About Dry eye Disease

Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry eye disease/syndrome (DED/DES) means that there is a problem with the tear film that naturally coats and lubricates our eyes. If part of the tear film is deficient, inflammation will cause you to feel one or more of the symptoms listed below.

Common Symptoms of DES

Symptoms can range from person to person. Usually a tired or irritated feeling in the eyes will develop, along with redness, watery eyes, and/or blurred vision. In some cases, people will have no obvious symptoms at all, but their eye doctor will be able to see damage to the eye surface caused by dry eye disease/syndrome.

The Tear Film

The tear film is far more complicated than once thought, and problems with it are responsible for dry eye related symptoms. We can think of the tear film as being comprised of three layers. The mucin layer, water (aqueous) layer, and oil layer. The mucin layer keeps the water layer adhered to the surface of the eye, and the oil layer sits on top of the water layer as a protective barrier that prevents the water from evaporating into the air. If evaporation occurs, blurriness and other dry eye symptoms like redness, irritation, and tearing can result. Evaporative dry eye is very common and can range in severity from mild to severe.

How We Treat Dry Eye Syndrome

There are many ways to treat dry eye disease, from prescription drops and artificial tears, to Omega-3s and warm compresses. To find out which treatment plan would work best for you, you will need a dry eye assessment. In a dry eye assessment, your eye doctor will perform various tests to determine the exact cause of your dry eye disease, and will then develop the best treatment plan for you based on these results.

iLux Treatment System

80% of Dry Eye Disease (DED) is caused by a lack of production of the oil layer in the tear film. This is due to a problem with the oil glands, called Meibomian Glands, which are found in the eyelids. The most effective treatments target these glands and stimulate the glands to produce better quality oil. At Eyes on Locke we offer a treatment called iLux, which will help alleviate your symptoms by boosting production of these oil glands.