Dry Eye Treatments

Dry eye can be as annoying as it is common. We all experience dry eyes occasionally if we’re in a hot, dry environment or spend too much time staring at a computer screen. Many people experience dry eyes even without these factors, however.

The discomfort and inconvenience of dry eyes can keep you from certain activities and impact your quality of life. The condition can also have more serious and long-lasting effects, such as increasing your risk of eye infections, corneal damage, and vision loss. You don’t have to let dry eyes hold you back. Learn more about the condition, what causes it, and our treatment options at One EyeCare!

What is Dry Eye?

Chronic dry eyes or dry eye syndrome occurs when your tears can’t keep your eyes sufficiently lubricated. This causes eye discomfort, with common symptoms such as:

  • Stinging and burning
  • Eye redness
  • Watery eyes
  • Blurry vision
  • Eye fatigue
  • A scratchy sensation or feeling like there is something in your eyes
  • Difficulty tolerating contact lenses
  • Mucus in or around the eyes

These uncomfortable side effects can result from inadequate tears or low-quality tears. Certain environments may make dry eyes worse. For example, people often experience eye irritation in air conditioning, airplanes, or windy or smokey areas.

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About Dry Eye Treatments

Anyone can experience dry eyes, and almost everyone does from time to time. However, some risk factors increase your likelihood of having chronic dry eye. You are more likely to have dry eyes if you are female, over 50, wear contact lenses, or have had refractive eye surgery.

There are several possible causes of dry eye syndrome. The tear film that keeps your eyes lubricated has three layers; problems with any of these layers can cause discomfort. Dry eye may occur because your eyes aren’t producing enough liquid tears. However, it often occurs when the oil film is disrupted, which makes your tears evaporate more quickly. When the meibomian glands are blocked or aren’t functioning properly, it’s called meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

Potential causes of dry eye and MGD include:

  • Certain medical conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and thyroid disorders
  • Certain medications, including antidepressants, antihistamines, and decongestants
  • Eye allergies
  • Nerve damage due to contact lenses or eye surgery
  • Eyelids that turn inward or outward (entropion or ectropion)
  • Blepharitis
  • Vitamin A deficiency
  • Environmental factors
  • Hormonal changes

If you struggle with dry eye, no doubt you’ve tried eye drops. Artificial tears are typically the first defense against dry, irritated eyes. But they offer only minimal and short-lived relief. Why apply eye drops multiple times daily when you could get lasting relief from a few quick in-office treatments?

If you’re ready to make chronic dry eye and endless eye drops a thing of the past, schedule a consultation with Dr. Jennifer Wu at One EyeCare. She can guide you through our multiple drugless, dropless treatments for dry eyes. Additionally, if irritation from contact lenses is the root cause of your dry eyes, Dr. Wu may recommend a vision correction procedure, like laser eye surgery or lens replacement surgery.

Dr. Wu may recommend one or more of the following dry eye treatments. She will carefully assess your eyes and discuss your lifestyle, health history, and preferences to create a customized treatment plan for you.

Lumenis IPL

One of the common factors that leads to dry eyes is inflammation. This is sometimes treated with prescription eye drops or oral antibiotics, neither of which are ideal for long-term use. Lumenis IPL is a light-based treatment that safely and effectively reduces inflammation without medication.

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light. This light therapy breaks down abnormal blood vessels around the eyes, reduces inflammation, and improves tear quality. We’ll simply use the handheld Lumenis OptiLight device to deliver the light pulses to your eye area. An IPL dry eye treatment typically takes just 15 minutes and doesn’t require any downtime. IPL treatments often have the added benefit of improving your complexion in the eye area.

BlephEx®

Dry eye symptoms often occur when the meibomian glands, or oil glands, that contribute fatty oils to the tear film become clogged due to inflammation at the eyelid margin (blepharitis). Without sufficient oil, your tears evaporate faster. All those over-the-counter eye drops won’t unclog these oil glands, never treating the root cause of your dry, itchy eyes.

BlephEx® is a handheld device that deep-cleans your eyelash and eyelid margin. A small, rotating sponge removes excess biofilm, bacteria, and toxins. BlephEx® treatments only take a few minutes. We’ll numb your eyes beforehand so you won’t feel any discomfort, and there won’t be any downtime afterward. Dr. Wu may recommend two to four BlephEx® treatments yearly to maintain the results.

TearCare®

Like BlephEx®, TearCare® helps unblock the oil glands and restore proper function to treat evaporative dry eye caused by MGD. It does this with heat therapy. The innovative TearCare® technology fits comfortably over your eyes and delivers thermal energy to the meibomian glands. The heat melts thickened clumpy oil secretions.

TearCare® doesn’t require your eyes to be numbed. You can keep your eyes open and blink during the quick 15-minute heat procedure. Dr. Wu will then massage/express your oil glands to remove the liquified meibum. Afterward, you can get right back to your day, feeling immediate dry eye relief!

Take the Next Step

Hello, Clear Vision!

Ready to learn more about Dry Eye Treatments and how you can achieve clearer vision with Dr. Wu? Fill out the form below or call us at (949) 208-9090 to schedule an eye exam and consultation at One EyeCare. Dr. Jennifer Wu is dedicated to providing you with personalized care and the most advanced treatment options. She proudly serves Orange County in Costa Mesa, CA.

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