What is dry eye therapy?
Occasional eye dryness is a fact of life for most of us. For some, however, dry eye syndrome is more than an occasional annoyance — it’s a medical problem with potentially serious consequences, one that requires the services of a skilled Medina optometrist. If you think you may need dry eye treatment in Medina, Maple Grove or Plymouth, then you owe it to yourself to look into the diagnostic and treatment options available from our dry eye doctors at Complete Eye Care of Medina. Our Medina optometrists can find out what’s causing your dryness and arm you with the right methods to correct the problem.
Overview
Under normal circumstances, the front surface of the eye is protected by a consistent tear film. This film is made up of three different layers, a water layer, a mucus layer and an oil layer. All three of the substances must be present in the right balance to create a properly hydrating, lubricating and nourishing film for the cornea and sclera (“white”) of the eye. Unfortunately, a variety of factors or triggers can disturb this delicate balance.
Symptoms
- Eye redness
- Eye pain
- Fluctuating vision
- Itching
- Feeling if a foreign object is in your eye
- Blurred vision or eye fatigue
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses
- Difficulty with nighttime driving
- And other discomforts
Common Causes
Environment:
Diseases:
Medications:
Lifestyle and Work Habits:
Treatment Options
IPL
Relief from dry eyes caused by skin, oil gland and eyelid inflammation. Lumenis IPL treatment includes pulses of light that are applied to the skin and stimulate the body’s natural healing process. The procedure treats the inflammation in the blood vessels in and around the eyes. The inflammation can harm the oil glands that moisturize our tears as well as the eyelids. The procedure is fast and with little to no downtime, creating an easy, yet effective, treatment that targets the underlying causes of many patients’ dry eye disease.
Lipiflow
Lipiflow is a heat treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. You may have heard that clogged oil glands are part of the problem for dry eyes. Lipiflow helps to remove these blockages in a warm, soothing way. LipiFlow treatment deals directly with the most common root cause of dry eye disease. It provides a warm and gentle heat to the eyelids while simultaneously applying a gentle massage.
This combination effectively removes the blockages in the meibomian glands and allows them to secrete the clogged oil. After a session of LipiFLow treatment, the glands will be able to resume their natural production of oil for the tear film. With sufficient oil layer in the tear film, the tear won’t evaporate too fast anymore, ensuring a healthier, comfortable surface of the eyes.
One session can offer significant relief to patients suffering from dry eyes and MGD.
Radio Frequency
Radio frequency (RF) therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses electromagnetic waves to generate heat and stimulate tissues. In the case of Dry Eye Disease, more specifically, meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), RF therapy targets the meibomian glands in the eyelids to improve their function. By applying controlled heat, RF therapy liquefies hardened oils, promoting the flow of meibum and reducing inflammation. RF Also has the amazing capabilities of tightening the tissues around the eyelids, as well as in the eyelids to help with a better overall blink. This leads to improved tear quality and alleviation of MGD symptoms such as dryness and irritation. RF therapy is performed in-office by eye care professionals and offers benefits including pain relief and minimal downtime. It can be an effective alternative or adjunct to traditional MGD treatments. Overall, RF therapy provides a safe, convenient, and well-tolerated option for managing MGD and enhancing ocular comfort.
ZEST
A ZEST treatment is an innovative approach used to combat demodex blepharitis, a condition caused by an overgrowth of demodex mites on the eyelids. During a ZEST treatment, a specialized solution containing natural antimicrobial agents is applied to the eyelids to target and eliminate demodex mites and their biofilm. This treatment effectively disrupts the mites’ reproductive cycle and reduces inflammation, itching, and irritation associated with demodex blepharitis. A ZEST treatment is performed in our office and is gentle and minimally invasive, making it suitable for patients of all ages.
Rinsada
Rinsada is a novel, irrigating lid retractor designed to cleanse the internal ocular surface thoroughly. Rinsada delivers a patented, pressurized sterile eye lid flush which targets the palpebral conjunctiva, conjunctival fornix, and bulbar conjunctiva (inner eyelid tissues) to remove irritants, allergens, and biofilm that contribute to dry eye disease (DED) and other ocular surface diseases, such as allergies and infections. This treatment aims to provide immediate and long-lasting relief from symptoms such as eye irritation, discomfort, and visual disturbances.
IPL
Relief from dry eyes caused by skin, oil gland and eyelid inflammation. Lumenis IPL treatment includes pulses of light that are applied to the skin and stimulate the body’s natural healing process. The procedure treats the inflammation in the blood vessels in and around the eyes. The inflammation can harm the oil glands that moisturize our tears as well as the eyelids. The procedure is fast and with little to no downtime, creating an easy, yet effective, treatment that targets the underlying causes of many patients’ dry eye disease.
Lipiflow
Lipiflow is a heat treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. You may have head that clogged oil glands are part of the problem for dry eyes. Lipiflow helps to remove these blockages in a warm, soothing way. LipiFlow treatment deals directly with the most common root cause of dry eye disease. It provides a warm and gentle heat to the eyelids while simultaneously applying a gentle massage.
This combination effectively removes the blockages in the meibomian glands and allows them to secrete the clogged oil. After a session of LipiFLow treatment, the glands will be able to resume its natural production of oil for the tear film. With sufficient oil layer in the tear film, the tear won’t evaporate too fast anymore, ensuring a healthier, comfortable surface of the eyes.
One session can offer significant relief to patients suffering from dry eyes and MGD.
