DRY EYES
UNDERSTANDING DRY EYES
Dry eye syndrome is a common condition that afflicts an estimated 16 million Americans. It is caused when the eyes do not produce enough tears or when the tears evaporate too quickly.
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, reach out to our office in Murray, UT, to speak with our eye care experts:
- Eye Fatigue
- Blurry Vision
- Excessive Tearing
- Sensitivity to Light
- Sandy Feeling in the Eyes
- Persistent Stringy Eye Mucus
- Difficulty Wearing Contact Lenses
- Eye Stinging, Burning, or Scratchiness
DRY EYE IS MANAGEABLE
With Dry Eye Syndrome, patients may grow accustomed to the constant or intermittent symptoms, like burning and eye fatigue. Though there is no cure for the condition, it is manageable. Dr. Wooldridge can work with you to find relief from your symptoms. He can also educate you about exacerbating factors to dry eye, as well answer any questions about the condition itself.
WE OFFER A VARIETY OF TREATMENTS
Dr. Wooldridge can manage your dry eye with a variety of options in addition to artificial tears and PROKERA® amniotic membranes. He'll work with you to find the right treatment or combination of treatments. To better understand how these treatments can benefit you, let's first take a look at the causes of dry eyes.
DRY EYE HAS MANY POTENITAL CAUSES
OTHER CONDITIONS
Meibomian glands in your eyelids are crucial for quality tear production. Meibomian gland dysfunction can be an underlying cause of dry eye disease.
AGE
As we get older (or age), we produce fewer tears and the composition of our tears change. Advancing age is a major contributing factor to dry eyes.
CLIMATE
Remember that we live in a high mountain desert! Additionally, heaters in the winter and central air conditioning in the summer further reduce the ambient humidity. No wonder dry eyes and skin are so common in our area!
GENDER
Dry eyes are more common in women, perhaps due to hormonal changes. Dry eyes are especially common in postmenopausal women.
MEDICATIONS
Several types of medications may cause or worsen dry eyes, including antihistamines for allergies, blood pressure medications, birth control pills and other hormones, anti-depressants and some acne medications.
EYE SURGERY
Laser eye surgery like LASIK can cause dry eye symptoms. While this is often a short-term consequence, some patients suffer long-term symptoms.
ACTIVITIES
Reading, driving, computer work and other activities may worsen dry eyes due to decreased blinking that occurs. Using artificial tears more frequently while performing these activities may help increase your comfort.
HOW WE TREAT DRY EYES
There are many different treatments for Dry Eyes depending on the cause and severity of each person’s case. Some patients need only artificial tears for lubrication, others need more extensive treatment. Dr. Wooldridge sees severe Dry Eye patients daily and offers advanced treatment options.
ARTIFICIAL TEARS
Artificial tears (AT) may be used to replace or supplement an inadequate natural tear supply. There are many different types of artificial tears so it may take some time to determine which one is best for you. While AT alone may be adequate for some patients, many patients need additional treatments.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
If something in your life or your environment is contributing to your dry eye, Dr. Wooldridge may suggest changes to help protect your eyes.
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS
Several prescription medications for Dry Eyes have been approved by the FDA. You may see some of these agents advertised on television, including cyclosporine (Restasistm™, Cequatm™), lifitegraft (Xiidra™) and more recently perfluorohexyloctane (Miebo™).
AMNIOTIC MEMBRANES
This treatment can reduce eye inflammation, minimize corneal scarring, and restore cornea health. Similar to a contact lens, the membrane is placed onto the front surface of the eye and left in place for roughly five days. Dr. Wooldridge offers both cryopreserved membranes (Prokera®) and dehydrated membranes. Dr. Wooldridge will review both types with you and determine which is the better option in your particular case.
INTENSE PULSED LIGHT (IPL)
Tears consist of water, oil, and mucus. Water keeps the eye moist, mucus helps tear film stick to the ocular surface, and oil keeps tears from evaporating too quickly. If your tears evaporate too quickly, it could be due to dysfunction of the meibomian glands, which lay along the edges of your eyelids and provide the necessary oil (meibum).
Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy by Dr. Wooldridge involves using Optima IPL technology to deliver quick flashes of broad-spectrum light to the areas around the eyelids. This can clear clogged meibomian glands while coagulating abnormal blood vessels that cause meibomian gland inflammation.
Patients often begin to experience results around the third or fourth 20-minute treatment session. Each session is performed about every three weeks. There is no downtime after IPL treatment, although you should limit sun exposure for a couple of days, and be sure to use sunblock or sunglasses as directed.