DEALING WITH DRY EYE

Dealing with Dry Eye Symptoms of The following Dry Eye are symptoms associated with dry eyes: Scratchy or gritty sensation Itching and/or burning Redness 00 Foreign body Watery eyes Increased sensation irritation from wind and smoke Vision that gets Vision changes throughout the day Contact lens discomfort better or worse after blinking What Causes Dry Eye? Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) Also known as posterior blepharitis or evaporative dry eye TTTI the eyelids near the eyelashes Meibomian glands are inside With MGD, there can be too little oil in the tear film, causing tears to evaporate too quickly Not enough tears Age, medical conditions, and medication side effects can reduce tear production Windy, dry climates can dry tears quickly Women may be more likely to develop dry eye because of hormonal changes Poor quality tears Tears are made of oil, water, and mucus Problems with any of these layers of tears can lead to dry eye symptoms Dry eye can damage the surface of the eye and impede vision if not treated How Can Dry Eye Be Treated? MiBoFlo Continuous controlled heat is applied to the outer eyelids Heat is absorbed and breaks down oils in the meibomian glands Helps glands produce oil more normally for better tear quality Takes only 12 minutes per eye, with 3 visits LipiFlow Treats the blocked glands that cause meibomian gland dysfunction Upper and lower lids are warmed from the inside and out Lids are massaged gently as the oils become liquid to better distribute tears 86% of patients report a significant improvement in symptoms Manual expression Your doctor applies gentle pressure to the upper lid where glands are clogged This pressure helps express the oils that are causing the clogs No heat is used, so may be a better choice for temperature- sensitive patients Treatments are completed in a series of 3 visits Other options Prescription eye drops Nutritional supplements Small plugs in drainage ducts A combination of different treatments Provided by: SCHAEFFER EYE CENTER www.SCHAEFFEREYEBLOG.COM Sources: http://www.schaeffereyecenter.com/dry-eye.php http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision- problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/dry-eye?sso=y https://www.nei.nih.gov/health/dryeye/dryeye http://www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/141