Dry Eyes
I'm experiencing symptoms of:
- Dryness
- Stinging
- Itching
- Redness
- Frequent Tearing
- Discharge
%
of Americans have Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
%
of Americans struggle daily with Dry Eye Syndrome
It’s difficult to focus on life when your eyes are irritated, dry, or constantly watering. Not only do irritated eyes feel bad, but they often look bad too! There are a wide range of problems that cause dry eyes, from Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) to insufficient tear production. Whatever the cause, we have seen it all and can prescribe treatments that get at the underlying issue rather than simply treating the symptoms. Learn more about dry eye below and what we can do to help and then make an appointment for an exam so we can get you feeling better!
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“Wow! The lipiflow treatment is an easy and comfortable in office procedure that is long lasting!
With the dry eye therapy my doctor recommended, I no longer have to worry about my eyes feeling gritty throughout the day!
I am so glad I decided to go forward with treating my meibomian gland dysfunction! I can make it throughout my workday at a computer with little to no dry eye problems.
I have suffered with dry eye for 6 years and was unable to find a doctor to find the proper treatment for me. A combination of dry eye therapies has kept many dry eye manageable and my eyes feeling great again!
We Use the Latest Technology to Treat Dry Eye
What Causes Dry Eye Syndrome?
Dry Eye Syndrome occurs when the layer of tears covering our eye, called the tear film, is no longer able to protect the cornea from exposure to the environment. This can happen when not enough tears are formed or if our tears evaporate too quickly.
Two Types of Dry Eye
Evaporative Dry Eye: Occurs secondary to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), where the oils that form the lipid layer become solidified and trapped within the meibomian glands. This causes the tear film to evaporate quickly off the eye.
Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye: Occurs when an insufficient amount of the aqueous layer of the tear film is produced.
Do You Suffer From Dry Eye?
Dry Eye is more than an annoyance, it’s a serious health issue that can lead to permanent changes to the ocular surface and even vision loss. No one deserves to deal with the terrible symptoms that come with Dry Eye Syndrome. To get relief, schedule now with our dry eye expert, Dr. Chelsey Hawks!
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What is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)?
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction is the underlying cause of most dry eye. An oil called meibum is produced in the meibomian glands of the eyelid and makes up the outer layer of the tear film called the lipid layer. This lipid layer is responsible for stabilizing the tear film and preventing evaporation. When the meibum becomes solidified and trapped within the glands, the tear film evaporates too quickly, creating a dry ocular surface. The image to the left shows images of the meibomian glands from an instrument called a meibographer.
Diagnosing Dry Eye Syndrome
Dry Eye Syndrome is diagnosed after a careful examination of the tear film, cornea, and meibomian glands. This may include specialized equipment, like the Lipiscan, dyes used to highlight dry and damaged areas, and other technology that helps assess the quality of the tear film.
The Lipiscan Meibographer assesses the health of your Meibomian Glands
Treating Dry Eye
- Lipiflow: An in office treatment using gentle thermal pulsation to treat MGD.
- Punctal Plugs: Silicone plugs that keep tears from draining off the ocular surface.
- Heat Mask: Hot compresses used at home to maintain meibum after Lipiflow.
- Omega-3’s: Used to improve the quality of meibum being produced by the meibomian glands in dry eye.
- Rx Eye Drops: Such as Restasis, Xiidra, or Cequa help produce more natural tears.
- Artificial Tears: Used as needed to replenish the tear film and protect the cornea at night.
- Scleral Contacts: Used to treat dry eye in contact lens wearers. Learn more here.
- Amniotic Membranes: Similar to a contact lens but used to rebuild corneas damaged by dry eye
Lipiflow Treatment
A gentle thermal pulsation is used to treat Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)