Dry Eyes

2020 Family Vision Our Services Dry Eyes
2020 Family Vision - - Optometrist

2020 Family Vision

Optometrists located in Farmington Hill, MI

Dry eyes can be sore and irritating, causing frustration and affecting your ability to wear contact lenses. If you have symptoms of dry eyes – even though your eyes are often watering – optometrist Saly Elias and her team at 2020 Family Vision in Southfield, Michigan, can help. They offer artificial tears, medications, and eye drops to ease the discomfort of dry eyes and prevent corneal damage. Call 2020 Family Vision to schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.

Dry Eyes Q & A

What are dry eyes?

As the name suggests, dry eyes are a problem with tear production in your eyes. Lubricating tears clean your eyes and contain special oils that keep your eyes comfortable. 

Dry eyes result in gritty, sore eyes. You might not be making enough tears, or you might be making tears that don't contain enough oils, causing the same result. Dry eyes produce symptoms such as:

  • Eye irritation
  • Burning feeling in your eyes
  • Tired eyes 
  • Blurry vision
  • Red eyes
  • Sensitivity to light

When you have dry eyes, you might feel that there's something in your eye, but cannot find anything. Dry eyes can also make it uncomfortable to wear contact lenses.

Ironically, dry eyes often water a lot. The tears flow because your eyes feel irritated, but they don't contain lubricating oils, so they do little to ease your discomfort.

What causes dry eyes?

Dry eyes can develop because of triggers such as:

  • Ectropion (outward turning eyelid)
  • Entropion (inward turning eyelid)
  • Excessive contact lenses wearing
  • Age-related changes
  • Hormonal changes 
  • Certain medications
  • Post-surgical complications
  • Conditions like diabetes and thyroid disease

Your environment can also make you more likely to suffer from dry eyes. Dry, windy weather can be a problem, as can environmental pollutants. If you work in a dry atmosphere or use computer screens a lot, that can also trigger dry eyes.

How are dry eyes treated?

There are several ways the 2020 Family Vision team can help you with dry eyes. Some of the treatments available include artificial tears, medicated eye drops, and anti-inflammatory medications. They also offer New Eyezen™ lenses for eyeglasses that protect your eyes from computer use.

These non-invasive treatments are effective for most patients. If you're still experiencing dry eye issues, the 2020 Family Vision team can refer you for specialist procedures. These include laser cauterization of the tear ducts and tiny punctal plugs that block up the tear ducts.

Dry eyes aren't just irritating and uncomfortable. Without suitable treatment, dry eye can lead to inflammation in the cornea that could cause scarring and affect your sight.

For expert assessment and treatment of dry eyes, call 2020 Family Vision or book an appointment online today.