Treating Chronic Dry Eyes
The chronic discomfort of dry eyes can be nearly maddening. The constant burning or scratchy sensations. The redness. The overwhelming urge to rub at your eyes.
We frequently help people suffering from chronic dryness get to the source of their problem and treat it in a way that restores comfort and peace of mind. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if dry eyes are a problem in your day-to-day life.
What Causes Dry Eyes?
Our eyes require moisture for best operation. Normally, the regular release of tears over the eyes (not just the ones that appear while crying) provides all the moisture we need.
However, certain situations can cause tear production to decrease, or the tears that do get produced to not provide what your eyes need for normal function. That is when the aggravating symptoms of chronic dryness can develop.
Factors that can lead to dry eyes include, but aren’t limited to:
- The effects of aging. In general, dry eyes are more common in people over 50.
- Certain medications, such as various antihistamines, antidepressants, or blood pressure medications, that may reduce tear production as a side effect.
- Blocked tear ducts.
- Allergies.
- A reduction in blinking, either through the effects of certain conditions or while focusing the eyes for long periods on work, screens, or driving.
- Environmental conditions (e.g. frequent wind, smoke, or aridness).
- Secondary symptoms of certain conditions, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid disorders.
- A Vitamin A deficiency.
A great many things can affect your eyes. The best treatment plan comes from determining the source (or sources) of your dryness and addressing them directly.
Symptoms of Dry Eyes
As the causes of dry eyes can vary, so can the way the condition presents itself from patient to patient. Symptoms of dry eyes can include:
- Stinging or burning sensation in the eyes
- A “scratchiness” in and around the eyes
- A feeling as if something is in your eye
- Eye redness
- Watery eyes (which can feel ironic)
- Tired eyes
- Trouble wearing contact lenses
- Eye strain and fatigue
- Difficulty with driving at night
Knowing more about your personal symptoms and experiences can help us narrow down what the potential causes of your condition may be. Please don’t hesitate to tell us anything you may feel is pertinent or unique about your dry eyes, such as when they are at their worst and what methods you may have already tried to treat them.
Treating Dry Eyes
Dr. Seim will examine your eyes and discuss with you the factors that may apply to your particular case. Sometimes, we might conduct additional tests to measure your tear production or determine the composition of your tears.
Once we have all the information we need, Dr. Seim can recommend a treatment plan to help you find relief.
While over-the-counter eye drops will tend to work for many mild cases, further action may be needed for more severe or persistent symptoms. We also must be sure to address the underlying causes as well to have any real, lasting relief.
We may prescribe medications to reduce inflammation that may be blocking the release of proper tears along your eyes, or increase your tear output in general. We might also recommend alternatives to other medications that may be contributing to your dryness.
In some cases, we may recommend a partial or full closing of the tear ducts to keep tears from draining away and increase the time they spend on your eyes. Such procedures can be temporary or permanent.
We might also recommend removing blockages from glands that produce tears or the oils that mix with them. This can sometimes be performed with the application of warm compresses to the glands, but we may need to use advanced technology such as iLux thermal to remove blockage in more severe cases.
And, of course, if any habits or daily behaviors are affecting the comfort of your eyes, we can discuss various means of addressing them with you.
Get Rid of Dry Eyes
If you have been suffering from dry eyes, don’t just chalk it up to being “just part of life.” Let us help you find lasting comfort again and keep dry, scratchy, burning symptoms from being a constant obstacle in your day.
Schedule an appointment with Mattawan Family Eye Care by calling (269) 668-5558. If you prefer to contact us electronically instead, simply fill out our online contact form and a member of our staff will reach out to you.
