Advanced Dry Eye Center
in San Diego, California
Are You Experiencing Dry Eye Symptoms?
If you’re unsure whether you’re suffering from dry eyes, consider whether you’ve experienced any of the following symptoms:
- Persistent dryness or a scratchy sensation in your eyes.
- Redness or irritation, especially in windy or smoky environments.
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses for long periods.
- Fatigue in your eyes after screen use.
- Excessive tearing as a response to the dryness.
What is Dry Eye Syndrome?
Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a common condition that occurs when the eyes don’t produce enough tears or when tears evaporate too rapidly. This imbalance in the tear film can cause various symptoms, including discomfort, visual disturbances, and potential damage to the eye’s surface.
There are two main types of dry eye—evaporative dry eye and aqueous dry eye.
- Evaporative dry eye is the most prevalent form, often due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), where the glands responsible for producing the oil layer of tears are blocked. This oil layer is crucial for preventing tear evaporation; without it, tears evaporate faster than produced, leading to dryness.
- Aqueous dry eye occurs when the lacrimal glands don’t produce a sufficient volume of the watery component of tears, leading to inadequate lubrication for the eyes.
Common Dry Eye Causes
DES can be caused by various factors, including:
- Aging: Natural decrease in tear production with age.
- Environmental Conditions: Exposure to wind, smoke, dry air, and air conditioning.
- Screen Use: Extended periods looking at computer and phone screens.
- Medications: Certain drugs, including antihistamines, decongestants, and antidepressants, can reduce tear production.
- Medical Conditions: Diseases like Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and thyroid disorders.
- Contact Lens Wear: Prolonged wear of contact lenses can contribute to dry eyes.
- Eyelid Problems: Issues that prevent proper blinking or eyelid closure.
How Does Blinking Affect Dry Eyes?
Blinking plays a crucial role in maintaining eye health by spreading tears evenly across the eye’s surface, which helps keep the eye moist, remove irritants, and ensure clear vision. In the digital age, prolonged screen use leads to a reduced blink rate, which can exacerbate or contribute to dry eye symptoms by allowing more tear evaporation and less tear distribution.
Can Children Suffer from Dry Eye?
Children can develop dry eye syndrome, although it’s less common than in adults. Factors contributing to dry eye in kids may include prolonged screen time, environmental conditions, and certain medical conditions.
How Do Allergies Contribute to Dry Eye?
Allergies can cause inflammation and irritation in the eyes, leading to symptoms similar to those of DES. Additionally, allergic reactions often result in increased tear production as the body tries to flush out allergens, but these tears may not be of the quality needed to properly lubricate the eyes, exacerbating symptoms.
Dry Eye Treatments at Dr. Chinn's Vision Care
Our approach to treating dry eye syndrome starts with identifying the root cause. Through comprehensive assessments, we pinpoint the underlying factors contributing to your symptoms. We then tailor a treatment plan to your specific needs, incorporating advanced options like IPL and LipiFlow to address the issues effectively. Monitoring symptoms and adjusting treatments as necessary ensure the most effective relief, helping you achieve optimal eye health and comfort.
Our Innovative Dry Eye Technology
At Dr. Chinn's Vision Care, we utilize cutting-edge technology to effectively treat dry eye syndrome. Our arsenal includes Lid/Lash Margin Cleansing to remove debris and bacteria, LipiFlowⓇ to treat MGD by clearing blockages, and LumenisⓇ OptiLight IPL, a pioneering light-based therapy that targets inflammation. These advanced treatments address various aspects of dry eye syndrome, offering comprehensive care and relief for our patients.
Lid/Lash Margin Cleansing
Microblepharoexfoliation with BlephEx® is the thorough cleansing and exfoliation of the eyelid margin. BlephEx helps to remove the built-up leftover makeup, falsie glue, eye boogers, dead skin cells, dust, and debris that accumulate along the eyelid margin and eyelashes.
Without proper cleansing, the environment is perfect for bacteria to grow, causing crusty eyes, styes, eye infections, and more. Periodic eyelid and eyelash cleansings are vital to maintaining proper eyelid and eyelash hygiene.
LipiFlowⓇ
Meibomian glands are located by the eyelashes, towards the edge of the eyelid. These glands secrete oils that lubricate the eye and keep tears moist. When the glands become blocked, dry eye occurs.
The LipiFlow system takes detailed images of the eye’s tear film to determine if you have MGD. Gentle heat and light pressure are applied to the eyelid, removing the blockage and stimulating your eye’s natural moisture. The procedure takes about 12 minutes and is done in-office.
LumenisⓇ OptiLight IPL
LumenisⓇ is a global leader in Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy as the first FDA-approved treatment for dry eye syndrome, MGD, blepharitis and more.
This non-invasive light treatment targets inflammation to improve symptoms for more comfortable eyes. IPL also benefits the skin by lightening sun and age spots, reducing hyperpigmentation, and boosting collagen, leading to fewer fine lines and smoother, softer skin.
