Sharp clear vision requires a healthy, clear cornea with a smooth, moist surface. Dry eye can occur when you have poor tear quality, not enough tear volume, or ineffective blinking.

What are the symptoms of dry eye?

• Excessive tearing
• Stinging, burning or scratchiness
• Mucous strands in the eyes
• Excess irritation from wind or smoke
• Blurred vision
• Contact lens discomfort and reduced wearing time

What causes dry eye?

Dry eye occurs more frequently with advancing age in both men and women, but is much more common in older women. Also, Sjogren’s Syndrome, long time contact lens wear, or certain types of medications may cause you to have dry eye.

How can dry eye be treated?

Avoiding irritants like wind and smoke or use of medications known to worsen dry eye can be the first way to improve dry eye. Treatment for diabetes, Sjogren’s Syndrome or other causative diseases is helpful.

Artificial tears are usually the first method of treatment. These over the counter drops may be used as necessary to provide comfort but do not treat the cause.

Punctal plugs are sometimes used to increase the tear volume by reducing the drainage of tears from the eye. This is done to provide comfort, but does not treat the cause.

Fish oil capsules, taken by mouth, are sometimes helpful and reduces ocular inflammation, which is thought to be one of the causes of dry eye.

Restasis, a prescription medication, is used to reduce ocular inflammation. This medication has been shown to increase tear production and does treat the cause of dry eye.

Thera Tears® has been found to be the single most effective treatment for dry eyes in our practice. Whether used alone or in combination with other treatments, Thera Tears® is effective in the majority of dry eye complaints.

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