Dry Eye Treatment in Walla Walla

Dry eye syndrome is a common condition in which the eyes do not produce enough or the right quality of tears to stay properly lubricated, leading to irritation, redness, and blurred vision. Our award-winning eye clinic offers advanced treatments for dry eye syndrome, including prescription eye drops, in-office procedures, and personalized lifestyle advice to ease symptoms.

Our team uses the latest technology to diagnose and manage dry eye, ensuring you receive the best care for your comfort and vision.

Common Dry Eye Symptoms: What To Look Out For

Dry eye syndrome can lead to a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, significantly affecting daily life and vision. The most common symptoms include:

• Persistent Dryness: A feeling of dryness or grittiness in the eyes, as if something is stuck in them.
• Redness: Eyes appear red and irritated, often accompanied by swelling.
• Itching: An irresistible urge to scratch the eyes.
• Blurred Vision: Frequent changes in visual clarity affect the ability to perform tasks requiring sharp vision.
• Sensitivity to Light: Increased discomfort in bright light or exposure to wind and smoke.
• Fatigue: A heavy feeling in the eyelids or needing to close the eyes frequently.
• Excessive Tearing: Ironically, dry eyes can lead to the overproduction of poor-quality tears as a reflex.

At our clinic, we address these symptoms with a holistic approach, combining medical treatment with lifestyle modifications to provide relief and improve eye health.

What Causes Dry Eye Disease?

A range of factors that disrupt the healthy balance of tear production and maintenance in the eye causes dry eye disease or dry eye syndrome. Here are some of the primary causes:

• Aging: As people age, tear production decreases, especially among women after menopause.
• Environmental Conditions: Exposure to smoke, wind, dry air, and high altitudes can increase tear evaporation.
• Digital Eye Strain: Prolonged use of computers, tablets, and smartphones leads to reduced blinking, which can dry out the eyes.
• Medications: Certain medications, including antihistamines, decongestants, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants, can reduce tear production.
• Autoimmune Diseases: Conditions like Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus can impair tear production.
• Eyelid Problems: Issues such as incomplete eyelid closure, blepharitis, and other eyelid disorders can contribute to dry eye symptoms.
• Long-term Contact Lens Wear: Extended contact lens use can irritate the eye and diminish tear quality.
• Hormonal Changes: Hormonal shifts, particularly due to pregnancy, oral contraceptives, and menopause, can affect tear production.

Understanding these causes is crucial for effectively treating dry eye disease. Valley Vision Clinic offers personalized treatments tailored to address the specific reasons behind each patient’s symptoms.

Accurate Diagnosis: Methods to Detect DES

Diagnosing dry eye syndrome may involve one or more of the following steps:

• External Examination: The eye doctor examines the eyelids, the cornea, and the conjunctiva using bright light and magnification to look for signs of dryness and inflammation.
• Schirmer’s Test: This test measures tear production by placing a thin strip of filter paper under the lower eyelid. After a few minutes, the amount of the strip soaked by tears gives a quantitative measure of tear production.
• Tear Breakup Time (TBUT) requires adding a special dye, like fluorescein, to the eye and asking the patient to blink. Your Valley Vision Clinic eye doctor then observes how long it takes for dry spots to appear on the cornea, showing tear film stability.
• Corneal Staining: Using a dye, the doctor can highlight areas of damage on the cornea where dryness has eroded the surface cells.
• Meibomian Gland Evaluation: The doctor examines these glands, which produce the oil layer of tears, to check for blockages or dysfunction that could affect tear quality.
• Osmolarity Test: This test checks the salt content of tears; higher salt levels can show dry eye syndrome due to increased tear evaporation.

We use these diagnostic tools with the latest technology to ensure an accurate diagnosis, leading to effective treatment plans tailored to each patient's needs.

Treatment Options at Our Walla Walla Eye Clinic

Our treatments address both the underlying causes and the symptoms of dry eye. Here are the primary treatments that we offer:

Artificial Tears and Lubricating Eye Drops

These are the first line of treatment for dry eye syndrome, especially for mild cases. We recommend frequent use of preservative-free artificial tears to supplement natural tear production and maintain moisture.

Prescription Eye Drops

For more severe dry eye, prescription eye drops like cyclosporine can help increase tear production and reduce inflammation. These medications aim to enhance the ocular surface's health through long-term usage.

Steroid Eye Drops

Short-term use of corticosteroid eye drops can quickly reduce inflammation and relieve moderate-to-severe cases of dry eye.

Punctal Plugs

This treatment involves inserting tiny silicone or collagen plugs into the tear ducts (puncta) to slow the drainage of tears away from the eyes, keeping the eyes more lubricated.

Meibomian Gland Expression

Many patients suffer from dry eye due to blockages in the meibomian glands. Our clinic offers gentle procedures to express these glands, improving the quality of oils in the tears and preventing rapid evaporation.

Lifestyle and Environmental Changes

We advise modifying certain lifestyle and environmental factors, such as reducing screen time, using humidifiers, and avoiding smoky or windy conditions, which can significantly improve comfort.

By customizing each treatment plan based on the patient's detailed examination and diagnostic results, the medical team ensures optimal outcomes and improved quality of life for dry eye syndrome patients.