Dry eye

Dry eye occurs when the eyes aren’t sufficiently moisturized, leading to itching, redness and pain from dry spots on the surface of the eye. The eyes may become dry and irritated because the tear glands don’t produce enough tears, or because the tears themselves have a chemical imbalance. Drs. Kalt and Katz can use tear osmolarity testing to help determine if your tears have any of these chemical imbalances. This allows them to better decide a course of action to treat your dry eye.

People usually begin experiencing dry eye symptoms as they age, but the condition can also result from certain medications, conditions or injuries.

Dry eye is not only painful, it can also damage the eye’s tissues and impair vision. Fortunately, many treatment options are available.

Non-surgical treatments for dry eye include blinking exercises, increasing humidity at home or work, and use of artificial tears or moisturizing ointment. There are also oral supplements that can help improve the quality of your tear film. If these methods fail, tear duct plugs may be inserted in the corners of the eyes to limit tear drainage, or our doctors may recommend treatment with Restasis®, a drug that has been proven to increase tear production in many patients. Eyelid surgery may also be a solution if an eyelid condition is causing your dry eyes.