Treatment Help
for Dry Eye

Based on our findings we will be able to make a proper diagnosis as to the particular cause of your dry eye syndrome and prescribe the necessary tear substitutes, lubricants or gels, prescription medications, non prescription treatments and/or in office procedures to help restore your tear film back to normal and make you more comfortable.

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Tear Substitutes, Gels & Lubricants

If you have mild or even moderate dry eyes, the first course of treatment may be to use specific types of artificial tears, gels or lubricants that help to rebalance, replace and stabilize the tear film. Tear substitutes, gels and lubricants and gels are not the same. They have different characteristics in terms of salt content, viscosity, and lubricity. They do not work in the same way or produce the same results, and should be prescribed based on the cause of your dry eye problems.

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Prescription Medications

For patients with moderate to severe dry eyes who may have already tried using artificial tear eye drops and punctal plugs without relief, the prescription of Restasis® or Xiidra® eye drops, with or without the other treatments, may often help alleviate your symptoms. Even with the above treatment options, there are some patients that may not respond as well as desired due to some underlying, low-grade inflammatory or infectious process. In these cases, it may be necessary for us to also prescribe an oral antibiotic such as doxycycline or an anti-inflammatory eye drop such as a steroid eye drop.

Autologous Serum Eye Drops (ASED)

ASEDs are highly effective, well-tolerated and have ingredients that artificial tears just can’t replicate, but which promote healthy growth and healing of the ocular surface (called the cornea). Some of the ingredients in ASEDs that are found in natural tears but which aren’t available in artificial tears include antibodies, albumin, Vitamin A, and special growth factors important for healthy eyes known as epidermal growth factors. ASEDs are not tear substitutes and are often used in conjunction with other treatments.

Punctal Plugs

We may suggest the insertion of tiny punctal plugs that will slow down or even stop the drainage of tears from the eye. These plugs are easily and comfortably placed in the Lacrimal Puncta in your eyelids. Initially you may have a temporary dissolving plug put in place to see if your dry eye symptoms are actually responsive to this treatment. If the results are good, we may place a more permanent type of plug in eyelid ducts to affect a long-term solution. These plugs can remain in place indefinitely, but can also be removed as needed.

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Non-Prescription Treatments

Dry Eye Masks such as the Bruder Hot Mask or eyegeine Instant Hot Mask may be prescribed to help dry eye caused by Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). Oral Omega Supplements such as Physician Recommended Nutriceuticals (PRN) Dry Eye Omega or Science Based Health (SBH) HydroEye may be recommended.

In Office Procedures

With the iLUX® Treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) dry eye problems, we use a handheld device that is designed to heat and apply gentle pressure to the eyelids in order to open up blocked meibomian glands which produce necessary oils. This makes it easier for the glands to naturally release their oil which is critical for tear film quality and stability.

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