Do you suffer from dry, red, gritty, tired or scratchy eyes?
Does you vision fluctuate throughout the day? Do you find that you
can only go a couple of hours before you have to remove your
contact lenses? If so, you may be suffering from Dry Eye Syndrome.
Our Dry Eye Center was developed to help the over 23 million
Americans that suffer from Dry Eye Disease. We carry
state-of-the-art diagnostic instruments that help detect what type
of Dry Eye Syndrome you suffer from. We offer the most effective
and efficient therapies including nutrition counseling,
medications, tear savers, dry eye contact lenses, pore-cleasing
techniques and lifestyle counseling. Two of the treatments we
offer, MiboThermoflo and BlephEx, can not found in any other
offices within a two hour drive.
Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) is one of the most common problems affecting
the general population today. Dry Eye Syndrome is a breakdown
of the quantity or quality of tears that moisten, cleanse, and
protect the eyes. Without the proper tear quality, the eye has a
decreased defense against allergens, dust, and microorganisms. When
this protective coating dries up, the eyes may have a gritty or
burning sensation and they may be more sensitive to light. Although
the causes for Dry Eye Syndrome may be numerous, increased computer
use is a common culprit. Proper care will not only increase your
comfort, it will protect your eyes. At Rockford Family
Eyecare we can perform a series of tests to help determine the
cause of your dry eyes as well as find the proper treatment for it.
Once the test results are obtained we can determine the treatment.
Two of the main reasons for DES are Blepharitis and Meibomain Gland
Dysfunction.
Blepharitis is one of the most common eye conditions seen by eye doctors, with the overall prevalence in the United States approaching 50%. The primary risk factors for the condition appear to be age and inadequate lid hygiene. Because the eyelid is one of the few body parts that rarely receives a thorough cleansing, staphylococcal biofilm accumulates along the lid margins over time. Whether these bacteria originate on the lids or migrate up from the nasal cavity early in life remains unknown, but we do know that they tend to increase with age. This may partly explain why concurrent ocular surface disorders such as meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye also tend to increase with age.
Despite its prevalence, blepharitis is largely ignored by clinicians because few treatments offer the potential for true success. Artificial tears and lid cleansing regimens may occasionally be prescribed, but such treatment is rarely effective alone.
An in-office procedure performed by the doctor uses a patented instrument called BlephEx, a handheld device that rotates a PVA sponge soaked in a commercial eyelid cleaning solution. The lid margins are debrided and exfoliated, and the meibomian glands are opened. With the sponge tip rotating at approximately 2,000 RPM, the harmful biofilms and exotoxins are removed. The procedure also likely reduces the population of bacteria to below the quorum-sensing numbers that induce virulence factor production. The following is a link to BlephEX and its benefits: http://rysurg.com/index.php/blephex-page.html
Another one of the most common reasons for DES is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. The Meibomian Glands are located along the lid margin and between your eyelashes. They produce and release the oil layer of your tears. When they become blocked or clogged your tears evaporate too quickly. A Rockford Family Eyecare we provide heat assisted Meibomian Gland expression, opening up the glands to freely produce your oil layer of the tears.
Contact Rockford Family Eyecare to schedule an exam and discuss treatment options for your specific type of Dry Eyes.
