Dry Eyes
Comprehensive Eye Care
Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM–5:00PM
Friday 9:00 AM–4:00PM
Closed Saturday-Sunday
Dry eye disease can cause a wide variety of symptoms including gritty feeling, stinging or burning, red eyes, and blurry vision. The team at West Broward Eyecare Associates in Tamarac, Florida, offers expert
Anatomy and Function of Your Tears
Your eyes produce tears to ensure that you have clear and comfortable vision. Your tears have water, oil, and mucus layers. Each layer has a different purpose (cleaning, spreading tears, preventing evaporation). If any of these are out of balance, it can stimulate an inflammatory process leading to dry eye syndrome.
What Causes Dry Eyes?
Dry eye disease is often multifactorial involving environmental factors, personal health, and modifiable factors which can contribute to symptoms for you as a patient. Some of the common causes of Dry Eyes include:
- Medications such as decongestants, beta blockers, or diuretics
- Increased time on the computer or cell phones
- Hormone changes
- Systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and thyroid disease
- Over-wearing contact lenses
- Infrequent breaks during near work to blink properly
- Working in dry, smoky, or windy environments
- History of LASIK or other eye surgeries
- Clogged glands which produce your tears
Long Term Implications:
Dry eyes, if not properly treated, can lead to functional loss of the meibomian glands which produce the oil layer to prevent our tears from evaporating. This can not only perpetuate the cycle of dryness but also cause symptoms to worsen over time or become permanent. Once the meibomian glands stop functioning, treating dry eye symptoms becomes more complex.
Treatments for Dry Eyes
At Home Maintenance
These options can provide temporary relief or maintain healthy tears for mild dry eye symptoms:
- Lubricating drops or Artificial Tears
- Eyelid Hygiene – lid wipes, cleaning solutions
- Vitamins to improve tear production and reduce inflammation
- Eye Heat Mask to improve gland function
Doctor Prescribed Treatments
The doctors at West Broward Eyecare can prescribe a wide variety of treatments to improve dry eye signs and symptoms including:
- Medications to treat the inflammation associated with dry eye disease
- Punctal Plugs to keep tears on your eyes for longer
- Intense Pulse Light (IPL) and Radiofrequency (RF)
- Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT)
FAQs
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Dry eyes can be caused by environmental factors, certain medications, systemic diseases, hormone changes, and excessive screen time. Other factors include wearing contact lenses too long and reduced blinking.