Dry Eye

We have the latest in dry eye technology including LipiFlow and Blephex.

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What is Dry Eye?

Dry eye occurs when there is a tear film imbalance on the surface of your eyes. This can be caused by decreased tear production or by blockages in the meibomian gland within the eye lids. Tears are made up of 3 components: an oily layer, a watery layer, and a mucus layer. When the meibomian gland is blocked, the glands do not consistently produce the oil necessary for a stable tear film. This is referred to as meibomian gland disorder or MGD, which is present in 86% of dry eye patients. [1] Individuals over 40 have a greater risk of developing MGD. [2]

How Do I Know If I Have Dry Eye Syndrome?

If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may be exhibiting signs of dry eye syndrome:

  • Stinging, burning, or itching of the eyes
  • Excess tearing or mucus production
  • Decreased or blurry vision
  • Inflammation and redness
  • Sandy/gritty feeling in eyes
  • Pain when wearing contact lenses
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What Causes Dry Eye?

Over time, your eyes begin to produce fewer tears, especially for women going through menopause. Additionally, dry eye can be caused by:

  • Conditions such as blepharitis, entropion, ectropion, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Rheumatoid arthritis, Thyroid disease, and lupus
  • Medications such as diuretics, beta blockers, antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, SSRI antidepressants, proton pump inhibitors (heartburn medication)
  • Contact lens use
  • Computer screen use
  • Refractive eye surgery
Man squinting to read laptop

How is Dry Eye Treated?

There are a number of treatments available for dry eye, including artificial tears, gland expression procedures, supplements, hot compresses, as well as incorporating eye healthy foods into your diet. Treatments such as artificial tears help to ease symptoms, while gland expression treatment with Lipiflow or TearCare treats the most common root cause of dry eye, meibomian gland oil production.

Lipiflow® Treatment

LipiFlow® is a 12-minute in-office treatment designed to remove blockages from the Meibomian glands, allowing them to properly function and produce the oils that make up the protective lipid layer of the tear film.

LipiFlow® activators are single-use sterile devices that safely and comfortably deliver a combination of heat to the inner lids and simultaneous therapeutic motion to the outer lids, to remove blockages from the Meibomian glands. The Activators are contoured to avoid contact with the cornea, protecting the delicate structures of the eye. Maximum results are usually experienced 6-8 weeks after treatment.

TearCare® Treatment

TearCare® is a 15 minute in-office procedure for the treatment of meibomian gland disorder. During the treatment, sterile single use flexible eyelid devices gently adhere to the contours of patient eyelids, and apply low heat. By working in conjunction with the blinking eye, proprietary SmartLid™ technology facilitates natural meibum expression when meibum is in its melted phase. The TearCare® procedure is typically repeated in biannual or annual intervals. After TearCare®, we may prescribe a corticosteroid such as Inveltys or Lotemax SM for use twice per day.

BlephEx™ Treatment

BlephEx ™ is a 6-8 minute in-office procedure for the treatment of blepharitis, a common contributor to dry eye symptoms. Over 30% of all patients suffer from some type of blepharitis symptoms [3] , including:

  • Itching or scratchy eyes
  • Foreign body sensation
  • Tearing
  • Crusting
  • Redness / inflammation
  • Mattering
  • Dry eyes
  • Eye rubbing

During the procedure, a numbing drop is placed in each eye for increased comfort, then the handheld BlephEx ™ device is used to precisely and carefully, spin a medical grade micro-sponge along the edge of your eyelids and lashes, removing scurf and debris and exfoliating your eyelids. Since home treatments are not completely effective on their own, the BlephEx ™ procedure is typically repeated at 4-6 month intervals.

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At Home Treatment Options

We offer the following at-home treatment options for dry eye related symptoms are available for purchase in our optical shops:

  • Eye Drops - Cyclosporine: Cyclosporine, also known as the brand name RestasisⓇ, helps to increase your eyes’ natural ability to produce tears, which may be reduced by inflammation due to Chronic Dry Eye.
  • Eye Drops - Lifitegrast: Lifitegrast, also known by the brand name XiidraⓇ, targets dry eye symptoms by treating inflammation on the surface of the eye.
  • Ocusoft Lid Scrub - Ocusoft Lid Scrub is a liquid that generates a pre-lathered foam immediately upon depressing the control tip pump. It is used for treatment of mild to moderate blepharitis.
  • Ocusoft Hypochlor Spray - OcuSoft Hypochlor spray is intended for cleaning and removing foreign material and debris from the application site, it can be effective in cases of eyelid discomfort when combined with a surfactant such as OcuSoft Lid Scrub for removing existing oil and debris from the eyelids.
  • BruderⓇ Moist Heat Eye Compresses - The BruderⓇ Moist Heat Eye Compress opens oil glands and allows natural oils to flow back into the eye. The easy-to-use compress delivers an effective moist heat treatment. To use, simply microwave the compress for 20-25 seconds and apply for 10 minutes or as prescribed by your doctor. The compress helps stabilize the tear film, improves oil gland function and slows tear evaporation.
  • HydroEyeⓇ Vitamins - The HydroEyeⓇ vitamin supplement has been clinically tested and found to support eye comfort, keep irritation at bay and maintain corneal smoothness in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial, published in the peer-reviewed journal, Cornea. HydroEyeⓇ was found to replace or reduce the need for artificial tears for most users. [4]
Citations:
[1] Lemp MA, Crews LA, Bron AJ, Foulks GN, Sullivan BD. Distribution of aqueous deficient and evaporative dry eye in a clinic based patient cohort: a retrospective study.Cornea. 2012; 31(5):472-478.
[2] Curr Eye Res. 2012 Apr;37(4):272-8.
[3] Blepharitis in the United States 2009: A survey-based perspective on prevalence and treatment. The Ocular Surface. April 2009.
[4] Barabino, S, et al. Systemic linoleic and gamma-linolenic acid therapy in dry eye syndrome with an inflammatory component. Cornea 22:97-102, 2003.
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Hollywood, FL 33021
(954) 925-2740

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Pembroke Pines, Florida 33028
(954)431-2777

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Weston, Florida 33326
(954) 217-3155
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Monday - Friday: 8AM–5PM
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7593 W. Boynton Beach Blvd. Suite 280
Boynton Beach, FL 33426
(954)925-2740