Dry Eye Therapy

Find Long-Term Relief for Dry Eyes

Dry eyes are an uncomfortable, irritating, often chronic condition that can impact your daily life. Not only that, but dry eyes can cause eye infections, corneal inflammation, and even vision loss.

At Dr. David Oliphant Optometry, we provide comprehensive dry eye diagnoses and a range of dry eye therapies to provide you with effective long-term comfort. If you experience painful symptoms related to dry eyes, call us today to book your eye care appointment. We can get to the root of your problem.

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Common Dry Eye Symptoms

Dry eyes come with many irritating symptoms, including:

Stinging, gritty, scratchy eyes
Fluctuating vision
Blurred vision
Sensitivity to light
Eye redness
Difficulty wearing contact lenses
Burning feeling or a feeling of something in the eye
Excessive tearing (the eyes’ natural reflex in response to dryness)

Dry Eye Treatments

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to dry eyes. And treatment depends on the cause of this condition, so it’s essential to have your optometrist evaluate your eyes so your treatment will be effective.

At Dr. David Oliphant Optometry, we can provide several treatment options, including:

Thealoz Duo: preservative-free eye drops designed to reduce eye inflammation
Blephaclean: eyelid cleaning wipes designed to unblock clogged tear glands
Blephagel: an eyelid cleansing gel designed to cool and hydrate your eyes while softening clogged glands
Bruder Mask: an eye mask that delivers gentle warmth to your eyelids
BIHOCL: a topical disinfectant designed to reduce symptoms associated with blepharitis

What Causes Dry Eyes?

Dry eyes are the result of a disruption in the tear film. Your tear film covers the surface of your eye and is responsible for lubricating, nourishing, and protecting your cornea. It also helps focus light so you can see clearly.

Your tear film is made of 3 distinct and essential layers:

The inner mucus (mucin) layer adheres the tear to the eye.
The middle watery (aqueous) layer keeps the eye hydrated, repels bacteria, and protects the cornea.
The outer oily (lipid) layer keeps the surface of the tear smooth and prevents the other layers from evaporating.

If any of these 3 layers are lacking, your tear film becomes compromised, and you can develop dry eyes. A disruption in your tear film can occur for many reasons, but ultimately, dry eyes occur if you stop producing adequate tears or your tears evaporate too quickly.

Decreased Tear Production

If your eyes don’t produce enough of the watery layer of your tear film, you can experience dry eyes. This condition is called aqueous tear deficiency and can be caused by:

Age
Medical conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis
Medications with ocular side effects, like antihistamines, hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, and others
Long-term contact lens use resulting in corneal nerve sensitivity
Nerve damage caused by laser eye surgery (usually temporary)

Increased Tear Evaporation

The outer oily layer of your tear film prevents your tears from evaporating too quickly. The oily layer is created in the meibomian glands, tiny glands lining the edges of your eyelids. These glands can become blocked, resulting in a condition called evaporative dry eyes.

Several factors can result in evaporative dry eyes:

Rosacea and other skin conditions
Blepharitis
Meibomian gland dysfunction
Blinking less often
Eyelid disorders, like when the lids turn outward (ectropion) or inward (entropion)
Eye allergies
Eye drops with preservatives
Windy, smoky, or dry environments
Vitamin A deficiency

Come Visit Us

Our practice is located on the corner of Grand Avenue East and Woodland Avenue. We have a large parking lot off Woodland Avenue with accessible parking and entrance.