Our eyes need tears to stay healthy and comfortable. If your eyes do not produce enough tears, it is called dry eye syndrome. Dry eye syndrome is also when your eyes do not produce the right type of tears or are inflamed. A comprehensive eye exam is the best was to diagnose dry eye syndrome.
Dry eye syndrome can develop for many reasons. A few of these reasons include the natural aging process, medications, environmental conditions, and certain medical conditions.
Common Symptoms of Dry Eye Syndrome:
Irritated, gritty, scratchy, or burning eyes
The feeling of something in the eyes
Excessive watering of the eyes
Excessive eye irritations from wind or smoke
Blurry vision
Discomfort when wearing contact lenses
Dry Eye Syndrome Treatments
There are several treatments our physician may choose to treat dry eyes depending on your personal eye care needs. These treatments include using artificial tears or conserving tears with punctual plugs.
Artificial Tears: This treatment plan is used for mild cases of dry eye. Over-the-counter artificial tear solutions can be prescribed to supplement natural tear production.
Conserving Tears: Blocking your tear ducts with tiny punctual plugs or through surgery can conserve your natural tears while making your artificial tears last longer.
Prescription Medications: RESTASIS® and Xiidra™ are FDA approved topical medications to treat dry eye syndrome.
Treatment of Other Eyelid and Ocular Surface Pathology: Sometimes surgical treatments may be beneficial in treating symptoms of dry eye.
