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Dry Eye Therapy in Lindsay

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Find The Dry Eye Relief Right For You

At Russell West Optometry, we understand how dry eyes can impact your life. Whether you’re at work or simply just relaxing at home, dry eyes can leave you feeling irritated and uncomfortable.

Rest assured, relief is available! Just by visiting our eye care team, we can help you find the right solutions to suit your needs so you can see clearly and feel comfortable.

Please, book your appointment with us today!

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So, What Are Dry Eyes?

In essence, dry eye pretty much comes down to the quality and quantity of your tear film. Your tear film has 3 basic but essential ingredients: mucin, water, and oil. Each ingredient plays a critical role in your eye comfort, and an imbalance can leave you with dry, irritated eyes.

  • Mucin makes up the innermost layer of your tear film. It’s responsible for helping the rest of the ingredients cling to the surface of your eye and spread out evenly.
  • Water is responsible for keeping your eyes lubricated as well as helping wash away any particles that may find their way onto the surface of your eye.
  • Oil, also known as a lipid, makes up the outermost layer of the tear film. It helps seal in the water layer and keeps it from evaporating too quickly.

Certain diseases like meibomian gland dysfunction, blepharitis, rosacea, and other related autoimmune disorders or deficiencies can affect your eyes’ ability to produce good quality tears. If the ingredients in your tear film aren’t present in the correct ratios, your eyes may:

  • Become red, watery, or irritated
  • Experience a stinging, burning, grittiness, or scratchiness sensation
  • Become increasingly sensitive to light
  • Provide you with blurry vision
  • Produce a stringy mucous, which collects in and around your eyes
  • Find contact lenses uncomfortable to wear

Dry eye disease is an irritating condition that can affect any individual, although it is more common in those over 40. Staying aware of your overall ocular health and your environment are great ways to avoid exacerbating symptoms and helping you achieve eyes that feel lubricated and comfortable.

What Causes Dry Eyes?

Dry eye disease affects millions all over the world. Without proper treatment, dry eyes can significantly impact your vision, productivity, and overall quality of life. 

Knowing what may be the root cause of your discomfort can play a huge role in helping you find relief. It can also give you the information you need to avoid certain external factors that can exacerbate your symptoms.

Overall, dry eyes are caused by 2 main factors: inadequate tear volume and poor tear quality. Both internal and external factors play a big role in causing you trouble.

Some of the different ways you could develop dry eyes include:

  • Allergies
  • Conditions like blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction
  • Autoimmune diseases, like Sjogren’s syndrome
  • Eyelid disorders, like entropion
  • Radiation treatment
  • Diabetes
  • Vitamin A deficiency
  • Improperly fitted contact lenses
  • Ageing
  • Reduced blinking from focusing too long (a side effect of digital eye strain).
  • Laser eye surgery (Dry eye is a common side-effect of the procedure. Speak to your optometrist if you have recently developed dry eyes after undergoing laser eye surgery)

Assessing You For Dry Eyes

If you’ve been dealing with dry, gritty, irritated eyes, we aren’t surprised you’re looking for relief! The best possible way to begin dealing with dry eye disease is to have a thorough evaluation by an eye care professional. 

A dry eye disease exam involves various diagnostic tools and tests to assess your eyes’ health and their tear film. We spend ample time determining what may be causing your discomfort so we can make an accurate diagnosis and provide you with the information you need to avoid flare-ups and find comfort. 

We’ll work with you to develop a robust treatment plan that will help you find relief from your dry, gritty eyes. Plus, if we prescribe a certain treatment, we will be sure to explain it in detail, so you’re always informed.

Before your exam, please do not use eye drops, wear contacts, or any eye makeup. It’s best if we can evaluate the health of your eyes without any external factors that could cause them to feel better or worse than average. We want to get the most accurate results possible during any testing.

At Russell West Optometry, we use the best technology to achieve accurate test results and treatment plans. We may use one or a combination of various diagnostic tests to detect and diagnose signs of dry eye. Some of these include:

Treatments We Offer

When we’ve thoroughly examined your eyes and performed the necessary tests, we can develop a treatment plan that works best for you, your health, and your lifestyle. We work closely with you to identify the root cause of your discomfort and what treatment will give you the fastest and most effective relief.

One of the most common ways to combat dry eyes is with the use of eye drops. Many eye drops are available over the counter; however, we always recommend speaking to your optometrist before you start using them.

Over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops contain humectants, lubricants, and electrolytes. You can also ask your pharmacist for OTC eye drops that come in both gel and ointment form, which stay in the eyes longer and are best for overnight use.

Depending on your symptoms’ severity, we may also write you a prescription for medicated eye drops. Prescription eye drops typically include medications that help treat chronic eye problems, reduce inflammation, and increase natural tear production.

Your treatment plan will involve everything that can bring you comfort and relief from dry eyes. Your diet can play a big part in keeping your whole body healthy, including your eyes.

It’s suggested that incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into your diet can decrease dry eye symptoms. You can get more omega-3’s by eating some of these foods at least twice a week:

  • Tuna
  • Mackerel
  • Salmon
  • Sardines
  • Herring
  • Anchovies

If you don’t eat fish, you can incorporate these foods instead:

  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Vegetable oil
  • Soybeans
  • Green, leafy vegetables

Alongside omega-3 fatty acids, other vitamins and nutrients play a crucial role in your ocular health. These include:

  • Lutein
  • Zeaxanthin
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • Zinc

Depending on the root cause of your dry eyes, we may recommend different masks or scrubs to help address your symptoms. In cases of blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction, we may need to clean or melt away blockages in the glands found in the edges of your eyelids.

The meibomian glands are responsible for producing a healthy oil layer. If they are blocked or clogged, the rest of the tear film is compromised, and you may develop dry eyes.

If your symptoms are more severe, we may recommend in-office treatments to restore your tear films’ natural balance. Some of these options are slightly more invasive to promote normal gland function and provide you with much-needed relief.

Some types of eyelid care procedures include:

  • Microblepharoexfoliation (MBE) treatment, a deep cleaning treatment that gently exfoliates the outer eyelids to remove any crust, debris, mucus, and Demodex nits.
  • Intense pulsed light (IPL), a non-invasive treatment that uses pulses of light to reduce inflammation around the eyes and stimulate normal meibomian gland function.
  • Meibomian gland expression, a treatment that applies gentle heat and pressure to the eyelids to improve the flow of meibum (oil) through the meibomian glands.

Say Goodbye to Dry, Itchy Eyes

No one likes dry eyes, but this doesn’t mean it’s something you have to live with. Please, book an appointment with our eye care team today and let us help you get the relief you need!

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Visit Our Office

Our clinic can be found in historic area of downtown Lindsay, Ontario. We are located right next to Kawartha Dairy Barn.

Our Address

67 Russell Street West
Lindsay, ON K9V 2X1

Contact Information

Phone: (705) 324-2612
Fax: (705) 324-9341
[email protected]

Hours of Operation

Monday
8 AM – 7 PM
Tuesday
8 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday
8 AM – 7 PM
Thursday
9 AM – 5 PM
Friday
8 AM – 5 PM
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
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