What Is Dry Eye?
Understanding dry eye will help determine the best treatment option for you. Dry eye occurs when a person does not produce enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. These tears reduce eye infections, wash away foreign matter, and keep the eye’s surface smooth and clear. Dry eye is very common and is often chronic among older adults.
Preventative Self-Care
In some more minor cases, practicing a few of these simple self-care options can manage dry eye symptoms.
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Blink regularly when reading or staring at a computer screen for a long time
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Maintain adequate air humidity in your work and home environments
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Wear AOA-recommended sunglasses to reduce sun and wind exposure
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Take supplements with essential fatty acids
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Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water each day to avoid dehydration
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Find out if you can take an alternative medicine for any prescription that may have dry eye as a side effect
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Artificial Tears
For mild cases of dry eye, over-the-counter eye drops are the best option. You will likely encounter two main options:
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Low viscosity eye drops are artificial tears that are watery and provide quick relief with little to no blurring of your vision; however, due to the brevity of their effects, you may have to use these drops frequently for proper relief
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High viscosity eye drops are artificial tears that are more gel-like and provide longer-lasting lubrication, though they can significantly blur your vision for several minutes as a result; for this reason, we recommend only using these before sleeping
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Prescription Dry Eye Treatments
Many prescribed treatments approach treating dry eye differently. Depending on your diagnosis, your doctor can recommend the most suitable option for you.
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Contact lenses – specialty contact lenses, called scleral or bandage lenses, deliver moisture to the surface of the eye
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Antibiotics – if you have inflamed eyelids, your doctor may recommend antibiotics to either inhibit your oil glands from secreting oil into your tears or to reduce inflammation
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Anti-inflammatory drugs – these eye drops control inflammation on the surface of your eyes (cornea) using immune-suppressing medications like cyclosporine (Restasis), Xiidra, or corticosteroids
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Autologous blood serum drops – for serious cases of dry eye that do not respond to other treatments, these eye drops combine a salt solution with a sample of your blood, processed to remove the red blood cell
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Dry Eye Procedures
There are a few procedures for dry eye that your doctor may consider.
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Punctal plugs – tiny collagen or silicone plugs reduce tear loss by partially or completely closing your tear ducts, preventing your tears from leaving your eye too quickly
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Discuss with your optometrist the dry eye treatment options designed to address the underlying cause of your condition.