You probably don’t spend too much time thinking about your eyes until they start to bother you. Dryness, grittiness, or the feeling that something is caught in your eye—all of these sensations can be distracting and put a damper on your day. This kind of discomfort means you’re probably suffering from dry eye syndrome.
Dry eye syndrome is one of the most common eye conditions. At Vista Eyecare, we can determine the root cause of your dry eye symptoms and find a strategy to help you restore comfortable vision. It all starts with an eye exam. Book your next appointment with our team today.
Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or produce poor-quality tears.
The surface of your eyes is covered with a thin layer of tears (known as the tear film) that keeps them hydrated, healthy, and comfortable. However, certain issues can affect your tear quality or volume, leading to dry eye symptoms.
Dry eye syndrome can lead to symptoms like:
A gritty sensation or feeling that something is in your eye
Burning
Redness
Bursts of excessive watering
Blurry vision that comes and goes or clears when you blink
Mucus or discharge
Light sensitivity
There are many possible underlying causes of dry eyes, so it’s important to have an eye exam to determine what might be giving rise to your symptoms. Some of the most common causes include:
Aging
Certain medications
Eye conditions like blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)
Medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, thyroid disease, and lupus
Poorly lubricated contact lenses
Laser eye surgery (dry eyes are a common side effect of the surgery)
We offer a range of over-the-counter lubricating products to provide the vital tears that your eyes need. We always recommend speaking with one of our doctors before purchasing lubricating drops, gels, or ointments so they can recommend the best one for you.
Medicated eye drops available by prescription can only be used to reduce redness and provide relief from burning and irritation.
These drops suppress inflammation and promote healthy tear production. Depending on your particular dry eye causes and symptoms, you should notice an improvement in 1 to 3 months.
Omega-3 fatty acids serve several important functions in your body, one of which is helping with dry eye symptoms. We carry a high-quality omega-3 supplement derived from fish oil (Macula 2 TG-Gold) that helps promote a stable, healthy tear film.
We offer several eyelid cleansing products to treat blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction, including:
i-Lid ‘n Lash cleanser with and without tea tree oil
ClearChoice hypochlorous spray
We Love Eyes cleansers for lash extensions
If you have meibomian gland dysfunction that does not respond to other treatments, our doctors can gently scrape the openings of your meibomian glands using special tools. Once any obstructing debris is removed, they will apply gentle pressure to open up the glands and promote the flow of oil.