Let's Get Your Dry Eyes Under Control

Eyes are unique organs composed of different fluids held together by an outer membrane. Keeping them working means keeping them wet, which is where your eyelids and tear ducts come in.

Also known as the nasolacrimal duct, the tear gland helps keep the eyes moist and provides nutrients to maintain their health. When your eyes don’t produce enough fluids to stay adequately lubricated, it’s often due to dry eyes, which can cause inflammation and damage. Fortunately, several options are available to keep dry eyes under control.

Residents in the Pelham Gardens area of the Bronx, New York, seeking relief from dry eyes can count on the medical team at Bronx Eye Associates.

Causes of dry eyes

Often, dry eyes develop when your tear ducts make fewer tears, resulting in reduced lubrication. Several factors contribute to this happening, such as:

• Blepharitis: redness or swelling in your eyelids

• Eyelids turning in or out: called entropion and ectropion, this can happen due to infection, scarring, or drooping

• Environmental conditions, such as smoke, wind, or dry climates, can reduce moisture in your eyes

• Extended digital screen use: staring at TVs, computers, and phone screens reduces lubrication in your eyes over time

• Wearing contact lenses: extended use of contacts can affect lubrication

• Certain medications, such as beta blockers, diuretics, antihistamines, anxiety, and antidepressants can dry your eyes

• Nonocular diseases: thyroid disease, lupus, Sjögren's syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis raise your risks

Symptoms to look for

The dryness associated with this condition can appear as a grittiness, scratchiness, or as if you’ve got sand in your eyes. It can also cause a burning or stinging sensation, sensitivity to light, blurry or fluctuating vision, watery eyes, or eye discharge. 

Watery eyes may seem confusing, but they can happen when tears dry too quickly because not enough oil is produced. When this happens, the tear ducts can overcompensate by making more tears, but it’s not a sign of improvement.

Treatment options

To manage minor dry eye issues at home, consider reducing your time in front of digital screens, using over-the-counter eye drops, wearing protective glasses to minimize wind exposure, using a humidifier, or getting contact lenses specifically designed for dry eyes.

However, if these methods aren’t effective in managing the problem, we offer several solutions, including prescription eye drops, intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, LipiFlow® treatments to remove blockages, and Prokera® to repair damage on the eye surface and treat inflammation.

Dry eyes can be irritating, but there are ways to manage them, and we can help alleviate the discomfort. Make an appointment with the team at Bronx Eye Associates today to get this and other eye conditions under control.