Dry Eye Treatment in Wellington, FL

Dry eyes happen to us all, but the condition becomes chronic for some. Many reach for natural tear solutions, but these rarely address the underlying cause, a lack of tear production.

When dry eyes become a constant problem, seeking the cause is important for your eye health. 20/Twenty Eyecare offers comprehensive eye exams to determine the cause of your dry eyes so we can offer the correct solution tailored to meet your needs. Dry eyes are more than a simple annoyance; they can cause serious eye health issues over time.

What Are the Common Symptoms of Dry Eye?

Before understanding the underlying causes of dry eye, it helps to know the symptoms. Some do not realize they have chronic dry eye issues until the symptoms interfere with their daily lives. The most common symptom is feeling like there is grit or a foreign object in your eyes. You can also experience the following symptoms.

• Itching and burning

• Redness

• Stinging

• Blurry vision

• Tearing

If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, allow our eye doctor to examine your eyes. It is important to go through an eye exam to find the proper treatment before the condition worsens and impacts your eyesight.

What Are the Causes of Dry Eye?

Dry eye occurs because of reduced tear production. This issue is often the result of other conditions, including hormonal changes, certain medications, and tear duct damage.

If you are concerned about dry eyes, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with our eye doctor. We will discuss your symptoms, perform a thorough eye examination, and provide treatments that offer comfort and help address the underlying causes.

Your environment could also cause dry eye symptoms. Poor indoor air quality, poor blinking habits while computing or reading, and eye allergies can all contribute to dry eyes.

Understanding How Your Eyes Create Tears

Your eyes are covered in a critical tear film for their normal function. Tears wash away debris and prevent infections caused by a buildup of bacteria. It is important to stay properly hydrated to keep up tear production so your eyes do not develop hyperosmolarity, which means too much salt.

Three Layers of Tear Film

The tear film has three layers, each vitally important for eye moisture levels: an oily layer, a watery layer, and a mucus layer. These layers work together to protect the delicate parts of your eyes and prevent environmental damage.

Although some people lack tears because of dehydration, dry eyes may occur despite upping your water consumption. We will work to discover the reason for the tear disruption to get your tear ducts performing well again.

How Do We Diagnose Dry Eye Conditions?

A proper diagnosis is critical for dry eye treatment. A physical examination and a slit lamp examination are both valuable tools for diagnosing dry eye syndrome. Slit lamp examinations check your meibomian glands to determine if they are functioning normally. Abnormal gland function is a common cause of dry eyes, so it is important to examine these structures.

What Are the Options for Dry Eye Treatment?

Depending on the cause, multiple treatment options are available to address dry eye syndrome. After your comprehensive eye exam, we will discuss your options to determine which will be most appropriate.

Equinox LLLT

Developed by NASA, LLLT (Low Level Light Therapy) has proven effective at treating dry eye disease. Specially designed LED lights gently warm up the eyelids, causing the meibomian glands to unclog and release oils needed to keep eyes healthy, moisturized, and comfortable.

Equinox LLLT is a non-invasive, pain and stress-free Meibomian Gland & Dry Eye Treatment. It can also treat styes and chalazion (cysts) of the eyelids. 85% of patients who have received Equinox Light treatment report noticeable improvements after just 1 application.

It’s quick and painless! Simply lay back with the Equinox mask on and relax as the warm light clears your glands. LLLT may also help decrease the appearance of facial wrinkles, acne and rosacea.

• Safe, non-invasive procedure

• 15 minutes per session

• No recovery time needed

• No side effects or discomfort

• Safe for adults and children

​​​​​​​Artificial Tears

Artificial tears are effective for mild cases of dry eye but will not treat the underlying cause. These drops can irritate the eyes if used more than five times a day.

Vitamin Therapy

Nutrition plays a vital role in treating and preventing dry eye. Your body needs the vitamins and nutrients necessary for tear production and healthy eyes. We will help you determine the ideal combination of vitamins, including Omega-3 and vitamins A and B.

The best way to get these crucial vitamins is to eat a healthy diet with various leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables. Vitamin therapy is an excellent complement to other types of treatment.

Schedule an Appointment for Dry Eyes

If you have dry eye symptoms, we encourage you to schedule an appointment at our Wellington, FL, office. Dry eye can lead to serious complications, so we advise you to seek a comprehensive eye exam right away.

​​​​​​​We will help improve your tear production and bring greater comfort and clarity to your vision. Call today to schedule your appointment or request an appointment online..