Diagnosing Dry Eye

Diagnosing and Treating Dry Eye

Dry eye is a condition that occurs due to the tear duct's inability to produce adequate lubrication. This is caused by the production of poor-quality tears or an inadequate supply. There are different reasons why tears can be unstable or inadequate. If the eyes fail to produce tears as required, it can lead to dry eyes.

Tear instability can cause inflammation and damage to the surface of the eye. Many people experience dry eyes when in certain environments or situations. Diagnosing and treating the condition will help in enhancing comfort and improving vision.

Symptoms of Dry Eye

People with the dry eye condition experience several symptoms, usually in both eyes. The symptoms include a burning, stinging, or scratchy sensation in the eyes, sensitivity to light, blurry vision, and eye redness.

Other symptoms are stringy discharge around or in the eyes, eye fatigue, difficulty wearing contacts, and difficulty driving at night. Some patients experience watery eyes, a response to irritation in the eyes.

If you have symptoms of dry eyes, it is important to visit an eye doctor. The doctor can carry out a diagnosis and recommend treatment to reduce the symptoms. During diagnosis, the doctor will perform several tests to determine the root cause of the dry eyes.

The diagnosis procedure will include a comprehensive eye exam, testing to measure tear volume, and tests to determine the quality of tears. A tear osmolarity test will help measure water and particles composition. The specialist will take tear samples to determine if there are specific dry eye disease markers.

Treatment for Dry Eye

Many people with dry eyes can benefit from over-the-counter eye drops or artificial tears. Using the drops regularly can help reduce mild or occasional dry eye symptoms. If the symptoms are persistent or severe, the OTC drops may be ineffective. There are treatment options for severe dry eye.

The treatments focus on managing the underlying cause of dry eyes. The treatments can improve the quality of the tears, or they can stop tears from draining too fast. Treating underlying health problems can help reduce dry eye symptoms.

Medication for Dry Eyes

Doctors can prescribe several medications to treat the dry eye condition. Some drugs can help reduce inflammation of the eyelid. Prescription eye drops can help control cornea inflammation.

For patients with moderate or severe dry eye, the doctor can recommend inserts that help lubricate the eye. Tear stimulating drugs can increase the production of tears. Eye doctors may also recommend autologous blood serum eye drops. These are eye drops made from the patient’s blood.

Procedures to Treat Dry Eyes

Several procedures can be used for the treatment of dry eyes. The doctor may recommend closing the tear ducts, which helps reduce tear loss. This is done using tiny punctual plugs. Special contact lenses may also be used to treat the condition.

Other procedures are unblocking the oil glands using warm compresses and using eyelid massage and light therapy. The light therapy technique is known as intense pulsed light therapy. If you experience any dry eye symptoms, you should visit an eye doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

For more on diagnosing and treating dry eyes, contact Eye Care North at our office in Cave Creek, Arizona. You can call 480-781-4446 today to schedule an appointment.