Effective Dry Eye Treatment in Coffs Harbour
Are your eyes feeling gritty, sore or watery?
What is dry eye?
Dry Eye Disease is a complex and multi-factorial disease of the ocular surface. It is a break down in the balance of the layers of the tear film which can lead to chronic inflammation. It can lead to a considerable impact on your vision, comfort, and quality of life.
Dry eye disease can present itself in many ways, but there are 3 main types:
Aqueous Deficiency – an insufficient watery layer in the tear film.
Evaporative – an insufficient oily layer in the tear film.
Mixed – insufficiencies in both the watery and oily layers of the tear film.
Dry Eye Disease may cause the false sensation of a foreign body in your eye. Often it leaves your eyes feeling itchy, stinging, and looking red. Excessively watery eyes can be a surprising and very annoying symptom of dry eye disease as well.
What can we do about it?
The first thing we do is conduct a comprehensive eye exam to ensure your overall eye health is optimal and any other eye conditions are being treated. Through thorough history taking your Optometrist will review any and all environmental factors which may be exacerbating your Dry Eye Disease. Eliminating, reducing or mitigating environmental factors which may be causing your dry eye is the first step to reducing your suffering. Things like extended screen time, exposure to air conditioning, and diet can greatly affect your tear film layers.
Using specialized technology and diagnostic testing your Optometrists will determine which type of dry eye you are suffering from and develop a customized treatment plan designed specifically for you.
Treatments may include:
lifestyle and environment changes
changes to oral medications
medicated and lubricating eye drops and ointments
lid debridement
meibomian gland expression
heat masks
dietary supplementation
punctal occlusion
amniotic membrane therapy
blephasteam therapy
custom scleral lenses
surgical intervention for eyelid laxity
