You Don’t Have to Suffer From Dry Eyes. Opal Optometry Can Help.

Dry eye occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears, or they produce tears that aren’t properly balanced. It can be very frustrating! It’s also very common, especially with varying Canadian seasons.

Luckily there are both lifestyle-related and medical ways to ease your symptoms. At Opal Optometry, we take particular interest in helping our patients treat dry eye with the most current products on the market.

How to Detect and Treat Dry Eye

There are many causes of dry eye, including:

• Normal aging
• Hormonal changes
• Time spent looking at computers and digital devices (digital eye strain)
• Exposure to certain environmental conditions, like recycled air in office spaces
• Medications such as antihistamines, oral contraceptives, and antidepressants

Dry eye can also be a symptom of other health problems such as arthritis and rosacea.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of dry eye include:

• Gritty or scratchy eyes
• Stinging or burning sensation
• A feeling of something in your eye
• Fluctuating vision
• Blurred vision
• Light sensitivity
• Watery eyes

Treatment

Dry eye is usually chronic, meaning it’s persistent and recurring. At Opal Optometry, we offer several dry eye treatment options that can bring you relief and comfort, depending on your specific needs. Treatments include:

• Artificial tears and ointments
• Small (punctal) plugs inserted into the tear ducts to slow drainage of tears
• Prescription medication for severe cases

Treating any underlying systemic conditions and making changes to your diet, such as consuming omega-3 fatty acids, is generally recommend as a key step toward combating dry eye. It’s important to also rule out any other conditions that might have similar symptoms. Come see us for a personalized eye exam.

Request an appointment with Dr. Toor for dry eye treatment.