Relief for Dry, Irritated Eyes: A Guide to Effective Dry Eye Treatment
Dry, irritated eyes can be bothersome. It occurs when your tear film, which protects your eyes' surface, does not work as it should. But it is a common condition that affects more than six percent of the American adult population.
You will find various treatments for dry eyes, but it’s best to first get help from your eye doctor. Follow these tips for best results.
Identifying the Cause
The first step to getting effective treatment for your dry eyes is to determine what is causing it. So, your doctor may require various eye examinations.
Comprehensive eye exam. You will need a comprehensive eye examination to evaluate all aspects of your eye health and vision. It looks externally and internally into your eyes for all signs of eye ailments. It also looks at your complete health history.
Determining volume and quality of tears. There is a test that measures the volume of tears you produce. A separate test also checks the quality of your tears. Your doctor will look for staining patterns on your corneas and see how long your tears evaporate.
Tear osmolarity test. If you have dry eye disease, your eyes will have less water. This test will determine the composition of water and particles in your tears.
Effective Dry Eye Treatment
An effective dry eye treatment helps ease your symptoms. It also helps you prevent any damage to the surface of your eyes. More importantly, it addresses the underlying cause of your condition.
Your eye care specialist may recommend any of these treatment options for your dry eyes:
Artificial tears. For mild cases, you can try over-the-counter eye drops or artificial tears. There are low-viscosity artificial tears that provide quick yet brief relief without blurring your vision. High-viscosity artificial tears, on the other hand, give longer-lasting lubrication.
Antibiotics. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if your eyelids are inflamed. Inflammation can prevent oil glands in your eyes from releasing oil into your tears.
Anti-inflammatory drops. If your ocular surface is inflamed, anti-inflammatory drops will reduce that inflammation. The drops have immune-suppressing medication and corticosteroids, which can promote tear production.
Scleral contact lenses. Scleral or bandage lenses are specialty contact lenses that add moisture to your eyes' surface.
Eye inserts. You place tiny hydroxypropyl cellulose inserts between your eyeball and lower eyelid. They will release a lubricating substance as they dissolve.
Autologous serum tears. Autologous serum tears are used for moderate to severe cases of dry eyes. These serum tears mimic the biochemical properties in your tears.
Other eye procedures. Your doctor may also recommend other procedures that help improve the quality of your tears or that would unclog your meibomian oil glands.
Rest your eyes. It is also important to give your eyes a rest. Take frequent breaks from using the screen or from reading. Frequent blinking also helps with your tear production.
Are You Suffering From Dry Eyes?
You don’t have to suffer from the discomfort of having dry, irritated eyes. Get comprehensive eye exams now at Eye Vantage in Katy, Texas, and find the appropriate treatment for your eyes. Call (281) 626-9885 to book an appointment today.