Dry Weather, Dry Eyes

It’s the season for cold, dry weather, which can cause dry, itchy eyes. Learn the common symptoms and treatments for dry eyes.

Dry Weather, Dry Eyes

Diagnosing Dry Eyes

Dry eyes can plague nearly every person at some point in their lives. Dry, dehydrated eyes can be even more apparent in the winter months when there is less humidity. Dry eyes can cause discomfort, a sensation of having something in your eyes, blurred vision, eye fatigue, sensitivity to light, trouble in wearing contact lenses, difficulty with nighttime driving, and conversely, can make your eyes watery.

There are various tests used to determine the cause of dry eyes, including:

  • Comprehensive eye exam - overall health and history can help diagnose the cause.
  • Disease markers - to look for specific eye diseases such as decreased lactoferrin.
  • Schirmer tear or phenol red thread test - measures tear production.
  • Quality of tears test - dyed eye drops help determine the surface condition of your eyes.
  • Tear osmolarity test - measures the composition of particles and water in your eyes.

 

Treatment for Dry Eyes

Treatment for dry eyes can include implementing eye drops, sometimes called artificial tears. Treatments can reverse or manage dry eyes by improving tear makeup or function depending on the overall test results.

Sometimes, an underlying health condition can remediate the signs and symptoms of dry eyes, such as using a specific medication that causes dry eyes as a side effect.

Various treatments for dry eyes include: 

  • Medicine to increase oil gland production.
  • Eye drops to control cornea inflammation. 
  • Artificial eye inserts that slowly dissolve and mimic tears
  • Prescriptions (pills, gels, eye drops) to increase tear production. 
  • Autologous blood serum drops.
  • Nasal spray used explicitly for dry eyes.

 

If the above treatments do not help with dry eyes, a few medical interventions can help: 

  • Plugging the tear ducts with tiny silicone (punctal) plugs to prevent tear loss. 
  • Using special scleral contact lenses that protect the eye surface and trap moisture.
  • Unblocking oil glands by using warm compresses. 
  • Using hypochlorous acid spray to help keep eye pH normal and remove bacteria causing dry eye.

Do you suffer from dry eyes and need a solution ASAP? You’ve come to the right place; we can help determine the best treatment based on your symptoms. Contact us today!

Rohr Eye & Laser Center is now Zen Eye Institute! We offer the most advanced technology available to provide personalized and extraordinary care to our patients. Whether your goal is to maintain or improve your natural vision, we are here to help you.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/