Dry Eye Treatment in London, ON
Dry eye syndrome is one of the most common eye conditions. Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface associated with increased osmolarity of the tear film and inflammation of the ocular surface. Dry eye disease is a condition where the eyes cannot produce the right quantity or quality of tears. People suffering from dry eye are more likely to experience discomfort, blurred vision and other problems when reading, using a computer, watching television and driving. Dry eye symptoms often worsen at the end of the day or after focusing on a detailed task for a long time. The symptoms can be mistaken for allergies, other conditions, fatigue or eyestrain.
Symptoms Include:
Allow us to properly assess the cause of your dry eye and provide the most effective treatment options available. We provide custom, tailored treatment plans designed to maximize the relief of your dry eye symptoms and help treat the underlying cause of your discomfort. Outlined below are some of the diagnostic/monitoring tests and treatments that may be prescribed for you, either through our Dry Eye Clinic Treatment Program at Vue Vision or as individual options after your general exam.
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Dry Eye Assessment
Our doctors investigate the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease using several quick and painless tests to measure visual clarity, tear production, tear osmolarity, tear function, ocular surface dryness and damage to the cornea or conjunctiva. These tests will allow us to determine the severity of you dry eye and the most appropriate treatment option for you.
Tear Osmolarity Diagnostic
Helps obtain a sample of your tears to evaluate your osmolarity. Osmolarity is one of the key diagnostic metrics for tracking dry eye progression.
Meibography
Meibography is the only clinically non-invasive technique to visualize the morphology of the meibomian glands. It is a useful and patient-friendly method to obtain information on the structure of the meibomian glands and because it only takes a minute to perform, it can be done during a routine eye exam. We perform meibography on any patient who has one or more of the typical dry eye symptoms and any patient with a known history of dry eye who has not had an image taken within the last 6 months.
A series of evaluations will be performed to determine the likely cause of your dry eye. Determining the cause of your dry eye will help your doctor decide on the best treatment option.
Dry Eye Treatments
Artificial Tears
Almost every person with dry eye will be prescribed tear supplements. However, the long-term goal is to decrease your dependency on them. Your doctor will likely prescribe eye drops which are preservative-free and contain hyaluronate and glycerol. This makes the drops safe and long-lasting and ensures that they completely cover the entire surface of the eye.
Steroid Eye Drops
Regardless of the underlying cause of dry eye, our doctors often start a treatment regimen with prescription eye drops to bring the inflammation on the surface of the eyes back to “normal”. These drops will likely not be a long-term solution and will not be prescribed for every patient.
Eyelid Warm Compress And Lid Scrub Treatment
We offer an in-office treatment designed to clean your eyelids with clinical precision. Using heated-compress and lid cleanser, our doctors will gently exfoliate the upper and lower lids to remove unwanted debris. Regular in-office treatments can help maintain healthy meibomian gland function and reduce the risk of blepharitis progression. If your dry eye is caused by meibomian gland dysfunction, this procedure will clear the blocked glands and help restore normal function.
Eyelid Cleansing
There is an inclination for bacteria and Demodex mites to accumulate in and around the eyelash and its follicle. They cause subclinical infection and contribute to mucus and inflammatory by-products in the tear film and oil glands. A foaming cleanser or moistened towelettes should be used as part of a daily eyelid cleansing routine.
Restasis
A long-term anti-inflammatory topical drop that works differently than steroid eye drops. Restasis helps to keep inflammation at manageable levels, which stimulates the natural production of tears. It has an excellent long-term safety profile and is usually reserved for more advanced cases of dry eye.
Punctal Occlusion
A highly effective method to increase tear volume and contact time on the anterior surface of the eye. The plugs reduce tear outflow or drainage, which enhances the effectiveness of the tears that you produce.
Nutritional Supplements
New studies are showing the benefits of various dry eye vitamins in the treatment of dry eyes.