Dry Eyes

Dry Eyes occur when tear production and tear outflow are not in balance. For multifactorial reasons, you are not producing enough tears or your tears are of poor quality. Over 85% of dry eyes, poor tears and eyelid problems originate from Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) located within the eyelids.

DRY EYE

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Dry Eye | Ocular Surface Testing

If we see or hear during your comprehensive vision exam that dry eye is affecting you, further evaluation should be performed to find the best solution for you! Below are some of tests that you will encounter to determine a proper treatment plan.

Schirmer's

This test uses a small, measuring strip that is placed on the eyelid surface to measure the quantity of tear volume that your eye holds over a 5 minute span. It will indicate whether or not you produce and hold the proper amount of tears to keep the surface moist.

Tear Break Up
(TBUT)

It is a method to determine the quality of your tear film. We utilize a simple, non-stinging drop of fluorescein that is placed in the eye. Your tears are then graded by the time it takes for your tears to "break apart" or become dry.

Tear Lab

An objective test that measures your tear balance or osmolarity. It's a non-invasive lab test that is run in the office to aid with the diagnosis of dry eye.

Meibomian Gland

Your meibomian glands are important to your tear quality and produce the oils or sebum needed to help keep your tears in balance. With the use of near infrared light and high powered magnification, we can measure or grade the integrity of your tear glands. Light Therapy in the form of LLLT, Intense pulse light (IPL) or Radio frequency (RF) are the newest, most effective treatment for the meibomian glands.

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Dry Eye, Tear Gland & Ocular Surface Treatment

Thankfully, there are many remedies to help improve the quality of your tears and comfort. For many years, eye doctors would recommend artificial tears or maybe prescribe an additional medication eye drop to help. These prescription drops can be expensive and not provide the relief you were hoping to feel. At Village Eyecare, Drs. Smarch & Schnurer are using the latest in diagnostics to make the appropriate treatment plan that involves therapies listed below. We also utilize the latest in treatments, targeting the tear glands via photobiomodulation that has shown great improvements in tear quality and other eyelid conditions.