Every day, a growing number of patients present complaints of dry, gritty, uncomfortable eyes, blurred vision and chronic eye redness. With an explosion in the use of digital devices, shifts in diet, certain medications, auto immune conditions, contact lenses, certain cosmetics, eye surgeries like LASIK and cataract surgery, just to name a few reasons, there has been an explosion of dry eye. In Summit County, the high altitude and low humidity just compounds the issue.
Are your eyes ever watery (a sign of dry eye….your body is trying to fix the issue, but uses a poor quality tear that drips down the face). These are all signs of dry eye. At its core, dry eye is an inflammatory condition. This inflammation damages the glands in the lower and upper lids, decreasing oil production, causing loss of the oil glands (meibomian glands) and thickening and scarring of the lid margin. The oil is necessary to protect the eye from drying out, and this is important for clarity of vision and comfort. Although there are several treatments for dry eye, artificial tears only treat the symptoms. They do not decrease the inflammation that caused dry eye.
Different treatments:
Our team is here to help you understand your options and find the right care for your needs.
