Our Optometrists in Hot Springs Provide Dry Eye Management

Dry eyes can be more than just a temporary inconvenience. The syndrome known as dry eye may be caused by a number of situations that alter your tear consistency and volume, some of which may be chronic in nature or related to other health issues. This condition can leave you in constant discomfort and even have a detrimental effect on your eyesight until you seek help from a skilled optometrist in Hot Springs. Our practitioners at Holt Eye Clinic have the necessary expertise to provide successful dry eye management.

How (and Why) Dry Eyes Impact Your Quality of Life

The eyes are delicate organs that require regular protection and hydration. That’s why various glands produce a mix of water, mucin, and oils to form a substance known as the tear film. This film coats your eye with the mucin providing a nourishing underlayment, the water layer spreading out over the mucin layer to moisten the eye, and the outer oil layer preventing the water from evaporating. If these three ingredients are not present in sufficient quantity or the right balance, the result will be dry eyes that create symptoms as:

  • Redness
  • Irritation, including a gritty or “foreign object” sensation
  • Blurring of vision
  • Eye aching or fatigue
  • Abnormal light sensitivity

Dry eye is a common side effect of aging, which reduces tear production. But it can also be caused by certain autoimmune problems (such as Sjogren’s syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis), a windy environment, smoking, complications from eye surgery, medications, neurological conditions that affect eyelid function and blocked meibomian (oil-producing) glands in the eyelids. Long hours of computer use are another culprit; for some reason, the eyes simply don’t blink as frequently as usual when staring at a computer monitor.

Turn to Your Eye Care Team for Soothing Solutions

Whatever is causing your dry eye issue, you need to get it resolved — chronically dry eyes are vulnerable to infection, injury and even corneal damage. Your Hot Springs optometrists on our Holt Eye Clinic team will administer a detailed medical intake, ask you about your health history, medication regimen, habits and work environment to isolate your dry eye triggers. We can also evaluate the volume and consistency of your tear film to identify a possible glandular blockage or other problem. Your optometrist in Hot Springs can then create a personalized dry eye management program, which may include:

  • Treatments to restore meibomian gland function
  • Artificial tears or gel-based over-the-counter eye drops
  • Prescription eye drops that can enhance tear production
  • Punctal plugs to help the eyes retain moisture
  • Advice on getting related medical conditions treated
  • Environmental adjustments to reduce wind exposure
  • Changes in work habits so your eyes have more opportunities to blink

Ready to Schedule Dry Eye Treatment in Hot Springs?

If you’re ready to schedule dry eye treatment in Hot Springs, contact Holt Eye Clinic today. We’re your dry eye management experts!