Dry Eye and Our Office
Dry Eye
Dry Eyed Disease is a condition that occurs when your eyes do not get lubrication from your tears to keep them moist and comfortable.
Your tears are made up of 3 different layers. All of which work together to keep the eye healthy and lubricated.
- the oily layer that prevents the tears from evaporating too quickly
- the watery layer that delivers nutrients to the eyes
- the mucus layer that keeps the tears on the eyes
An issue with just one of these layers can lead to dry eye. So not everyone has the same type of dry ey
The role of the Meibomian Glands
Meibomian gland dysfunction is one of the leading causes of dry eye. The meibomian glands are located at the edge of your eyelid. Meibomian gland dysfunction occurs when blockages form in the meibomian glands. These blockages cause your tear film to evaporate too quickly, causing dry eye symptoms.
Demodex
Demodex are mites that live in and near the base of the eyelashes. They can contribute to dry eyes. They can cause symptoms such as red, itchy, flaky lashes, irriation and/or dry eyes. They are very small and are usually only visible under a microscope. If left untreated they can lead to recurrent styes (infection of the eyelids). Demodex is difficult to treat. The best way to treat demodex is with the in office procedure called NuLids Pro (see below on details). Sometimes after the in office treatment a prescription ointment is prescribed to kill any remaining eggs that the demodex have left behind in order to reduce the chance of it reoccurring.
These are pictures of eyelashes that were removed from patients eyes. The eyelash is the long, thin rectangular line in the center of the photos. The demodex are the smaller ovals hanging off of the eyelashes. The photo on the left has one demodex visible. The photo on the left has approximately four demodex.
Our office
Our office is equipped with state of the art equipment to help determine the type(s) of dryness and the best treatment for it. If you have dryness that is not responding to treatment, come in for a dry eye workup! We can now measure the osmolarity (how salty tears are), inflammation present in tears, and image the meibomian glands (part of the eyelid that helps make tears). All of these are useful measurements to personalize your treatment plan.
Treatment
Our Doctors are skilled at treating dry eye and have a wide variety of tools to treat your dry eye. Our philosophy is to start with simple treatments first and then move to more advanced treatments as needed. However, it depends on the severity of your dry eye as well. More severe disease may need more advanced treatment initially.
Treatment options include:
-Artificial Tears
-Prescription eye drops (i.e. Restasis or Xiidra)
-Lid Scrubs
We tailor treatment to the individual. One treatment does not fit all.
Schedule an appointment to learn which treatments may benefit you!
Phone: 937-393-3212
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