Dry Eye
Do your eyes ever feel irritated, tired, dry, or are frequently red or burning? Do you feel the need to excessively blink or use eye drops throughout the day?
If you have lived in the Four Corners area for any length of time, there is a very high likelihood that either you or someone in your household has dry eye disease. If dry eye disease can be caught early on, it is much easier to treat and reverse. However, this condition progresses with age, and becomes much more difficult to treat if ignored or missed by an eye care provider.
Dry Eye Examination
Every patient that mentions dryness, irritation, itchiness or discomfort of their eyes will undergo specific dry eye testing with the Oculus K5M in addition to their comprehensive eye exam. Dr. Cap will review these images in the exam room with you, and explain what each test means for the short and long term health of your ocular surface. The most important of these tests is infrared imaging of your meibomian glands. Meibomian glands are oil glands embedded in your eyelids that produce a protective layer in your tear film that prevents your tears from evaporating too fast. If your meibomian glands are unhealthy (grade 1, 2, or 3 in Figure 1), it means that they are not releasing an adequate amount of meibum (oil). This allows your tears to evaporate too fast, causing symptoms of dryness and potential damage to your ocular surface. The results of your meibomian gland imaging along with a measurement of tear production and how long it takes for your tears to evaporate enable Dr. Cap to tailor any necessary treatment to your ocular system, taking into account your unique lifestyle, habits, and the type of dry eye disease you suffering from.
Figure 1.
Dry Eye Treatment
First line treatment for dry eye disease usually consists of specific over-the-counter artificial tears that target the type of dry eye disease that you are suffering from, and at home therapy to increase the liquidity of the oil in your meibomian glands. Diet, supplements, and screen time are also discussed. However, many times this only provides a temporary improvement of symptoms, and more effective treatment is required.
rdIntense Pulsed Light Treatment
At Peak Eyecare, we offer a revolutionary dry eye treatment option called Intense Pulsed Light, or IPL. While new to the eyecare space, this technology has been used by dermatologists for years to treat a variety of skin conditions including rosacea and pigmented skin lesions, and by aestheticians for cosmetic purposes. Over the past 5-10 years, eye doctors have found that when IPL is applied around the eyelids, patients report a substantial, long lasting improvement in dry eye symptoms. This has since been well researched and outcomes have been proven by multiple peer-reviewed studies.1,2 IPL works by triggering photobiomodulation of the cells that make up and surround the meibomian glands. This promotes better functioning cells, allowing them to produce healthier meibum. IPL also helps eradicate the eyelids of bacteria and Demodex, which are mites that commonly infest the eyelids, leading to irritation and redness.
IPL treatment for Dry Eye Disease consists of 4 in-office treatments spaced 2-3 weeks apart. Treatment sessions last for about 10 minutes and is very well tolerated by most patients, however some may notice a slight discomfort but never any pain. Many patients will see improvements in their dry eye symptoms by the second or third treatment, with the vast majority experiencing impressive improvements in their dry eye symptoms by the end of the fourth treatment. You will need to avoid excessive sun exposure for the week following each treatment and apply facial sunscreen when outside during the full treatment cycle. Many patients report that in addition to having a substantial improvement in their dry eye symptoms, their facial skin looks younger, tighter, and healthier.
Severe Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye Disease Treatments (Part 8)
In the past 2 blog posts, we have dug into the causes of Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye Disease, as well as treatments for mild to moderate Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye Disease. However, in some cases the cornea is so damaged that those treatments are not enough. If your cornea is severely damaged, you are at risk for infection or scarring, which can lead to permanent vision loss if not improved quickly. What can be done...
Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye Disease Mild/Moderate Treatments (Part 7)
Please first read the prior blog post about Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye Disease. Figure 1 The goal of treatment for Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye is to decrease the inflammation of the lacrimal glands. At Peak, after we image and evaluate your eyes for dryness using the Oculus K5M, I will then use a microscope to view your cornea with the aid of sodium fluorescene dye. If there is damage to your cornea from dryness, it...
Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye Disease (Part 6)
As discussed in previous blogs, there are 2 types of Dry Eye Disease, Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye and Evaporative Dry Eye. We have discussed both the causes and treatments of Evaporative Dry Eye in length, so in this blog we will be turning our attention to Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye. This form of dryness is due to your ocular system not producing enough tears. What Causes Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye Disease? There are...
What to Expect During Your IPL Treatment for Dry Eye Disease (Part 5)
IPL treatment for Dry Eye Disease is very simple, taking about 10 minutes per session. If you are unfamiliar with IPL treatment for Dry Eye Disease, please read the prior blog before continuing here. Before your first treatment, we will send you our IPL Packet, which will include a Dry Eye questionnaire, a consent form, and pre and post-treatment instructions. Starting 2 weeks before, you must avoid prolonged,...
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) Treatment for Dry Eye Disease (Part 4)
Is IPL Treatment good for dry eyes? The best treatment by far for patients suffering from Evaporative Dry Eye Disease is Intense Pulsed Light treatment, or IPL. IPL treats the root cause of the disease, not just the symptoms. IPL treatment has been used by Dermatologists and Aestheticians for the past 30 years. The goal of this treatment has been to remove skin blemishes such as sunspots, small blood vessels...
Evaporative Dry Eye Treatments (Part 3)
Once your doctor has identified evaporative dry eye, what can be done? The goal of treatment for evaporative dry is centered around restoring proper function of your meibomian glands. To learn more about these glands, please read the post titled "Evaporative Dry Eye”. In most cases of evaporative dry eye, the oil in the meibomian glands, called the meibum, becomes thick and white, having a toothpaste-like...
Evaporative Dry Eye (Part 2)
How do you know if you have evaporative dry eye? The most obvious symptom of evaporative dry eye is blurry vision that gets better after you blink. Most patients also have irritated, red, dry eyes while others may actually have the symptom of watery eyes. By far the most common type of dry eye disease is evaporative dry eye. As explained in the prior blog post (please read before continuing here), there are 2 types...
What is Dry Eye Disease? (Part 1)
The Four Corners region is beautiful, but our dry, arid climate makes Dry Eye Disease very common. Making matters worse is the amount of screen time that many of us can’t seem to avoid given our jobs and social demands. The main symptoms of Dry Eye Disease are irritation, redness, grittiness, foreign body sensation, dryness, and, paradoxically, excessive tearing and watery eyes. What is the cause of Dry Eye...