Dry Eye Treatment
Columbus, Ohio
Your Local Dry Eye Treatment Doctors
At Columbus Laser & Cataract Center, we know that you need clear vision to lead an enjoyable and fulfilling life. Our passion is delivering on that promise. Whether it’s completing normal daily tasks or appreciating the beauty of the Columbus scenery, getting rid of dry eye is one of the keys to a fulfilling life! We offer compassionate care and superior expertise proven through our excellent reviews. Our aim is to empower you and guide you to clearer vision without the hassle of experiencing dry eyes!
What Is Dry Eye Treatment?
Are you one of the 30 million Americans who suffers from dry eye? Dry eye is an uncomfortable, chronic condition that can interfere with a patient’s daily functioning. Though there is no cure for this condition, understanding its causes, modifying your lifestyle, and seeking treatment can improve your quality of life—allowing you to experience the comfort and clear vision you deserve.
What Are the Symptoms of Dry Eye?
Dry eye can be difficult to manage and sometimes progressive. Since tears keep the cornea clear, provide lubrication, and remove irritants from the eye, decreased tear production and higher rates of tear evaporation can lead to sometimes debilitating symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms of dry eye include the following:
- Blurry, cloudy vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Gritty feeling of something in the eye
- Pain, stinging, or burning of the eyes
- Redness
- Excessive treating and watering
- Difficulty wearing contacts
- Problems driving at night
What Causes Dry Eyes?
There are many factors that can cause or exacerbate dry eye—reduced tear production, disruption in the composition of the tear film, or increased rates of tear evaporation. Finding the cause of your condition is key to finding your most effective treatment. Some common causes include the following:
Age: At older ages, the risk of developing dry eye increases as tear production slows down.
Gender: Women tend to experience dry eye more frequently than men due to hormonal changes, pregnancy, or birth control medications.
Medications: Some common medications, like antihistamines, can lead to decreased tear production.
Preexisting medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, like diabetes or thyroid issues, elevate your risk of dry eye.
Inflammation: Inflammation of the eyes and eyelids can increase your risk of developing dry eye.
Improper blinking: Blinking is crucial for tear distribution. Incomplete and less frequent blinking (common when using digital devices) can make eyes drier.
Environmental factors: Allergens, irritants in the air, wind, or humidity can all dry out tears and cause discomfort.
Dry Eye Treatments
If you suffer from dry eye, it is crucial to seek adequate treatment to prevent the worsening of symptoms and restore your quality of life. Additionally, for patients who need cataracts removed, treating dry eye is essential. Without treatment, dry eye may worsen after cataract surgery. And, for patients who are also receiving an intraocular lens for refractive errors, treating dry eye can lead to better visual outcomes.
Luckily, there are a variety of options available to treat dry eye. We are proud to offer advanced diagnostic imaging tools, like LipiView ® as well as the revolutionary, non-invasive treatment LipiFlow ® for lasting dry eye relief.
LipiView Imaging
LipiView imaging allows our ophthalmic experts to determine whether you have Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), the leading cause of dry eye that impacts tear composition and evaporation. By using advanced, diagnostic tools, our experts can determine the optimal treatment plan for your best health based on information about your tears, blink pattern, meibum (oil) glands, dry eye severity, and overall eye needs.
If our LipiView imaging shows that you suffer from MGD, you may be a good candidate for the advanced treatment, LipiFlow.
Why Choose LipiFlow?
LipiFlow treats MGD, the cause of up to 86% of all dry eye cases. This progressive condition occurs when oil glands in the eyelid are blocked—or have died off completely. Tears are comprised of an oil, water, and mucus layer, and since MGD leads to an imbalance of oil in the tears, the water layer rapidly evaporates, leaving eyes dry and uncomfortable.
The LipiFlow procedure targets the underlying cause of evaporative dry eye, using thermal pulsation technology to gently loosen, unclog, and improve circulation of oils from the meibomian glands. During this comfortable, 12-minute treatment, eyepieces gently heat eyelids and use pulsing pressure to deliver drug-free relief.
Dry eye is a chronic condition, and though LipiFlow cannot cure it, the procedure can prevent dry eye from worsening by unclogging glands and keeping them from dying off. This procedure is a powerful supplement to other dry eye treatments, like eye drops, medications, and good eyelid hygiene.
LipiFlow’s clinically-proven results may take several weeks or months to fully develop, but they can last from 6 to 12 months or longer. If you are ready to experience the LipiFlow difference, call us today to discuss whether this treatment could ease your dry eye and provide you with the relief you deserve.
Kathi H.
Pam K.
“I am so glad I chose Columbus laser and cataract center to do my procedure! The staff was absolutely amazing and made me feel right at home! I cannot say enough good things about the staff and their professionalism. Truly some of the most caring doctors in Columbus! My only regret is not having it done sooner!”
Terry N.