Dry Eye & Ocular Surface Disease is Miserable, but we can help!
It takes years for your dry eye & ocular surface disease to develop.
So, initial treatment is over a course of @ least a few months. We want to help your body heal itself.
Most patients with burning, stinging or itchy eyes have tried 3-4 over-the-counter remedies before coming to see Dr. Bonds. Almost anything wet feels good. We seek long term relief via addressing the source of your eye irritation.
Dry eye patients complain of eyes that water excessively? This makes sense once you realize that reflex tearing is your body’s attempt to maintain good tear film integrity. Your reflex tear system is either all the way off, or wide open.
Our first goal is to reduce your ocular surface inflammation. Dr. Bonds prefers a whole body, natural approach when possible. Oral Omega 3 fish oils, soothing artificial tears & tear duct plugs help take advantage of your body’s ability to heal itself. Steroid eye drops are sometimes used short term to reduce serious ocular surface inflammation.
Most dry eye symptoms are caused by inflammation. Chronic eye inflammation is often caused by a chronic infection of your eye lid oil glands (meibomianitis). This chronic infection is now treated by a 4-12 week course of Azasite, and/or an oral antibiotics. Azasite is a once per day antibiotic, anti-inflammatory eye drop that helps clear many chronically dry eyes. Oral Doxycycline is also commonly prescribed for 60-180 days for rosacea.
Your treatment plan is based upon your particular symptoms & your unique physical findings.
#1) Warm wet lids – Via either a hot wash cloth, or a reusable hot pack, work to help clear blocked glands.
#2) Lid Expression – Use the tip of your finger to press on your lid margins to express goop.
#3) Eye lid hygiene – Wash your eye lids once, or twice, per week with baby shampoo, or special lid scrubs. Commercial lid scrubs are convenient and available OTC.
#4) Oral Omega 3 fish oils. There’s a huge difference among various fish oil supplements. Most stink if you cut them open! We’ll recommend a medical grade triglyceride form of Omega 3 that’s packaged in an FDA facility. You can order your medical grade Omega 3s & have them shipped directly to you. Daily cost is $0.25 to $0.75.
#5) OTC lubricant eye drops – Visine & Murine are OK, but there are FAR better alternatives. Dr. Bonds will prescribe a particular OTC eye drop based upon your eye’s tear dysfunction. Artificial tear drops are NOT the same. Each is designed to supplement one of your 3 tear layers. Some are fat soluble lipds. Others are saline + amino acids & other micro nutrients. Please follow Dr. Bonds’ prescription.
#5) Azasite – This once per day drop has enhanced treatment of chronic lid infection, watering & eye discomfort.
#6) Restasis – Helps you produce more & better tears. Dr. Bonds ordinarily prescribes Restasis initially, or after infections & inflammation has been controlled. The longer you use Restasis the better your eye health & comfort.
#7) Doxycycline & Z-pack oral antibiotics – are often used short term - primarily for their anti-inflammatory effects.
#8) Tear duct implants. Dr. Bonds ONLY does duct implants after your inflammatory component is well controlled.
Most ocular surface disease patients don’t need plugs. However, this inexpensive, painless & reversible procedure helps you retain your own tears, artificial tears & eye medication drops for prolonged periods. Tear duct implants support your body’s natural healing by trapping your own body’s tears in your eye for prolonged periods.
