dry eyes
What is a dry eye?
Dry eyes occur when you don't produce enough tears to provide adequate moisture for your eyes. Tears can be inadequate or of poor quality for many reasons.
Dry eyes occur when you don't produce enough tears to provide adequate moisture for your eyes. Tears can be inadequate or of poor quality for many reasons.
What are the causes of dry eye?
For some people, the cause of dry eyes is an imbalance in the composition of their tears. Other people don't produce enough tears to keep their eyes comfortably lubricated. Eyelid problems, medications (birth control pills and many others) and other causes, such as environmental factors, age, sex, eye allergies, poor diet, and many other causes also can lead to dry eyes.
For some people, the cause of dry eyes is an imbalance in the composition of their tears. Other people don't produce enough tears to keep their eyes comfortably lubricated. Eyelid problems, medications (birth control pills and many others) and other causes, such as environmental factors, age, sex, eye allergies, poor diet, and many other causes also can lead to dry eyes.
What are the symptoms of dry eye?
Signs and symptoms of dry eyes, which usually affect both eyes, may include:
Signs and symptoms of dry eyes, which usually affect both eyes, may include:
- A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes
- Stringy mucus in or around your eyes
- Increased eye irritation from smoke or wind
- Eye fatigue after short periods of reading
- Sensitivity to light
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses
- Periods of excessive tearing
- Blurred vision, often worsening at the end of the day or after focusing for a prolonged period
How does Dr. Kunal Shah O.D. treat dry eye?
Our doctor takes a multi-step approach to treating dry eyes.
Treating the underlying cause of dry eyes
Dr. Kunal T. Shah O.D. will work to determine what's causing your dry eyes. In some cases these situations can be reversed. For instance, if a medication is causing your dry eyes, our doctors may recommend a different medication that doesn't cause that side effect.
Dr. Kunal T. Shah O.D. will work to determine what's causing your dry eyes. In some cases these situations can be reversed. For instance, if a medication is causing your dry eyes, our doctors may recommend a different medication that doesn't cause that side effect.
OTC Eye Drops
For mild dry eye, Dr. Kunal T. Shah O.D. would recommend the best OTC eye drop to match your natural tear chemistry.
For mild dry eye, Dr. Kunal T. Shah O.D. would recommend the best OTC eye drop to match your natural tear chemistry.
Medications
Prescription medications used to treat moderate to severe chronic dry eyes.
For example:
Prescription medications used to treat moderate to severe chronic dry eyes.
For example:
Prescription eyedrops to control corneal inflammation - Inflammation on the surface of your eye may be controlled with prescription eyedrops that contain the immune-suppressing medication cyclosporine (Restasis) or that contain corticosteroids to control inflammation.
Advanced Treatment for Dry Eyes?
This is one of the most advanced and pain free permanent way to treat dry eyes. It's a form of treatment to keep your tears from leaving your eye too quickly. This can be done by partially or completely closing your tear ducts with tiny, biocompatible plugs so that your tears remain in your eye, rather than draining away.
This is one of the most advanced and pain free permanent way to treat dry eyes. It's a form of treatment to keep your tears from leaving your eye too quickly. This can be done by partially or completely closing your tear ducts with tiny, biocompatible plugs so that your tears remain in your eye, rather than draining away.
These plugs are smaller than a grain of rice and are inserted painlessly in your puncta in less than 30 seconds.
Punctal plugs are a medically necessary procedure and hence covered by most PPO medical plans. Ask our office how we can use your medical insurance to cover your plugs.
Please call our office at (562) 866-2020 to set up an appointment for an eye exam and your personalized dry eye evaluation and let Dr. Kunal T. Shah O.D. device a treatment plan that's right for you.