Dry Eye Symptoms
Sensation of gritty,sore, and scratchy eye is often perceived. Feeling of a foreign body can be reported.
Dry Eye Management
Approach to management of dry eye is variable and dependant on severity.Broadly speaking it can entail use of various lubricating drops of various consistencies and compositions, lid hygiene treatment protocols,use of pharmacological agents,and occlusion of drainage channels for the tears.
Dry Eye Causes
The underlying basis of dry eye again can be broad. It spans from altered tear film composition as we age where we have diminished production of mucoidal and oily tears, through to immune causes, as in patients with arthritic or auto immune inflammatory conditions.
Infection of eye lid margins can lead to a dry eye also.This area is receiving a lot of attention recently as a result of discovery of interesting microbes and mites which contribute towards the problem.
Pre-existing problem with the surface of the eye which may have resulted from scarring either by a pathogen or mechanical injury can lead to long term dry eye symptoms.One can suffer from specific eye surface conditions which will lead to dry eye presentations.
General medications you may use for other conditions can cause dry eye as a side effect.
These are some examples which are not to be viewed as self diagnostic, but are only illustrative of the scope of this problem.
We will carefully evaluate your tears ,surface of the eyes ,test the nasolacrimal drainage, and assess your medical history. Some of the multiple approaches to management of dry eye are listed. To give you a general idea what the solution may be see few examples below.
A exam will reveal the severity of the problem,and we will come up with a suitable solution for you.You can book here.
Advice on lubricants
Suitable to your dry eye. These vary in viscosity, pH, preservative type, and the type of solution they are buffered in. We can guide you in this area and customise a solution for you.
Dietary lifestyle nutritional advice.
Believe it or not your nutrition does play a role in tear film composition,and the eyes ability to recover from dry eye. We will discuss this during your appointment.
Nasolacrimal Plugs
These plugs are useful in moderate to severe dry eye. They assist in aqueous deficient type of dry eye, where patients under-produce watery tears.
Temporary and Permanent Plugs
Inserted into the puncta, or the tear drainage channels, to impede tear drainage, are utilised in chronic, ongoing scenarios of dry eye.
Therapeutic Anti-inflammatory Agents
Treatments. Used where inflammation is suspected or is present as part of the dry eye .We can prescribe different medicines which regulate , or moderate or better still modulate inflammation, called immunomodulators.
Bandage Contact lenses
Utilized where protecting eye surface from exposure is implicated, such as chronic healing defect of the surface of the eye. Recurrent eye ulcers or surface healing defects can be helped with these specialised products.
Hot Pack Compressions
Pro-mucins
These are agents stimulating mucin production which aids in moisturizing the surface of the eye. This is a relatively new emerging field of biochemistry research.
Anti-Infective Agents
These are of benefit in patients whom have a component of infection as part of their dry eye symptomatology.
Differently Impregnated Wet Wipes
Assist with clearing minor infections of lid margin ,and aid in removing encrusted debri , for your daily eye care routine.
Humidity and Heat Generating Goggles.
These aid in restoring mucin and oil secretive gland function and restore the balance of your tearfilm with a reasonable degree of success.
Meibomian Gland expression
Expression of Meibomian Glands can assist with chronic Blepharitis management which can improve tear film quality.There are small glands present inside the lid margin which produce a component of your tears.We do take them for granted.They need to function well to optimize the tear film performance.