sensation” – the feeling that something is in the eye. And oddly, sometimes dry eye syndrome can cause watery eyes, because the excessive dryness can overstimulate production of the watery component of your eye’s tears. Chronic dry eye, if left untreated, can lead to anything from minor irritation to the inability to wear contact lenses and even an increased risk of corneal inflammation and eye infections.

One cause of Dry Eye could be related to blocked meibum glands. Meibomian gland dysfunction occurs when the meibum glands do not secrete enough oil (meibum) or the meibum is of inferior quality. Obstructive meibomian gland disease (MGD) occurs when the glands are blocked, resulting in dry eye symptoms.

Luckily, dry eye is not something you have to live with. The experts at Eye Medical Clinic can diagnose, assess and treat your dry eye symptoms with a plan customized just for you.

How is Dry Eye Treated?

Your dry eye specialist will perform diagnostic testing – including ocular allergy testing – that will pinpoint the source of your symptoms. This is an important diagnostic step because chronic dry eye symptoms are similar to those that accompany allergies and even some infections. Thorough testing will help us determine the best course of treatment for you.

Your dry eye can be treated conveniently and efficiently at Eye Medical Clinic so you can get back to your life quickly!

Ready to say bye-bye to Dry Eye?

Scleral Lenses

A scleral lens is a hard contact lens that is slightly larger than a typical contact lens. Recent studies have shown tremendous success in the treatment moderate to severe dry eye symptoms with scleral lenses.

A scleral lens holds a reservoir of tears next to the cornea, reducing many dry eye symptoms, decreasing the need for artificial tears and improving visual acuity.

Think of it as a comfortable contact lens that holds moisture right where you need it – on the surface of your eye. Some patients report that their vision is better than with their glasses or regular contacts.

Scleral lenses are covered by most insurance plans.

Punctal Plugs

For more significant cases of dry eye, your Eye Medical Clinic doctor may recommend punctal plugs. These tiny devices are inserted in ducts in your lids to slow the drainage of tears away from your eyes, thereby keeping your eyes more moist.

Prokera/Bio-D (amniotic membrane)

These contact lenses are straight out of science fiction.

They are made with amniotic membranes, the inner layer of the fetal membrane. How cool is that? They have anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, anti-angiogenic and anti-microbial properties. They dissolve and the cornea absorbs the nutrients, improving dry eye symptoms.

One of our Eye Medical Clinic doctors will gently place the tiny amniotic membrane onto your eye and cover it with a clear, soft, disposable contact lens to hold the amniotic tissue in place. It takes a few days for the membrane to fully dissolve but once it does, the contact is removed.

Most insurance plans cover amniotic membrane contact lenses.