If you suffer from chronic dry eye in Boca Raton, you know how uncomfortable it can be. The red, itchy, stinging, dry eyes can be quite annoying day after day. A sensation of feeling something gritty in your eye(s) is another troublesome symptom of dry eye. While dry eye syndrome is typically harmless, left untreated it can lead to a host of issues that affect vision. Blurred vision, light sensitivity, and infection from scratching can potentially damage eyesight.
What causes dry eye?
There are multiple causes of dry eye, though dry eye itself is caused by lack of adequate tears. There are many things that could be the cause of your lack of tear production, such as allergies, excessive screen usage, and aging, health conditions such as Sjögren’s syndrome. Blepharitis, or eyelid inflammation caused by bacteria, dandruff, or dirt and debris, may cause chronic dry eye symptoms. You may also experience temporary symptoms from medications, mild dehydration, low humidity, and cigarette smoke exposure. A common cause of this condition is blocked meibomian glands. Whether your dry eye is chronic or only experienced from certain triggers, you should not leave dry eye untreated if it is recurring.
What are the best treatments for dry eye in Boca Raton?
If your dry eye has become a chronic issue, you need treatment to help protect your vision. There are many treatment options available for dry eye. You may be able to make lifestyle modifications to reduce your symptoms. Avoid cigarette smoke, eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, and follow the 20-20-20 rule for digital eye strain. For every 20 minutes you spend on a computer or other electronic device, focus your vision on something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This will help reduce eye strain. You can also close your eyes for 20 seconds to reduce strain.
Your eye doctor may recommend treatments such as Lipiflow, which is designed to unblock meibomian glands through the application of direct heat to the inner eye lid. The eyelids are then pulsated, which squeezes out the thickened oil blocking the glands. BlephEx is another common treatment for dry eye. Through the use of a microsponge, BlephEx removes debris from your eyelids and eyelashes to treat dry eye caused by blepharitis.
A Dry Eye Center of Excellence can help you treat dry eye in Boca Raton with Lipiflow or BlephEx, so you find relief from your symptoms at last!