Dry eyes can be more than a minor nuisance. For many, it is a chronic issue that affects their daily lives. This condition can occur when your eyes no longer produce enough tears or the tears they produce don’t have the right composition to keep your eyes lubricated. In severe cases, it can lead to permanent corneal damage. Dry eye is especially common in the elderly since tear production decreases with age, but it affects people of all ages.
Treating dry eye can be challenging, but not impossible. Identifying the underlying cause is critical to determining the best treatment for your specific case. At Tuscaloosa EyeCare in Northport, Pickens County EyeCare in Reform, and Hale County EyeCare in Greensboro, we can recommend a personalized treatment regimen to suit your needs. We offer a range of options, including the latest treatments like TempSure Envi and Cynosure’s Icon IPL, to address the root causes of dry eyes and provide lasting relief.
Tips to relieve dry eyes at home
Before exploring advanced treatments, there are several things you can try at home to relieve mild cases of dry eyes:
- Remember to blink: If you’re staring at a screen, try to remember to blink often to help spread tears evenly over your eyes.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can keep your body and eyes hydrated.
- Add moisture to the air: Use a humidifier in your home or office to add moisture to the air and help prevent your eyes from drying out.
- Protect your eyes: Wearing wraparound sunglasses can help shield your eyes from wind, dust, and sunlight when you’re outdoors.
- Warm compresses: A warm, damp cloth placed over your eyes can open up the tear glands, improving the quality of your tears.
When home remedies aren’t enough: our advanced treatments
For many people, home remedies and over-the-counter eye drops provide temporary relief from dry eyes. However, in some cases, especially with severe or chronic dry eye, these solutions may not be enough. If your symptoms persist despite trying everything from artificial tears to environmental changes, it might be time to consider more advanced treatments.
Chronic dry eye can be a sign of underlying issues like meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which is when the glands that produce the oily layer of your tears become blocked or inflamed. When these conditions are left untreated, the tear film becomes unstable, and the eyes can’t stay lubricated properly. At Tuscaloosa EyeCare, Pickens County EyeCare, and Hale County EyeCare, we offer state-of-the-art therapies designed to get to the root of the problem: TempSure Envi, the TearCare® system, and Icon IPL.
TempSure Envi
TempSure Envi is a gentle, non-invasive treatment that uses radiofrequency (RF) technology to improve the function of the meibomian glands in your eyelids. The RF energy heats the meibomian glands, stimulating them to produce the oils needed for a healthy tear film. This helps unblock the glands, improving their function and promoting better tear quality.
The treatment is quick and comfortable with no downtime afterward. You can return to your normal activities immediately.
TearCare® system
The TearCare® system provides targeted, effective relief by warming the eyelids to help unblock the meibomian glands. TearCare® uses soft, flexible devices that comfortably fit over your eyelids. These devices deliver a controlled, gentle heat that helps soften and melt any blockages in the meibomian glands. By warming the glands, TearCare® encourages the natural flow of oils to help keep your eyes moist and reduce symptoms of dryness.
Icon IPL therapy
Cynosure’s Icon intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy is another innovative option we offer for patients with severe or chronic dry eye. Icon IPL uses gentle pulses of light to penetrate the skin around your eyes, targeting and reducing inflammation. This helps unclog the meibomian glands and allows them to function properly, producing the oils necessary for a stable tear film.
Cynosure’s Icon system offers anti-aging benefits as well! With Icon’s Skintel™ technology, the device measures the amount of melanin in your skin and adjusts the treatment to match your specific skin type. This personalized approach ensures optimal results with minimal discomfort. The treatment reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, and other signs of aging, leaving patients with firmer, more youthful-looking skin.
If you’re tired of living with dry eyes and ready to explore options that go beyond temporary fixes, we’re here to help. We take the time to understand your symptoms and work with you to create a treatment plan that fits your lifestyle and provides long-lasting relief. Contact us today for dry eye treatment in Greensboro, Northport, or Reform.