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

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.

Soothing Your Dry Eyes

The symptoms of dry eye can be very overwhelming. However, there is quite a variety of treatment options to bring relief.

Artificial Tears

Artificial tears are made to mimic the chemical makeup of the tears your body makes naturally. These drops are available over the counter. And while they will not stimulate tear production in your body, they will help relieve your symptoms, albeit temporarily.

Medicated Eye Drops

Medicated eye drops can increase your body’s natural tear production. These drops require a prescription from your doctor; however, they’ll also treat the underlying cause of your symptoms rather than just the symptoms themselves.

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, and they are easily removed.

iLux

ILux is a small, handheld device that warms your eyelids to heat meibum in blocked meibomian glands. The device carefully monitors the temperature to avoid applying too much heat.

Once the meibum has been sufficiently liquefied, the device gently compresses your eyelid and expresses the glands.