Dry eyes are annoying. You’re lucky if you’re only experiencing temporary symptoms, but a chronic case means you’ll have to deal with it for a long time. Environmental factors typically cause temporary dry eyes like arid dry environments while wearing contact lenses. However, chronic dry eye is caused by an internal problem within your body that creates the symptoms.
For people diagnosed with a chronic dry eye, their eyes don’t produce enough tears to lubricate their eyes. One reason that leads to this phenomenon is when tears evaporate faster because the area around the eyes is inflamed.
It is best to talk with your doctor to pinpoint the root cause of your dry eyes. When you successfully determine the underlying problem, you can quickly curb down the degree of the symptoms.
In this article, we’ll talk about the various ways to treat chronic dry eyes.
Over-the-counter Medication
Artificial tears are the most popular way to treat dry eyes. There are two types: preservative-based and non-preservative variants. Preservative variants are the most common type that you can use for a long time, while non-preservative eye drops are disposable vials that get thrown after use. If you experience moderate dry eye symptoms, artificial tears are enough. However, you need to apply them throughout the day routinely.
Ointments are better options that coat eyes better than eye drops but blur vision as a result because of its cloudy and thick consistency. With that said, the best time to put the ointments is right before you sleep.
Prescription medications
Doctors might prescribe oral or eye drops medication to manage chronic dry eye. These meds typically work by decreasing eyelid inflammation. The typical cause of constant dry eye is swollen eyelids, which prevent oil glands from secreting oil into your eye. When your eyes don’t leak substantial amounts of oil, it becomes an environment conducive to the evaporation of tears.
Anti-inflammatory prescription eye drops like cyclosporine (or Restasis) work similarly to oral medications but are introduced to the system by drug-rich droplets of water. Cyclosporine represses the immune system, which forces the body to stop attacking itself.
Eye inserts
Eye inserts are good alternatives to OTC drugs when you don’t want to take medication orally or via eye drops. Eye inserts contain small tubes of medication that are paired with eye contact. Throughout the day, the inserts release medicine continuously to keep your eyes moist.
Medical Procedures
When OTC and medications all fail, medical procedures are your hope. There are standard medical procedures that the doctor might recommend to you. It depends on your doctor’s diagnosis of what method he will support. Here are the ways or surgeries that can treat your chronic dry eye:
Closing your tear ducts
The closing of tear ducts will help your tears stay in your eyes longer. The procedure uses removable silicone plugs to stop tears from draining.
Wear distinctive contacts for dry eyes
Switch to scleral or bandage contact lenses instead of regular contacts to protect your eye’s surface and prevent moisture from evaporating.
Clearing blocked oil glands
A procedure called LipiFlow, which uses thermal pulsation, clears your blocked oil glands. This 12-minute treatment sandwiches your eyelids between heat-producing contact lenses to liquify clogged oil blockage.
Conclusion
Chronic dry eyes can be a lot inconvenient and may result in serious problems when left unaddressed. Knowing the types of solutions available will give you an idea of what you can do to treat your dry eyes. Talk to your doctor about the best options for you.
If you are looking for professional dry eye treatment, get in touch with us today. We’ll help you find a dry eye clinic near you.