Dry Eye Disease
It could be dry eye.
Dry eye can cause a gritty, burning, stinging, or itching sensation. Dry eye can also cause the eyes to water due to reflex tearing from irritation. Longstanding dry eye can lead to poor vision, redness, and altered sensation of the ocular surface.
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The first line of treatment for dry eye syndrome is usually lubrication with artificial tears. If artificial tears are applied more than four times per day and there is still no improvement, further treatment is usually necessary.
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For more advanced dryness, prescription anti-inflammatory therapy can actually increase tear production. There are also prescription eye drops specifically for dry eye treatment that have been shown to improve the symptoms of dry eye, as well as reduce the ongoing microscopic damage from this condition.
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In addition to topical treatment, another option is to block the tear drainage system to increase the volume of the tear film. We block the tear ducts with a small plug, which fits comfortably into the tear drainage system. Placement of these punctal plugs is a quick and painless office procedure
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We're excited to announce that we now offer TearLab Osmolarity Testing!
*Available at our Barneveld and Whitesboro locations*
The TearLab Osmolarity System* is intended to measure the osmolarity of human tears to aid in the diagnosis of dry eye disease in patients suspected of having dry eye disease, in conjunction with other methods of clinical evaluation.
To learn more about this amazing technology, click here.
Do your eyes itch, burn or tear?
Think you may have dry eye? Complete the following dry eye self assessment based on the Ocular Surface Disease Index® (OSDI®):
All of the time Most of the time Half of the time Some of the time Never
( 4 ) ( 3 ) ( 2 ) ( 1 ) ( 0 )
Have you experienced any of the following during the last week:
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1, Eyes that are sensitive to light?
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2. Eyes the feel gritty?
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3. Painful or sore eyes?
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4. Blurred vision?
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5. Poor vision?
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Have problems with your eyes limited you in performing any of the following during the last week:
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6. Reading?
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7. Driving at night?
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8. Working on a computer?
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9. Watching TV?
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Have your eyes felt uncomfortable in any of the following situations during the last week:
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10. Windy conditions?
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11. Dry/low humidity areas?
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12. Areas that are air conditioned?
SCORING:
(sum of score) x 25
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(# of questions answered)
NORMAL (0-12 pts)
to
MILD (13-22 pts)
For occasional Dry Eye symptoms, you may find temporary relief from lubricating drops.
MODERATE (23-32 pts)
to
SEVERE (33-100 pts)
You may be suffering from Chronic Dry Eye (CDE)—a disease with potential consequences for your eyes. Over time it may:
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Damage the surface of your eyes
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Make you more vulnerable to infection
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Affect your vision