If your eyes don’t produce enough tears, you know the discomfort. Scratchy, itchy, red eyes, blurred vision, stinging or burning sensations, trouble driving at night or even wearing contact lenses. These are all symptoms of dry eye and it’s important to know the causes as well as your treatment options.
What causes dry eye?
There are several causes behind dry eye. It’s more common as we age, and people who have diabetes, thyroid disorder, lupus, arthritis, scleroderma, vitamin A deficiency or Sjogren’s syndrome are more likely to suffer from dry eyes. Some medications such as decongestants, high blood pressure medication, antidepressants, birth control medications, hormone replacement therapy and Parkinson’s disease medications can cause dry eyes as well.
What do I do about dry eye?
If you’re experiencing symptoms of dry eye, it’s important to speak to your doctor about your options for treatment. The eye doctor in our Brooklyn office of New York Laser Vision will start you off with the least invasive options and then advance as necessary. There are a variety of different medications that can help, including drugs and eye drops that reduce inflammation in the eye.
What are my options besides eye drops and medications?
Other options include a minor procedure to close your tear ducts or artificial tear inserts that work to slowly release tears. Another innovative option that was discovered recently and accidentally is Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Therapy, which is a common therapy used to treat sun damage, rosacea and acne scarring. New York Laser Vision is one of only a few eye clinics in New York offering this approach to treat dry eye.
How does IPL work?
IPL utilizes pulses of light to treat eyelid dysfunctions that cause dry eyes. It treats blood vessels on the eyelid that cause them to be red and inflamed. When IPL heats the eyelid, it also treats bacteria and parasites that cause inflammation and itching. IPL also uses light to liquefy hardened oils that have clogged glands in the eyelid and puts them back where they belong onto the eye into the tear film where the oils are needed.
You have many options when it comes to treating dry eye, from drugs and eye drops to reduce inflammation to newer treatments like IPL. Schedule a consultation or eye exam with us by calling 718-676-6464.
