Dry Eye Therapy

Helping You Get Dry Eye Relief

Dry eye disease can affect anyone, and we want to help protect your eye health from symptoms like blurry vision, watery eyes, and general irritation. We offer comprehensive dry eye care from the diagnostic stage all the way through to different treatments like OptiLIGHT by Lumenis and TearCare.

We know that dry eye can be challenging to manage, but the good news is that you don’t have to deal with it alone. Our team is experienced in treating dry eye disease and motivated to help!

Don’t let dry eye interfere with your comfort—contact us to schedule your appointment today.

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Tear Production & Dry Eye

The health of your tear film is closely connected to dry eye development.

Your tear film consists of 3 layers:

The oily outer layer
The watery middle layer
The inner mucus layer

When the glands that produce these elements of your tears are not functioning properly or become inflamed, dry eye can occur. Inflammation from meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) can also cause dry eye symptoms.

OptiLIGHT by Lumenis

OptiLIGHT by Lumenis is a light-based, noninvasive treatment done in the area below the eyes to manage dry eye. The first and only IPL FDA-approved for dry eye management.

The treatment is safe, gentle, and is backed by more than 20 clinical studies.

OptiLIGHT uses precise pulses of light to reduce the inflammation that is typically associated with dry eye disease, improve tear breakup time, and increase meibomian gland functionality.

Learn More About OptiLIGHT

TearCare for Dry Eye

The TearCare system uses gentle heat therapy to help relieve symptoms caused by evaporative dry eye disease. These in-office treatments typically only take about 15 minutes.

During the treatment, special eyelid devices are applied to gently warm up your meibomian glands, which are responsible for producing the oils that help keep your tears healthy. TearCare treatments can help improve the function of these glands to alleviate feelings of dryness.

What Is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction?

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a common condition that affects the function of your meibomian glands, which are responsible for producing the oil layer of your tear film.

When these glands become clogged or inflamed, they may not produce enough oil to keep your tears stable and prevent early evaporation, leading to dry eyes.

Symptoms of MGD can include:

Dryness
A gritty feeling in your eyes
Eye redness
A stinging sensation in your eyes

Other Causes of Dry Eye

Changes to the health of your tear film and meibomian gland dysfunction are not the only causes of dry eye symptoms. Some of the other risk factors and causes of dry eye include:

Certain medications
Long-term contact lens wear
Blepharitis
Vitamin A deficiency
Seasonal weather changes and allergies

The causes of dry eye can vary from person to person, so it’s important to visit us for regular eye exams to get a clear understanding of what may be causing your symptoms.

Our Dry Eye Testing

The diagnostic stage is an important step in our dry eye treatment process. Through the imaging of your meibomian glands and other diagnostic tests, our team can diagnose dry eye disease and find a treatment plan that’s right for you.

Our dry eye treatments are rooted in creating a spa-like atmosphere with aromatherapy and soothing music—we want you to feel comfortable and right at home!

During your dry eye screening, we may implement certain diagnostic tests to help determine what treatment option is right for your eyes.

Meibography

Meibography is our team’s way of getting detailed pictures of your meibomian glands without an invasive procedure. It’s a simple test where we capture images of your eyelids using special infrared technology. These images show us the structure of your meibomian glands and help us assess their health.

Automated & Subjective TBUT

Have you ever wondered how long it takes for the tears on the surface of your eyes to break up? Well, tear breakup time (TBUT) testing measures exactly that. It can be done in 2 ways: by a clinician who checks it themselves or by using a modern, automated device.

During the test, we’ll look at the tears on your eyes and see how long it takes for them to start breaking up. The results can give us valuable information about the health of your tears and the overall well-being of your eyes.

InflammaDry

InflammaDry is a test we use to check for a marker that shows if you have dry eye disease. It’s a quick and easy test that doesn’t involve any invasive procedures. All we need is a tiny sample of your tears, and it’s designed to provide results fast.

By using InflammaDry, we can figure out what’s causing your dry eye symptoms and explore different ways to treat it. We want to tackle the root cause of your symptoms to help you get lasting relief.

Oculus Keratograph 5M

The OCULUS Keratograph 5M is a device we use to measure the shape of your cornea. It can be wonderfully helpful when it comes to checking for corneal disease and finding the perfect fit for specialty contact lenses. Plus, it even lets us take pictures of your meibomian glands and measure your tears.

With this high-tech device, we can get detailed images and measurements that help us understand what’s going on with your eyes.

Our Dry Eye Treatments

Your environment and other risk factors, such as exposure to dry air or wind, long-term contact lens wear, and digital eye strain, can increase your chances of developing dry eye, and we take that all into account when considering your treatment options.

After a thorough diagnostic process to determine your specific needs, our team can work with you to develop a treatment plan that can address what’s causing your symptoms and help you find relief.

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Meibomian Gland Expression

Meibomian gland expression is a process where we gently massage your eyelids to help unclog those tiny glands that produce important oils for your tears. It’s like giving your eyes a little massage.

By expressing your meibomian glands, we can improve the quality of your tears and relieve dryness and discomfort. Don’t worry—it’s meant to be a painless procedure that won’t take up too much of your time.

Punctal Plugs

Punctal plugs are tiny plugs placed in your tear ducts to temporarily stop your eyes from draining their tears. For those with dry eyes, punctal plugs can help keep the surface of your eyes moist by helping tears build up.

There are 2 types of punctal plugs: temporary, where the plugs break down on their own, and semi-permanent, where the plugs need to be removed by a doctor.

Supplements, Eye Drops, & Eye Masks

Omega-3 supplements, including fish oil and flaxseed oil, are another commonly used treatment for dry eye. We offer PRN De3 Dry Eye Omega Benefits at Grand Lake Eyecare.

We also offer products like Cliradex towelettes, HypoChlor eyelid cleansers, and Bruder masks to help you find relief. Ask our team about our dry eye products today.

Address Your Dry Eyes Today

Our team knows that dealing with dry eye symptoms isn’t easy, and we don’t want dry eye to slow you down. Our dry eye treatments are centered around OptiLIGHT by Lumenis, and our team works with you to help you find relief.