Suffering From Dry Eyes?
Many people suffer from chronic dry eye or dry eye syndrome. Berkeley Eye Center offers several treatment methods to help its patients resolve severe dry eye syndrome. The doctors will work to determine which is the best dry eye treatment for each patient.
Call 713-526-1600 to make an appointment with Dr. Sun to resolve your dry eye syndrome.
Berkeley Eye Center offers several treatment methods to help its patients resolve severe dry eye syndrome. The doctors will work to determine which is the best dry eye treatment for each patient.
In general, dry eyes are a result of poor tear quantity or poor tear quality. Eyelid disorders can also contribute to dry eyes.
Treatments for Dry Eye Due to Poor Tear Quantity
One type of dry eyes is a result of poor tear quantity, which means the amount of tears your eyes produce is inadequate.
If you are suffering from severe dry eye as a result of poor tear quantity, our doctors will check for systemic diseases and systemic symptoms like dry mouth and arthritis. They may also offer one or more of the following dry eye treatments:
Restasis Treatment
Each eye has its own tear gland that produces tears. This gland can become inflamed and decrease the gland’s production of tears. Doctors at Berkeley Eye Center may treat dry eye with anti-inflammatory medicines that increase tear production, such as Restasis. Restasis treats the inflammation of the tear gland and helps it to regain function. Restasis can be used long term with few side effects. Click here to learn more about Restasis.
Punctal Plugs
The upper and lower eyelids have small holes near the corner of our eyes called punctas. These are the openings of the tear drainage system for the eyes. One strategy in treating dry eyes is blocking these drains with punctal plugs. They are easily inserted in the office and help the tears to stay longer in the eye. It is similar to blocking the drain in a kitchen sink so the “water” or tears stay longer in the eye.
Artificial Tears
Another common treatment for dry eye caused by poor tear quantity is artificial tears in the form of eye drops. These drops can supplement the eyes’ lack of tears, and they come in different thicknesses from liquid drops to gels to ointments.
Treatments for Dry Eye Due to Poor Tear Quality
Another common treatment for dry eye caused by poor tear quantity is artificial tears in the form of eye drops. These drops can supplement the eyes’ lack of tears, and they come in different thicknesses from liquid drops to gels to ointments.
For patients suffering from dry eye as a result of poor tear quality, doctors at Berkeley Eye Center offer several dry eye treatments to help the oil glands’ production, which in turn helps tears to stay longer in the eye.
Eyelid Hygiene Treatment
One of the treatments Berkeley Eye Center’s doctors offer is an eyelid hygiene treatment with warm compresses and eyelid scrubs. A warm compress can be made with a hand towel that is heated with hot water from a sink. Some people find it helpful to use compresses made by putting dry rice into a clean sock and microwaving it.
Azasite
Azasite is a drop used to treat eyelid margin disease. This drop can be used for infections of the eyelids and also to help the oil glands on the eyelids to function properly. Click here to learn more about Azasite.
Moisture Chamber Goggles
To prevent premature evaporation of the tears there are other methods that can be used. Special goggles can be worn so the eyes are not exposed to drying environments. Some patients find sleeping with an eye mask and turning off their ceiling fans also help their dry eyes.
Oral Medications or Supplements
Doctors at Berkeley Eye Center may prescribe anti-inflammatory oral medications that help the eyelids, like Doxycycline or Minocycline as treatment for dry eyes. They also may treat dry eyes with omega 3 fatty acid supplementation. These fatty acids are found in fish oil and flaxseed oil supplements.
Dry Eyes and LASIK
LASIK may increase already existing dry eye symptoms. In some patients this can last just a few months, and in others it can be chronic. Depending on the severity of the dry eye, some patients are still able to have LASIK, but for other patients, our doctors recommend PRK or dry eye treatment before the procedure. A refractive surgery screening is used to evaluate the severity of the dry eye.
Surgical procedures:
There are no surgical procedures for basic dry eye.
To schedule an appointment, please call our office at 713-526-1600 or schedule online.