Dry Eye Disease Treatment in Charlotte, NC
Conquer Dry Eye Disease with Cutting-Edge Treatments From Innovative Eye Care
Dry eye disease can be a persistent thorn in your side, affecting your quality of life, blurring your vision, and making every blink feel like a chore. But don’t worry; Innovative Eye Care is here to bring the oasis of relief right to your eyes with our comprehensive dry eye disease treatment in Charlotte, NC.
we understand that dry eye disease is as unique as you are. That’s why we conduct comprehensive eye exams and take the time to review your medical history and current lifestyle to determine the cause of your symptoms and create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. From state-of-the-art technology to personalized care plans, our optometrists in Charlotte, NC are dedicated to finding the perfect solution for you.
Don’t let the trouble of dry eyes darken your day. Book an appointment today to experience the relief you’ve been dreaming of.
What Is Dry Eye Disease?
Dry eye disease, also known as dry eye syndrome, is a common condition that occurs when your tears aren’t able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes. This can happen for several reasons: either the eyes don’t produce enough tears (aqueous dry eye), or meibomian gland dysfunction exists, preventing the oil that exists in the tear glands from being excreted (evaporative dry eye). This results in symptoms of stinging, burning or general discomfort.
The Vital Role of Tears in Eye Health
Tears play a crucial role in maintaining the health of your eyes. They not only keep your eyes moist, but also help in removing bacteria and other foreign particles, ensuring your eyes remain clean and clear.
Your tears are comprised of three significant layers:
- Mucus Layer: This layer ensures that the tears stick to the surface of your eye.
- Water Layer: It hydrates your eye and aids in the removal of bacteria and debris.
- Oil Layer: This top layer keeps the tears clear and smooth and prevents them from evaporating too quickly.
The oil necessary for this protective layer is produced by small glands in your eyelids known as meibomian glands. When these glands get blocked, it leads to a lack of oil in your tears, causing them to evaporate more rapidly than they should. This condition is referred to as meibomian gland dysfunction.
Causes Of Dry Eye Disease
Dry eye disease is caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Age: Dry eye is often an inevitable part of the natural aging process, especially during and after menopause.
- Environmental Conditions: Exposure to smoke, wind, dry climates, and prolonged screen time can increase tear evaporation and ocular surface inflammation.
- Medical Conditions: Certain diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and thyroid problems are linked to dry eye symptoms.
- Medications: Medications like antidepressants, antihistamines, decongestants, and blood pressure medications can reduce tear production.
- Eye Surgeries: Laser eye surgeries can cause dry eye symptoms.
- Tear Gland Damage: Radiation and inflammation can damage the tear glands.
Symptoms Of Dry Eye Disease
The symptoms of dry eye disease may include:
- A stinging, burning, or scratchy sensation in your eyes
- Stringy mucus in or around your eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Eye redness
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses
- Poor nighttime driving
- Watery eyes, which is your body’s response to dry eye irritation
- Blurred vision or eye fatigue
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to visit your optometrist in Charlotte, NC for an eye health evaluation and customized treatment to prevent complications like eye infection or damage to the eye’s surface.
Dry Eye Evaluation
A Dry Eye Evaluation with detailed diagnostic imaging and testing will allow our doctors to better assess the extent of your Dry Eye Disease to recommend a personalized treatment plan for you.
What’s Included in the Dry Eye Evaluation?
We will use innovative imaging technology and several additional tests not conducted during routine eye exams to better assess the extent of your Dry Eye Disease including:
- Keratograph imaging: This unique technology helps our doctors to understand the health of your meibomian glands, tear film break-up time (which is a method to evaluate tear evaporation) , extent of inflammation on the ocular surface and the height of your tear meniscus.
- Anterior Segment photos: The anterior segment is the front third of your eye. It is responsible for focusing the light that penetrates your eye. These photos help us to assess your eye health and any conditions that could be contributing to your Dry Eye Disease.
- Debridement: Our doctors will assess your eyelids to show the bacteria and debris build up on your eyelids.
- Corneal Sensitivity Testing: We will assess your corneal nerve function to show if a loss of nerve activity is contributing to greater Dry Eye symptoms.
- Meibomian Gland Expression: To assess the quality of the oil produced by your glands.
Treatment Solutions For Dry Eye Disease
At Innovative Eye Care, our commitment is to provide you with relief from dry eye discomfort. We have an array of solutions designed to address the root cause of your dry eye symptoms. These include:
OptiLight by Lumenis
OptiLight by Lumenis offers an effective noninvasive solution for relieving symptoms associated with dry eye disease, specifically those resulting from meibomian gland dysfunction.
Utilizing intense pulsed light (IPL) technology, this system delivers light energy pulses to the skin surrounding the eyes to:
- Reduce inflammation
- Diminish the presence of abnormal blood vessels
- Enhances meibomian gland functionality
- Noticeably extend tear break-up time
- Reduce bacteria and Demodex mites population in the area around the eyes
OptiPLUS by Lumenis
OptiPLUS is another effective noninvasive treatment for dry eye caused by meibomian gland dysfunction. During treatment, this handheld device gently warms the skin around your eyes to melt the dense oil obstructing the normal oil flow from your meibomian gland into your tear film.
BlephEx
BlephEx is an efficient, in-office treatment designed to address eyelid inflammation and enhance eyelid cleanliness. During treatment, your eye doctor will carefully remove debris and bacteria in your eye using a handheld instrument equipped with a medical-grade micro-sponge. Maintaining clean and healthy eyelids is crucial for normal tear production.
Dive Into Relief with Our Dry Eye Treatment in Charlotte, NC
Tired of the irritation, discomfort, and blurred vision that comes with dry eye disease? We are here to help! At Innovative Eye Care, we offer dry eye disease treatment in Charlotte, NC to provide the instant relief you need. Book an appointment today to say goodbye to the annoyance of dry eyes and hello to a life of clear, comfortable vision.
