What is Dry Eye Syndrome?

Dry eye syndrome refers to a breakdown in the quantity or quality of tears to moisten, cleanse and protect the eyes. This is significant because, with each blink, tears protect the surface of the eye, washing away dust and microorganisms. When this protective coating dries up, the eyes may feel “gritty” or burn and can be more sensitive to light. In extreme cases, vision can be blurred.

If you suspect that you have dry eye, visit Dr. Nguyen at You & Eyes. Proper care will not only increase your comfort – it will protect your eyes. At You & Eyes, we can perform a series of tests with our state-of-the-art equipments to determine if you have dry eyes.

What Causes it?

Life style – staring at computer screens, televisions, or electronic readers for long periods of time, exposure to air conditioning, wind, smoke, and dry climates

Age – dry eye syndrome often gets worse as we age

Gender – women are more likely to develop dry eye

Other factors – long term use of contact lenses, refractive eye surgery, some medications, medical conditions, such as, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, thyroid problems and inflammation of the eyelids.

How We Diagnose Your Dry Eye Syndrome

We have a variety of different ways to diagnose your dry eye syndrome but our most efficient way is using an advanced technology called the OCULUS Keratograph 5M to examine your eyes and document a layer of the tear film. The Keratograph 5M has a high-resolution color camera and is equipped with intelligent software to analyze the collected data and document the findings. It can also compare the results and show the success o the dry eye treatment.

To measure the quality and stability of the tear film, the OCULUS Keratograph 5M measures the tear film break up time non-invasively. This test takes less than 30 seconds and does not require touching the eye. To evaluate the quantity of the tear film, the Keratograph 5M takes a picture of the lower eyelid to measure the tear meniscus height.

Healthy Meibomain Glands VS Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

Located in both upper and lower lids, the meibomian glands produce complex oils that stabilize the tear film and prevent tear evaporation. If the meibomian glands do not function properly, dry eye usually occurs.

How we will help you manage your dry eyes

 

Treatments we recommend 

There are a variety of options available to help treat your dry eyes. A few things we would recommend are:

• • Taking Supplements such as fish oil
  • Oil Gland Treatments, we offer in office Eyelid Debridement with the BlephEx procedure
  • Prescription Allergy drops
  • Punctual Occlusion – a quick and painless in-office procedure
  • Amniotic membrane – inserted in office and removed several days later, helps reduce inflammation and promote healing.
  • Lid Hygiene at home treatments
  • Sjo Test – Blood test to identify Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) in patients with clinically significant dry eye is relevant to prevent vision-threatening complications.

For any additional questions or concerns please feel free to contact our office at 407-658-6580.