THE BEST DRY EYE TREATMENT OPTIONS
Dry eye is a condition that affects the surface of your eye. It causes an imbalance of the fluids that help your eyes stay clear and comfortable. Whenever you blink, tears spread evenly across the surface of your eyes. The quality and amount of tears are essential for effortless eyesight. An inadequate supply of quality tears may lead to dry eye syndrome. Some of the remedies to this condition include:
Punctal Plugs
These are minute silicone plugs that help keep the tears in your eyes from draining quickly. Removal of the punctal plugs may sometimes increase inflammation. In this case, your doctor will have to weigh the benefits of recommending them.
LipiFlow® Thermal Pulsation
LipiFlow® thermal treatment involves delivering heat and pressure to your inner and outer eyelids concurrently. It helps unblock lipids from the meibomian glands. Your doctor uses the console on the device to regulate the heat and pressure that they apply to your eyelids. However, most doctors do not recommend LipiFlow thermal pulsation in children.
Intense Pulsed Light Therapy
Dry eye therapy in this category uses light and infrared to liquify oils that are clogging your meibomian glands. It reduces inflammation around your eyelids and face, improving the functions of the meibomian gland.
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
The most common anti-inflammatory drugs for dry eye include Restasis®, EYSUVIS®, Tyrvaya™, and Xiidra®. Each comes with advantages and disadvantages. Your doctor will recommend one medicine or another, depending on your level of dry eye.
These drugs focus on reducing the swelling of your eyelids. The inflammation or swelling prevents oil from the glands to get into your tears. The gland oil slows down the evaporation of tears.
Antibiotics
Doxycycline is one of the antibiotics that help counter swelling resulting from dry eye. Others like azithromycin help stimulate the epithelial cells in the meibomian gland. Azithromycin is an ideal antibiotic since it has both anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial capabilities. These qualities help it suppress the growth of lid bacteria and posterior blepharitis.
Eye Inserts
These are an ideal alternative when artificial tears do not work. They are translucent and minute, like a grain of rice. The hydroxypropyl cellulose, or insert, fits between your eyeball and your lower eyelid. When the insert dissolves, it releases a liquid that lubricates your eye.
Autologous Blood Serum Drops
These eye drops derive their most important ingredient from your blood. It is the best form of treatment for chronic dry eye. To make the eye drops, they use a sample of your blood to retrieve red blood cells. They then mix them will a salt solution to create the eye drops. These drops help heal a myriad of ocular surface conditions, including dry eye.
Contact Lenses
Special contact lenses help treat severe dry eye symptoms. Some eye doctors refer to them as scleral lenses. They help retain moisture in your eyes by acting as a fluid reservoir between them and your cornea.
Tear-Stimulating Drugs
These drugs come in the form of pills, eye drops, or gels. The cholinergic or tear-stimulating drugs help stimulate or increase the production of tears.
For more on dry eye treatment options, visit Longview Eye Associates at our office in Longview, Texas. You can also call (903) 417-0070 to book an appointment today.