What is dry eye?
As the name implies, dry eye disease is a condition that leaves your eyes perennially dry, itchy, and scratchy, and can even cause blurry vision.
Approximately 80 million people in the United States suffer from some degree of dry eye, making it a very common problem.
There are two main drivers behind dry eyes:
Meibomian gland dysfunction
Your tears are made of three ingredients, which are spread out over the surface of your eye every time you blink:
- Water to hydrate and nourish your eyes
- Mucus to help spread your tears
- Oil to keep your tears from evaporating too quickly
Your meibomian glands are responsible for the protective oil layer, and when they’re obstructed, these glands are unable to produce enough of the much-needed oil.
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is a chronic, inflammatory disease of the eyelids that’s caused by an excess of bacterial debris along your lids and lash lines. Over time, chronic inflammation leads to reduced tear gland performance.
Regardless of the reason, your eyes aren’t getting the nourishment and hydration they need.
What causes dry eyes?
There are many factors that can lead to dry eyes, including:
- Age
- Hormonal changes in women
- Autoimmune diseases, such as Sjögren’s syndrome
- Rosacea, an inflammatory skin condition
- Environment, including smoke, irritants, and pollutants
- Computer screens
- Allergies
- Contact lens use or eye surgery
The best way to find out what is causing your dry eyes is to see the team at IC Laser Eye Care for a complete analysis.
How do you diagnose and treat dry eyes?
IC Laser Eye Care specializes in dry eyes and offers the most advanced diagnostic and
treatment tools available.
To get to the bottom of your problem, the team may use a number of evaluation techniques, including:
- Tear film analysis
- Gland imaging
- Allergy testing
- Omega-3 fatty acid analysis
Once they pinpoint the cause of your dry eyes, the team works quickly to find the best solution for your particular situation in order to provide you with relief.
IC Laser Eye Care offers MiBoFlo Thermoflo® for dry eye relief. MiBoFlo is designed to address obstructed meibomian glands by delivering thermoelectric heat at a temperature of 108 degrees directly to the glands.
During treatment, your provider applies ultrasound gel to the eye pads on the handheld probe and holds the device to your eyelids for about 10 minutes. MiBoFlo is a series of three treatments spaced one week and two weeks apart, respectively, after the first treatment.
Rest assured, IC Laser Eye Care has one goal in mind when it comes to choosing your treatment plan: helping you find long-term relief from dry eyes.
If dry eyes are severely affecting your life, call IC Laser Eye Care.
