How can Dry Eyes be treated?

As like the range of reasons of dry eyes the therapeutical options are various and individualised. For a proper effect a specialist should always decide what options are useful.

 

  • change the way of living
  • use of tears, food supplements, lid massage, antiinflammatory agents, antibiotics
  • methods of intervention like punctum plugs or IPL-light-therapy

 

  • Warming and massage of the lid margin: The meibomian glands, at the lid margin, are the most important organs for a healty tearflim. If these glands are obstructed, they are not able to secret the lipids, necessary for the outer lipid layer. Warming (10-15 minutes) of he eyelids and massage afterwards can already help. This should become a daily routine.
  • Blink more!: People working at computers automatically reduce their number of "blinks", thus evaporation of the tearfilm is enhanced.
  • Install a humidifier: Avoid dry air (climatics etc.) causing "drying" out your tearfilm.
  • Eye-Drops: Ask your dry eye specialist for suitable wetting agents.
  • Lipid-Sprays: Especially for support of the, essential, lipid layer of your tearflim. Even chronic blepharitis symptoms can be reduced with these liposomal agents. They are sprayed on the closed eyelid. Ask your dry eye specialist for further assistance.
  • Antiinflammatory agents: Chronic inflammations of the eyelid may need treatment with antiinflammatory agents. Your dry eye specialist will consider these agents if necessary.
  • Antibiotics / Antiseptics: Are only to be considered after consulting an ophthalmologist. They may help if infections of bacteria and/or mites are present.
  • Food supplementation: Oral supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids may lead to a better tear film. Also vitamin A may lead to a better function of your conjunctival cells. Food supplements are especially helpful for smokers (but better stop smoking, it will kill you!)
  • Surgical intervention: for example with punctum plugs, to block the tear canal and help more tears to stay on the ocular surface.
  • IPL-light-therapy: The "intense-pulsed-light" therapy is the newest and most success-promising healing method for dry eyes disease, chronical blepharitis and malfunction of meibomian glands. IPL- therapy can stop inflammatory processes, kill bacteria/mites, stimulate the meibomian glands and enhance the healing process of dry eyes.