Dry Eye Disease

Dry Eye is a very common problem that affects millions every day. It occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly, or when the tears are not of the correct consistency and evaporate too quickly. Dry eye can be caused by medications such as antihistamines, nasal decongestants, tranquilizers, blood pressure medicines, birth control pills or antidepressants; diseases of the glands in the eyelids, such as Meibomian Gland Dysfunction; pregnancy or hormone replacement therapy; following refractive surgery such as LASIK; allergies; infrequent blinking, associated with staring at a computer or video screens; immune system disorders such as Sjogren’s Syndrome, Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis; thyroid disease when the eye protrudes forward, or after cosmetic surgery if the eyes are opened too widely.

Symptoms of Dry Eye:

  • Fluctuating vision that clears with blinking

  • Burning

  • Redness

  • Itching

  • Watering or mucous discharge

  • Foreign body sensation (scratchy feeling in the eye)

  • Tired Eyes

  • Contact lens discomfort

Types of Dry Eye:

  • Aqueous Deficient: Disorder in which the lacrimal glands fail to produce enough of the water component of the tears.

  • Evaporative (Lipid Deficient): May result from inflammation of the meibomian glands in the eyelid. These glands add to the lipid layer of the tears and help slow down evaporation.

Dry Eye Testing:

  • Speed Questionnaire: Take your Patient self-assessment

  • Tearlab Osmolarity Testing

  • Inflammadry Testing to check for inflammatory component

  • Lipid Layer Analysis/Blink Rate Analysis with Lipiview

  • Keratograph Imaging: Non-invasive analyses of tear break-up time, evaluation of the tear meniscus, and detailed view of the meibomian glands

  • Allergy Testing

  • Sjogren’s Testing

  • Meibomian Gland Evaluator: Analysis of meibomian glands