Dry Eye Therapy | Central Texas Eye Center

Don’t Live with Dry Eyes

When your eyes are feeling drier than a Texas drought, it’s time to see Central Texas Eye Center. Just like a baler can’t bale without hay and a painter can’t create without paints, your eyes need hydration to function properly.

Whether your dry eye symptoms are mildly irritating, or they are causing you discomfort in your daily life, Central Texas Eye Center can help restore hydration and lubrication to your eyes. Start with an assessment to find out the root cause of your symptoms.

Get a dry eye assessment

What Is Dry Eye?

When you experience dry eye syndrome, it’s a result of your eyes not receiving enough lubrication to keep them hydrated. The lubrication in your eyes comes from your tears, which are made up of 3 key ingredients: water, mucus, and oil.

The oily top layer prevents your tears from evaporating too quickly. The middle watery (aqueous) layer keeps your eyes moisturized, and the inner layer, closest to your eye, is made of mucus, which adheres your tears to your eye and distributes them across your eye’s surface.

When any of the tear’s ingredients are out of balance, you may experience dry eyes.

Dry Eye Symptoms & How We Can Help

Dry eye is a common issue that affects millions of Americans. Symptoms of dry eye can range from mild to severe, and include:

A scratching sensation like something is in your eye
Stinging or burning sensations
Eyes that appear red
Feeling extra sensitive to light
Blurry vision, especially when you blink

Central Texas Eye Center can help you find relief from dry eye symptoms. Your solution may involve changing your daily habits, or more in-depth treatments we can offer in our clinic.

Daily Maintenance

Some acute dry eye symptoms can be alleviated by adding to your daily routine. Your eye doctor may recommend making some lifestyle changes to help you achieve better eye comfort. These may include:

Eye drops—Using lubricating eye drops can help add moisture to your eyes. Speak with your eye doctor before purchasing eye drops from the drug store; not all drops are created equal, and we can recommend the type that’s best for your eyes.
Warm compresses—Moist heat can help get the oils in your glands moving, providing you with better comfort throughout the day. We can help recommend a high-quality warm compress to help you find comfort.
Eyelid cleansers—Bacteria can live in our eyelashes and on our eyelids. Adding eyelid cleansers and scrubs to your daily routine can help keep the glands in your eyes free of debris and promote healthier tears.
Vitamins—To promote a healthy balance of water, oil, and mucus in your tears, we recommend adding Omega-3s to your diet. Several vitamins have been shown to relieve inflammation in different parts of the body.

Punctal Plugs

When your tears are draining from your eyes too quickly, your eye doctor may recommend the use of punctal plugs. These tiny devices are inserted into your tear ducts to slow down how quickly your tears leave the surface of your eye.

There are 2 types of punctal plugs:

Temporary or dissolving—These are typically made out of collagen and naturally dissolve in a few days or months. Commonly, temporary dissolving punctal plugs are used following laser eye surgery.
Semi-permanent—These types of punctal plugs are made out of medical plastics and are designed to stay in your eyes long-term. However, they can be removed by your eye doctor.

Prokera

Similar to a large contact lens, Prokera uses natural anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring membranes to help heal the surface of your eyes. Many people find lasting relief from their dry eye symptoms in 3–5 days. Your eye doctor may recommend Prokera as a treatment if you have severe or recurring dry eye symptoms.

Treat Your Eyes to Comfort

When you’re experiencing allergies, you’re working on the computer for too long, or if you live in a hot, dry climate like ours, you may feel the discomfort that dry eye causes.

The skilled team at Central Texas Eye Center is here to help you achieve your most comfortable vision possible. Explore the possibilities and get ahead of your dry eye symptoms. Book your dry eye assessment today.