The symptoms of early stage, mild dry eye can be alleviated by using artificial tears, lid scrubs, warm compresses, or medicated drops and/or pills. Another option is to plug the small opening in the inner corner of the eyelid where tears drain out. Lacrimal plugs, also called punctal plugs, are small silicone or collagen plugs that are simply inserted by an eye care professional to stop tears from draining too quickly. These plugs are not usually felt by the patient and can temporarily relieve the symptoms of dry eye. For severe cases, permanent plugs are also available. Often times, even dietary supplements (e.g. krill oil) can alleviate dry eye symptoms.
Some newer treatment options are available for evaporative dry eye, which is dry eye in which the oil layer of the eye is inadequate. This layer of the tears is governed by the meibomian glands, which have a tendency to become blocked, particularly in dry, sunny Las Vegas. Wellish Vision Institute offers Intense Pulse Light (IPL), LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation and now PROKERA to patients with this condition. To get started on the path to better, more comfortable vision, fill out the form below for a no-obligation review by one of our dry eye specialists.
