Dry eye is a common, sometimes chronic, condition and can occur at any age. Symptoms include blurred vision that comes and goes, eye irritation, redness, stinging or burning sensation, mucus around the eyes, itchy, tired or watery eyes.
Symptoms and severity of dry eyes tend to increase with age, are more common in women, contact lens wearers, post-cataract or LASIK surgery, and people who spend much time in front of computer screens.
The main causes of dry eye include:
· Inadequate natural production of tears.
· Increased evaporation of tear film from eye.
· Incomplete or reduced blinking.
· Hormonal and age changes.
· Overwearing of contact lenses.
· Dry, windy and air-conditioned environments.
· Side effects of certain systemic medications.
· Blepharitis and inflammed eyelids.
· Meibomian gland dysfunction.
We diagnose and monitor your dry eyes by careful slitlamp examination of your eye surface, eyelids, assess your blinking, look for dry spots with special coloured dyes, as well as using sophisticated imaging instruments to analyse your tear film layer quality and rate of evaporation.
The main causes of dry eye include:
· Inadequate natural production of tears.
· Increased evaporation of tear film from eye.
· Incomplete or reduced blinking.
· Hormonal and age changes.
· Overwearing of contact lenses.
· Dry, windy and air-conditioned environments.
· Side effects of certain systemic medications.
· Blepharitis and inflammed eyelids.
· Meibomian gland dysfunction.
We diagnose and monitor your dry eyes by careful slitlamp examination of your eye surface, eyelids, assess your blinking, look for dry spots with special coloured dyes, as well as using sophisticated imaging instruments to analyse your tear film layer quality and rate of evaporation.
Dry Eye Therapy
Treatment of dry eye depends on the cause and severity of your dry eye condition.
Our therapeutically endorsed optometrists may prescribe you with tear supplements (lubricating eye drops), anti-inflammatory steroidal medications, treat any underlying eyelid conditions, recommend omega-3 fish oil supplements, change your contact lenses to a different material or design, or use a combination of these treatment strategies.
For patients with Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) — which is a chronic blockage of the eyelid glands that produce the oily part of the tears, essential for maintaining good tear quality and reducing evaporation — we have in our clinic Blephasteam heat goggles (below) to safely and gently warm the eyelids to help unblock the Meibomian glands and provide longer-lasting dry eye relief.
Our therapeutically endorsed optometrists may prescribe you with tear supplements (lubricating eye drops), anti-inflammatory steroidal medications, treat any underlying eyelid conditions, recommend omega-3 fish oil supplements, change your contact lenses to a different material or design, or use a combination of these treatment strategies.
For patients with Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) — which is a chronic blockage of the eyelid glands that produce the oily part of the tears, essential for maintaining good tear quality and reducing evaporation — we have in our clinic Blephasteam heat goggles (below) to safely and gently warm the eyelids to help unblock the Meibomian glands and provide longer-lasting dry eye relief.
