Dry eye disease is actually more complicated than it might seem to be at first glance. There can be a wide variety of different causes for this condition, and the appropriate treatment will depend on what is causing the problem. The dry eyes could be due to a problem of not having enough tears to keep the eyes lubricated, having enough tears but the tears not having enough oils or mucin in the tears, or something causing the tears not to be properly distributed where they need to be.
Insufficient Tears
Insufficient tears may be due to an increase in the demand for tears due to a health problem, such as poorly positioned eyelids, thyroid eye disease, or orbital tumors. It could also be due to not blinking enough when in front of screens or being in locations where the humidity is too low. As people get older, medical conditions or medications can limit the supply of tears. These conditions include autoimmune conditions, thyroid eye disease, and Sjogren’s syndrome. Medications like beta-blockers, antihistamines, diuretics, and sedatives can decrease tear production as well. In these situations, using artificial tears to help keep the eyes lubricated is one of the potential Dry Eye Treatments Oahu eye doctors may recommend. Depending on the cause and severity of the condition, these could be over-the-counter eye drops or prescription versions.
Poor-Quality Tears
In some cases, glands that release oils into the tears to help keep them from evaporating too quickly can become clogged. Eyes that don’t close or blink completely can make it more likely the body won’t produce high-quality tears, as can rosacea, blepharitis, and certain other health conditions. If the glands are clogged, Dry Eye Treatments in Oahu doctors recommend could include warm compresses, LipiFlow or meibomian gland expression, all of which may potentially help clear up these clogged glands so they start expressing the right amount of oil into the tears.
Distribution Issues
It’s also possible that the eyelids don’t work properly to ensure that the liquid from tears is distributed where it needs to be or the eyes could drain tears too quickly. In the case of tears draining too quickly, Dry Eye Treatments Oahu clinics often recommend include something called punctal plugs, which can be inserted to some of the tear drainage ducts to minimize draining.
Contact the Hawaii Vision Clinic for more information on dry eye syndrome or any other eye problem.
