Dry eye syndrome is a chronic condition that occurs when you produce poor-quality tears or are unable to make enough tears. Tears are comprised of water, oil, and mucus.
They keep your eyes lubricated and moistened. However, if there’s an imbalance with one or more tear layers, you’ll experience dryness, blurry vision, and other symptoms.
Dry eyes are uncomfortable and can affect your vision and overall quality of life. The key to managing dry eye syndrome is to spot the signs early and seek prompt treatment.
Keep reading to learn more about dry eye and how eye doctors treat the eye condition!
What Are the Treatment Options for Dry Eye Syndrome?
There’s no cookie-cutter approach to dry eye treatment. Your treatment plan will depend on the cause, symptoms, and severity of your dry eyes.
Here are some of the dry eye treatment methods offered at VisionFirst Eye Center:
Prescription Drops
Your eye doctor can prescribe eye drops if you have moderate to severe dry eye syndrome to reduce inflammation and help improve your dry eye symptoms.
Punctal Plugs
Punctal plugs are tiny, biocompatible devices implanted into your tear ducts. No larger than a rice grain, punctal plugs are typically used when eye drops don’t provide adequate relief.
Punctal plugs block your tear drainage system, which slows the outflow of tears. Once these devices are inserted into your tears ducts, they help tears stay longer on the surface of your eyes and reduce the effects of dry eye syndrome.
BlephEx
For some people, the normal bacteria on the lid margins can multiply and create a hardened film called biofilm. Over time, the biofilm can encourage the further buildup of bacteria, which may trigger inflammation.
The inflammation can cause symptoms such as dry eyes. Blephex is a painless, highly effective in-office treatment performed using a handheld device.
During the procedure, your ophthalmologist carefully and precisely spins a micro-sponge along the edges of your lids and lashes. This action removes biofilm buildup, bacteria, scurf, and debris that cause inflammation.
Exfoliating your eyelids and eyelashes almost immediately improves inflammation and dry eye symptoms.
What are Some Home Remedies For Dry Eye Syndrome?
In some cases, your eye doctor may recommend making some lifestyle changes to help combat your dry eye symptoms.
Using Artificial Tears
Dry eye syndrome can be managed with over-the-counter artificial tears. Artificial tears help lubricate your eyes, offering quick and temporary relief from dry eyes.
When buying artificial tears, look for those that are preservative-free. Preservative-free solutions have fewer additives than eye drops with preservatives, which can further irritate your eyes.
Resting Your Eyes
Staring at your computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet, or TV for prolonged periods can lead to dry eyes. If you spend a lot of time in front of digital screens, it’s essential to rest your eyes by following the 20-20-20 rule.
According to the rule, look away from your screen after every 20 minutes. Focus on an object that’s 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds to reduce your dry eye symptoms.
Also, remember to blink often as you rest your eyes. Blinking intentionally keeps the surface of your eyes moist, which is a great defense against dry eyes.
Get Your Dry Eyes Under Control
If you are experiencing symptoms of dry eye syndrome, it’s important to see the experienced doctors at VisionFirst Eye Center. The doctors can accurately diagnose dry eyes and tailor a treatment plan to alleviate your symptoms and prevent complications like eye infections and damage to your cornea.
Do you suspect you have dry eye syndrome? Schedule an appointment at VisionFirst Eye Center in Bloomington, IL, today to find a long-term solution!
