Dry Eye is a very common and frustrating problem. Understanding the disease as a chronic one is a key to solving this frustrating problem. Our natural tears contain water, mucus, and oil.; all of which keep your eyes lubricated and feeling healthy. If any of the 3 components are off, you may experience dry eyes. Several conditions mimic dry eye and should not be missed.
What Are the Symptoms of Dry Eyes?
If you have dry eyes, you might experience any of the following:
- Feeling like something is in your eye
- Blurred vision
- Redness
- Grittiness
- Sensitivity to light
Oddly enough, dry eyes can create something of a rebound effect. Your eye becomes irritated because it is dry. Your brain then instructs your eye to produce more tears. Unfortunately, these tears are very diluted. They can wash irritants away, but they do not coat your eyes.
What Causes Dry Eyes?
Sometimes, the environment that you are in can dry out your eyes. For example, working in a dry room with a heater can cause the film of tears over your eyes to dry up.
Dry eyes can also be caused by certain conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or Sjogren’s Syndrome. Patients who take antihistamines may experience dry eyes. Women in menopause can, too. It is also possible that your eyes are dry because your tear flow system is not working correctly.
In some cases, dry eyes are simply a temporary condition. In other cases, dry eyes can become a chronic condition, which may require treatment.
How Are Dry Eyes Treated?
Patients who struggle with dry eyes can pursue a variety of treatments. If the symptoms are minor and temporary, many people choose to use over-the-counter drops like Thera Tears Extra. The trick is to use the drops proactively rather than reactively. We want to prevent dry eye rather than play catch up after the surface becomes dry. There are many treatments for dry eyes. The problem is that many don’t have the bang for the buck we need. I often tell patients they cost $1 but only give them 5 cents of relief. It’s time we think about it differently.
Serum drops are a great treatment for dry eyes. They are made from the patient’s own blood. The human serum has many growth factors and hormones that can help dry eyes and has been studied with published results in major respected journals. Typically, a patient will use the drop twice a day for two months. Unlike other treatments, the effect of serum drops last long after the two months you use them. The typical patient has 9-12 months of relief after using the serum.
Help for Dry Eyes
You don’t have to suffer from dry eye discomfort. For help with your chronic dry eyes, turn to the team at the Eye Clinic of Florida.