Dry eye is a common condition that occurs when your eyes don't produce enough tears to keep your eyes adequately lubricated. It also occurs if the tears that you produce are of poor quality, and evaporate before they can lubricate your eyes. Fortunately, this is a condition that can be treated by Boise Mountain Eyecare.

What Are the Causes Of Dry Eye?

Several issues can cause decreased tear production. These include:

• Age
• Certain medications list dry eye as a side effect. These include antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants, high blood pressure medication, acne medication, and birth control.
• Certain medical conditions cause dry eye such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, lupus, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Dry Eye Symptoms

The symptoms of dry eye can make you uncomfortable and can affect your vision. The symptoms include:

• Itchy eyes
• Red eyes
• Feeling like there is something in your eyes
• Blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Seeing halos around lights

How Is Dry Eye Treated?

The dry eye treatment that your eye doctor will choose would depend on the severity of your condition. These include:

• Artificial tears: Artificial tears are commonly used mild to moderate dry eye. Every few hours, you would put the artificial tears in your eyes to keep them lubricated.
• Tear-stimulating drugs: Your eye doctor may prescribe a drug called cholinergic, which are designed to help your eyes produce more natural tears. These drugs come in pill form, gel form, or eyedrops.
• Punctal plugs: Punctal plugs are designed to close off your tear ducts, to prevent tear loss. The plugs are tiny, and they are made of silicone. These plugs are temporary and need to be replaced regularly. If you have success with the punctal plugs, your optometrist may use a more permanent solution called thermal cautery.
• Thermal cautery: This is a procedure that closes off your tear ducts permanently, using heat.
• Daily contact lenses: Daily contact lenses are made of mostly water. They can help keep your eyes moist if you have mild to moderate dry eye.
• Scleral contact lenses: Scleral contact lenses differ from traditional contacts in that they don't sit on the cornea. Instead, they sit on the white of your eye, and they vault over the cornea. These lenses can trap the moisture in your eyes, which will keep them from drying out.
• Intense-pulsed light therapy: This is a technique that uses pulsed light therapy, followed by eyelid massage. This treatment is often used to treat severe dry eye.

If you are experiencing the symptoms of dry eye, schedule an appointment with Boise Mountain Eyecare. Our optometrist serving Boise and Meridian can diagnose your condition and determine the severity. We will use this information to create the best treatment plan possible. Proper eye care from our eye doctor is the best way to treat your symptoms. To schedule an appointment, give us a call today.