Do you suffer from itching, scratchy or burning eyes? It may be caused by dry eye syndrome, an irritating and sometimes even painful eye condition.
Dry eye syndrome is caused by a lack of tear production or by tears’ improper chemical balance. If your eyes aren’t producing enough tears to keep them moist and lubricated, you will begin to notice minor symptoms such as an itching, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes. Blurred vision is another more serious symptom of dry eyes.
Treating dry eyes depends on the patient’s symptoms and the type of dry eye. Treatment options include artificial tears, ointments, supplements (such as the Science Based Health supplement for dry eyes, HydroEye®), duct plugs and LipiFlow® dry eyes treatment. Dry eye caused by allergies, for example, may be treated with artificial tears, ointments or supplements. However, chronic dry eye syndrome may require more than artificial tears or ointments.
The LipiView® tool allows physicians to observe the tear film on the surface of the eye using digital images to determine if the patient’s dry eyes are caused by allergies or by another condition, such as evaporative dry eye. Those who suffer from evaporative dry eye have blocked eyelid glands, resulting in a deficiency in the tear film oil. It is this oil that keeps tears from evaporating too quickly.
LipiFlow is designed to treat not only the symptoms of dry eye, but the root cause of dry eye. The LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation system allows doctors to relieve obstructions of blocked eyelid glands by applying a combination of heat therapy and pressure to the gland.
LipiFlow is an in-office treatment that treats the cause of evaporative dry eye and allows patients to resume normal life, free from the irritation and blurred vision associated with dry eyes. Possible side effects include redness, burning, stinging, discharge, blurred vision, dryness and sensitivity to light.
If you suffer from chronic itching, burning, scratching or blurred vision, contact the Dallas dry eye specialists at Key-Whitman today. An eye exam can determine the cause of your dry eyes and the most appropriate course of treatment for your symptoms.