The main signs and symptoms of dry eyes include:
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Itchiness
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Grittiness
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Burning sensation
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Transient blurring of vision
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Red eyes
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Watery eyes
You are more likely to suffer with dry eyes in certain environments (humid, dry rooms for example) and when doing certain tasks, most of which involve staring or concentrating (reading, computer use, driving).
NEVER SETTLE
Whilst it is entirely possible to relieve the symptoms of dry eye using over-the –counter lubricating comfort drops it is important to understand and assess if there is any underlying cause for this.
We offer a specialized dry eye assessment with the sole purpose of investigating causes of dry eye disease and allowing us to better manage the condition with a tailor-made management plan for each individual.
Each dry eye assessment involves:
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an in-depth look at the front of the eyes using a slit lamp
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an assessment of the osmolarity (salt concentration) of the tear film using a Tear Scout device
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a non-invasive assessment of the tear film and the layers that form it
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a detailed examination of the meibomian glands within the eyelids
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a thorough conversation about what we’ve found and how best to treat things using both at-home and in-clinic treatments.
POSSIBLE CAUSES
Possible causes for dry eye include age, contact lens wear and side-effects of medications.
The most common cause is a condition caused blepharitis (meaning inflammation of the eyelids).
Blepharitis can not be ‘cured’. It is a chronic inflammatory disease but with long-term treatments it can often be effectively controlled. In order to know which form of treatment is best it is recommended you seek advice from one of our dry-eye experts.
At-home blepharitis and dry-eye treatments can involve warm compresses, eyelid cleaning and ocular lubricants.
We offer many different treatments in our dry eye clinics, including:
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Blephasteam
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Zest
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Blephex
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Tear Stim IPL (intense pulse of light)
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LLLT (low light level therapy)
In some cases a person with severe dry eyes may benefit from a course of topical steroids or antibiotics, or sometimes systemic antibiotics may be encouraged. We current have members of our team undergoing additional prescribing qualifications so that in the near future we’ll be able to manage all of this in-house, but at present if these are required then an onward referral would be made to either your GP or an ophthalmologist.