Almost everyone will experience dry eyes at some point in their lives, be it due to normal aging process, chronic contact lens wear, after prolonged computer use, post-LASIK procedure or environmental factors such as dry, windy or air-conditioned areas. Treatment of dry eyes depends on the severity and is not limited to only eyedrops.
While dry eyes are often a temporary condition, they can also become a chronic issue, leading to persistent discomfort and frustration for the patient. In chronic cases, symptoms may fluctuate in severity but rarely disappear completely.
Proper diagnosis is essential to identify the root cause and determine the most effective treatment for managing chronic dry eye.
Temporary dry eye is usually a result of environmental factors. Symptoms may be experienced simply from wearing contact lenses for too long or entering into a dry environment.
All is not lost, however, as this condition is very treatable with the right approach. Your eye specialist or doctor can help you find ways to alleviate your symptoms, and there are even natural remedies you can try right at home.
How do you know if you have dry eyes? Symptoms such as tearing, stinging pain, foreign body sensation, sandy sensation, grittiness, intermittent blurriness, eye redness and sensitivity to glare are all tell-tale signs of dry eyes. Download the Asia Retina App and complete a quick questionnaire to find out if you have dry eyes.
Diagnosis of dry eyes can be made more precisely with the use of the TearLab applicator which analyzes your tear osmolarity in a couple of seconds. Tearlab also enables us to monitor your tear osmolality after dry eye treatments to conclusively establish whether treatments are working.
A variety of treatments are available to help manage chronic dry eye. However, it is important to first identify any underlying causes before choosing the most effective approach.
In some cases, an underlying medical condition or environmental factor may be contributing to dry eyes. Therefore, it is highly recommended to consult a trusted medical professional or eye specialist to rule out potential causes. Additionally, certain medications can lead to dry eye symptoms. If medication is the culprit, simply adjusting the dosage, switching to an alternative, or discontinuing use (under medical guidance) may resolve the issue.
An easily available way to treat or alleviate dry eye symptoms is simply by using eye drops called artificial tears. Artificial tears work by moistening your eyes. If your case of dry eye is light to moderate, artificial tears may be all you need to keep symptoms under control and discomfort at bay. However, you may find it a hassle to continually apply the eye drops throughout the day.
There are also ointments that require less repeated applications. A downside of using ointments is that they tend to cloud your vision. Ointments can coat the eyes better than eye drops, and may keep symptoms away for longer periods of time. As they can blur your vision, the best time to use them is right before you go to bed.
A word of caution: Not all eye drops may be suitable for alleviating dry eye symptoms. Keep clear of eye drops that claim to reduce redness in the eyes. These eye drops work by constricting blood vessels in the eye and may result in irritation with continual usage.
If you consult your eye specialist or doctor for chronic dry eye, they may prescribe medications in the form of eye drops or oral medication. These treatments primarily aim to reduce eyelid inflammation, improving the lubrication of the eyes.
When the eyelids become swollen, they can obstruct the oil glands from properly mixing their oils with tear fluid. Without these essential oils, tears evaporate more quickly, leading to persistent dryness.
Certain antibiotics have also been shown to aid in the production of oil in the meibomian glands (oil glands around the eyes). If infection or inflammation is identified as the underlying cause, your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory antibiotics to address the issue. Additionally, prescription anti-inflammatory eye drops may be recommended alongside oral medications to further manage the condition and restore tear stability.
If medications proves to be ineffective or if your doctor determines that your condition is severe, certain medical procedures may be recommended to better manage chronic dry eye. These include:
Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) utilizes gentle LED light to enhance blood circulation, reduce inflammation, and restore normal oil production in the meibomian glands. Both treatments are non-invasive, painless, and effective for managing chronic dry eye syndrome, especially for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
Your eye specialist will assess your condition and determine which procedure is most suitable for your specific needs.
There are several treatments you can try at home that may help with chronic dry eye. These include:
Lifestyle choices may contribute to the development of, or deter dry eye symptoms. Here’s a few suggestions if you’re looking to control the discomfort from dry eyes with simple lifestyle changes:
Besides eyedrops, we are able to offer eye sprays, dissolvable punctal plugs, vitamin supplements and intense pulsed light (IPL) laser for the treatment of dry eyes. Treatment choice is tailored according to each individual patient’s needs and preferences. At Asia Retina, there is a treatment suitable for everyone.
