Dry eye disease is also known as ocular surface disease or keratoconjunctivitis sicca. It typically occurs when there is poor tear quality or insufficient production of tears and causes eye discomfort and reduced vision. It is a chronic, common condition that affects millions of Americans and can be difficult to diagnose and manage correctly.
Common symptoms of dry eye include burning, watering, grittiness, redness of the eyes, and fluctuating vision. Often, patients with dry eyes will complain of watery eyes, which can be interpreted as having too much moisture, but in reality is a response to underlying dryness and inflammation from an unhealthy tear film.
Common factors that contribute to dry eyes include: aging, heavy screen time, history of LASIK or cataract surgery, hormonal changes, autoimmune disease, systemic conditions, certain classes of oral medications (antidepressants, oral contraceptives, hypertensive medicine, allergy medicine), topical drops such as glaucoma drops, Botox treatment, history of blepharoplasty, modern diets low in omega fats, genetic predisposition, decreased blink rate from increased screen time, and fatigue or visual discomfort.
Currently there is no cure for dry eye disease, and our goal is to effectively manage your ocular health for long-term stability. There are many great management options to help alleviate symptoms, improve signs, improve tear film stability, and reduce the rate of dry eye disease progression. Our goal is for you to have many more good days and fewer bad days. Many patients feel significant relief after an initial treatment series, but maintenance treatments are recommended every 6 months to ensure the symptoms do not return.
Both dry eye and allergies can present with watery and irritated eyes; allergies tend to also cause itchiness in the inner corners of your eyes. Many patients have signs of both, and having dry eye can make allergies worse since allergens tend to remain in the eye longer before being flushed away by your tears. Additionally, oral allergy medicines and some prescription eye drops can worsen dry eye.
Yes. Most artificial and lubricating drops provide temporary relief for 5 to 25 minutes but do not treat the underlying disease process. The majority of our patients typically require prescription medicines and in-office procedures along with home treatment that is indicated for their specific situation.
Yes. Simple at-home steps include turning off the ceiling fan when you sleep and being more aware of blinking while on a digital device. These small adjustments can help reduce evaporation of your tear film and ease symptoms.
Our initial evaluation lasts about one hour and includes tear film analytics, a Firefly Dry Eye Report, an examination, and education with the doctor. You can find more information on the Exams page of our website.
We accept most major medical plans (we are currently out of network for United Health Care). Your insurance will usually contribute toward the initial eye exam and follow-up exams. For in-office procedures, insurance can help cover amniotic membranes, punctal occlusion, and irrigation of the tear ducts. Intense Pulsed Light, Radio Frequency, and Thermal Gland Expression are out of pocket. Many of these procedures are HSA/FSA eligible, and we will provide an itemized receipt for you to submit to your insurance company. We will provide a cost estimate after your evaluation and are available to answer any questions.
No, most patients report awareness but not pain. Radio Frequency and Thermal Gland Expression provide a gentle heat that many of our patients enjoy and find relaxing. Intense Pulsed Light Therapy can feel like a rubber band snap but most patients find it tolerable. We check in on your comfort throughout each procedure.
After your treatment series, we will do a follow-up exam and run your analytics again to determine what maintenance schedule is indicated. For most patients, we recommend a one-visit maintenance treatment every 6 months. Some procedures, such as Low Level Light Therapy, can be done more often as desired.
It depends on your current dry eye status and your compliance with your current treatment. If you are having mild symptoms or you have been told by your eye doctor that you have dry eyes (even if you are not symptomatic), in-office procedures can help slow the rate of dry eye disease progression so symptoms do not escalate over time. Compliance is a critical part of at-home therapy for mild and moderate cases, so if you anticipate your compliance will be low, in-office treatments are a great alternative.
Although we cannot guarantee coverage, we will work with you to find the best options using any available pharmaceutical coupons or specialty pharmacies to provide the best prices.
If we determine at-home therapy and prescription remedies are ineffective in managing your dry eye disease, we will recommend escalating treatment to in-office procedures. Intense Pulsed Light helps target the inflammatory component of dry eye, improves oil quality, and seals off small ocular rosacea vessels in the eyelid. Radio Frequency and TearCare Thermal Gland Expression help melt hardened oil and unclog blocked oil glands; Radio Frequency also tightens the skin around the eyes to reduce age-related lid laxity. Lid and Lash Cleaning improves blepharitis and removes biofilm that builds up on the eyelid margins. Low Level Light Therapy provides a lighter anti-inflammatory effect than IPL and can be helpful in mild cases or for patients who are not IPL candidates.
We usually recommend an initial package of about 4 to 6 visits depending on severity, and commonly recommend maintenance treatments every 6 months.
Mild and moderate cases can cause vision reduction and fluctuation due to an unstable tear film and inflammation on the cornea. In more severe cases, dry eye inflammation can lead to changes on the cornea that can result in neurotrophic keratitis, which poses a risk of corneal scarring and permanent vision damage.
Dry eye disease is an irreversible, progressive, and chronic condition. The earlier you can tackle the root causes of your dry eye, the more likely you are to slow progression to more severe stages. Untreated dry eye can cause an escalation of symptoms and vision reduction or visual loss.