Dry Eyes

What Can I Do About My Dry Eyes?

If your eyes have been feeling constantly irritated, or if your vision has been blurred, it may be that you need dry eye treatment.  At Tucson Eye Institute Dr. Zuraida Zainalabidin will meet with you during your private consultation to assess your individual situation. This way we can help you decide which treatment is best for your Dry Eye Syndrome.

How are Eyes Supposed to Stay Lubricated?

One of the most common issues that patients visit us seeking treatment for is dry eye syndrome. Dry eye symptoms occur because you are not making a sufficient amount of tears, or the tears you are making are not of a sufficient quality level. 

Dry eye syndrome is often a chronic issue, meaning that it persists for prolonged periods of time. Some symptoms typically associated with dry eye syndrome include: stinging or burning feelings in the eyes, a sandy or gritty feeling in the eye, a stringy discharge from the eye, a heavy feeling in the eyelids, pain and redness in the eyes, episodes of blurry vision, and more.

What Causes Dry Eyes?

In order to know how to help you fix your dry eyes, we first need to figure out what’s causing them in the first place. Producing an inadequate amount of tears is the more common strain of this syndrome and may develop from a variety of environmental and medical conditions, including gender, age, medications, over exposure to smoke or wind, or particular medical conditions.​ 

  • You don’t produce enough basal tears: Otherwise known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca  a reduction in tear production is a fairly common and normal consequence of aging.
  • Your tears are evaporating too quickly: Or in other words, you produce enough tears, but they don’t stick around as long as they need to.
  • Your tears are of poor quality:  Many people think that tears are just water, but they’re actually a complex, layered mix of oil, water, and mucus. In order to do their job correctly, basal tears need all three layers in the correct proportion. If the composition is out of balan — for example, due to blocked oil glands—the tears have a harder time keeping your eyes adequately lubricated.

How Can Tucson Eye Institute Help?

Stop in and see Dr. Z at the Eye Institute. We do a lot more than just routine eye examsand updating your prescription. We love to help patients by treating their acute eye conditions like dry eye! 

When patients come into our practice with vision problems in Tucson we are able to thoroughly diagnose the source of the problem and provide many type’s of eye treatments. The symptoms of dry eye can be varied. Your eyes may be itchy, red, and irritated. Or, you may be experiencing problems with blurred vision. Dry eye can be caused by many different factors, including something as simple as seasonal allergies.  

Obviously, the best treatment will depend on the cause. Some options include: 

  • Stop smoking, limit caffeine intake, keep hydrated with drinking water throughout the day. 
  • Using a humidifier at home or work, avoiding wind and dust, and trying to blink more frequently when reading or focusing for an extended period of time may reduce the effects of dry eyes. 
  • Instilling the drops several times a day or as needed can help people who have mild dryness. Lubricating ointments are also available and can be applied to the eyes at night to help maintain moisture during sleep.  
  • Omega 3 fatty acids support proper tear secretion and tear film health. 

Get Help Today!

If you have any specific questions or concerns that you would like addressed, we hope you will not hesitate to contact us. You can reach us by giving us a call here at the office, or by sending us a message online. We look forward to working with you. To book an appointment with Tucson Eye Institute, please give our office a call at  (520) 585-5717.

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Monday - Friday
8:00AM - 5:00PM

 

By Appointment Only:

First Saturday of the month from 8:00AM - 2:00PM

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Tucson Eye Institute

7406 N. La Cholla Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85741

Phone: 520.585.5717

Fax: 520.545.0201

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