Stay On Top of Your Eye Health

We’ve all probably experienced the irritation of dry eyes at some time or another. But for many, dry eyes are more than just an occasional bout of irritation—it’s a daily struggle. Many Canadians suffer from dry, red, itchy, burning eyes.

There’s no cure for dry eye disease, but there are plenty of relief options available. Not only should you treat this condition for the sake of comfort, but if left unmanaged, dry eye disease can cause serious damage to the eye.

You don’t have to live with the discomfort of dry eye disease. Tutt Street Optometry will work with you to determine the causes of your dry eyes and recommend an appropriate series of treatments, so please book your appointment to see us today.

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What Is Dry Eye Disease?

Simply put, dry eye disease is exactly what it sounds like—your eyes are not as moist as they should be.

The full explanation is a little more complicated. For some, dry eyes are the result of their body not making enough tears.

For others, their tears are of poor quality. If the tears do not have the right balance of oils, water, and mucus, they will evaporate from the eye’s surface too quickly, causing it to dry out.

Common symptoms of dry eyes include:

Burning, stinging, or itching
Red eyes
Gritty feeling
Foreign body sensation
Stringy discharge
Overly watery eyes
Vision that fluctuates throughout the day
Eye fatigue

Long Term Effects of Dry Eye

Your eyes need lubrication to function properly—that’s the whole reason they make tears in the first place. Without adequate tears, your eyes are more vulnerable to infection. You could also suffer from corneal abrasions or ulcers, both of which can be quite serious.

Diagnosing & Soothing Your Dry Eyes

The first step in creating a tailored treatment plan for your dry eye symptoms is to understand what’s causing them.

In many cases, multiple factors contribute to discomfort, including:

Natural age-related changes
Environmental factors, like smoky or dry air
Decreased blinking, especially related to screen time
Certain medications

During your consultation, we use noninvasive imaging to assess your meibomian glands—small oil-producing glands that help keep your tears stable. If they’re blocked or damaged, your tears may evaporate too quickly, leading to discomfort.

Based on our findings, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan to help restore comfort and protect your eye health.

Preservative-Free Lubricating Eye Drops

Artificial tears mimic the chemical makeup of the tears your body makes naturally. We recommend choosing preservative-free drops, especially for frequent use, as preservatives can cause irritation over time.

Prescription Eye Drops & Ointments

Medicated drops and ointments help increase natural tear production and reduce inflammation associated with dry eye.

Unlike over-the-counter options, these treatments target the underlying cause of your symptoms for long-term relief. Your eye doctor can determine if a prescription option is right for you.

NuLids Eyelid Cleansing

For some people, dry eye symptoms are caused by blepharitis, a condition that causes inflammation of the eyelids. Deep cleansing of the lids can relieve discomfort and pleasantly refresh the eyes.

We use NuLids in-office to clean debris from your eyelids, providing fast relief from dry eye symptoms.

Punctal Plugs

Punctal or tear duct plugs are very small medical devices used to treat dry eyes. These plugs are inserted into the drainage ducts in your upper and lower eyelids. This way, your tears have a chance to evaporate naturally rather than draining away.

Patients don’t typically experience any discomfort from punctal plugs.