If your eyes often sting, burn, or feel gritty, you might have a condition known as dry eye. At Modern Optometry, solutions are available to quickly relieve dry eye symptoms and protect your long-term eye health. Rebecca Verna, OD, uses medications, light therapy, and other noninvasive strategies to improve tear production and enhance the quality of your tears. Call the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, office to schedule a dry eye evaluation or book an appointment online today.
What is dry eye?
Dry eye is a condition that can develop when you don’t have enough tears to keep your eyes moisturized and your vision clear. You might also experience dry eye if the tears you don’t make aren’t high quality.
A lack of tears or poor-quality tears can result from the use of certain medications, laser eye surgery, and a range of eye diseases. If the tears you make evaporate too quickly, you may also be at risk for chronic dry eye symptoms.
Modern Optometry offers comprehensive eye exams and testing services to assess the quality of your tears. Dr. Verna designs a treatment plan to help you manage dry eye symptoms and prevent more serious eye issues.
When should I seek medical attention for dry eye?
You should schedule an evaluation at Modern Optometry if you have persistent symptoms of dry eye, such as:
- Burning
- Stinging
- Itching
- Blurred vision
- Excessive eye watering
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Persistent feeling of having grit in your eye
During your exam, Dr. Verna examines your overall eye health. She also reviews your medical history and lifestyle to identify what may contribute to your dry eye symptoms.
To test the volume of your tears, Dr. Verna places small slips of paper just under your lower eyelid that soaks up existing tears. She also tests how quickly your tears evaporate from the surface of your eye using special eye drops.
How is dry eye treated?
Modern Optometry provides customized treatment plans for individuals. Depending on the frequency and severity of your symptoms, your plan may include:
- Over-the-counter artificial tears
- Prescription eye drops
- Oral medications
- Low-level light therapy (LLLL)
- Omega-3 fatty acid supplements
If these strategies aren’t working well, Dr. Verna may recommend surgery. She can place temporary or permanent plugs into your tear ducts to prevent tears from draining away from your eye too quickly.
Dr. Verna may also use the Systane® iLUX2® system to relieve dry eye symptoms. This technology uses light-based heat to open blocked meibomian glands. These glands produce oils that are essential for healthy tears. Treatment encourages increased oil production to provide long-lasting relief of dry eye symptoms.
Call Modern Optometry to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for dry eye symptoms, or book an appointment online today.
