Dry Eye Treatment
Find Relief from Dry, Itchy, Irritated Eyes
4.88 million Americans over the age of 50 suffer from dry eyes. We’re not just talking about occasional dry eyes, this is specific to a chronic condition called Dry Eye.
How To Know If You Have Dry Eye
Dry eye can be caused by many different underlying causes. But the symptoms are usually very similar.
Common symptoms include:
- Redness or eyes that appear irritated and bloodshot
- Consistent burning or tingling sensations in the eyes
- Eyes that feel itchy or as if they have something in them
- Increased sensitivity to bright lights or sunlight
- Excessive tearing, or eyes that always appear watery
What Causes Dry Eye?
Sometimes dry eye can be caused by your environment or short-term inflammation, but there could be other causes.
Typical causes of dry eye problems could be:
- Disease of the meibomian glands
- Blepharitis
- Allergies
- Defects in the eyelid or eye shape
- Medication side-effects
- Abnormal eye pressure
- Inadequate aqueous fluid production
Often, it's not just one but several causes working together to cause your discomfort. To know for sure, you’ll need to Schedule an Appointment.
How Is Dry Eye Diagnosed & Treated?
Our comprehensive approach involves detailed imaging of the meibomian glands, tear film osmolarity measurement, and screening for certain other conditions.
Treatment could include one of the following:
- Anti-inflammatory prescription eye drops
- Treating oil glands
- OptiLight - a light-based, non-invasive treatment done in the area below the eyes to manage dry eye
- In the case of an infection, low-dose antibiotics may be necessary
Dry Eye Solutions
OptiLight is a specialized Intense Pulse Light (IPL) device specifically designed to treat the underlying causes of dry eye. The treatments target inflammatory blood vessels near the eyelid margins, attacking the root cause of the most common cause of dry eyes - MGD.
The OptiLight treatment protocol is given as a series of treatments (usually 4 total) that are spaced 2-4 weeks apart.
The TearCare system is a wearable eyelid technology device that administers gentle heat directly to the meibomian glands to remove blockages and stimulate tear production.
Find A Location
Our five offices in Southwest Missouri provide easy access to exceptional care right in your own community.
Schedule Your Appointment
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