It might seem counterintuitive, but excessive tearing can actually be a sign of dry eye syndrome. When your eyes are too dry, they can become irritated, triggering an overproduction of reflex tears. However, these tears are often poor in quality and don’t provide the long-lasting moisture your eyes need.
Understanding Dry Eye Syndrome
Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or when the tears evaporate too quickly, leading to discomfort and potential vision issues. Common symptoms include redness, stinging or burning sensations, excessive tearing, stringy mucus near the eye, and blurry vision.
Advanced Diagnostic Tools at Crystal Vision Clinic
At Crystal Vision Clinic, we utilize advanced technology to diagnose and manage dry eye syndrome effectively. Our diagnostic arsenal includes:
- Oculus Keratograph 5M: This corneal topographer assesses corneal curvature and evaluates the meibomian glands, tear breakup time, tear volume, and the lipid layer of your eye. It enables automated tear breakup time measurement and detailed meibography.
- Fluorescein corneal staining: This is a quick and painless diagnostic test used to check the surface of your eye—specifically the cornea, which is the clear front layer of your eye. The dye spreads across the surface of your eye and highlights any dry spots, damage, or irregularities.
- InflammaDry: This rapid test detects elevated levels of MMP-9, an inflammatory marker consistently found in the tears of individuals with dry eye disease, providing another indicator for diagnosis.
Personalized Dry Eye Treatments
Based on the diagnostic results, we offer a range of personalized treatments to alleviate dry eye symptoms and restore ocular comfort. Our treatment options include:
- Artificial Tears and Lubricants: Over-the-counter artificial tears can provide immediate relief by supplementing natural tear production. For more severe cases, thicker gels or ointments may be recommended to keep the eyes lubricated longer. [Verywell Health]
- Prescription Eye Drops: Medications such as cyclosporine (Restasis, Cequa) or lifitegrast (Xiidra) can reduce inflammation and increase tear production in chronic dry eye sufferers.
- Eyelid hygiene: We offer several products to aid in eyelid hygiene, including Bruder Mask hot compress, We Love Eyes tea tree foaming cleanser and OCuSOFT Lid Scrub in either a cleansing foam or Pre-Moistened pads.
- Tyrvaya: A prescription nasal spray used to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Unlike traditional eye drops, Tyrvaya works by stimulating your body’s natural tear production through the nasal sensory pathways.
- Miebo: A prescription eye drop which targets the evaporative form of dry eye. It works by forming a thin, protective layer over the tear film to reduce tear evaporation and help maintain stable moisture on the eye’s surface.
- Meibomian Gland Expression: For patients with meibomian gland dysfunction, we offer in-office treatments to unblock and express the glands, improving the quality of the tear film and reducing symptoms.
If you’re experiencing excessive tearing or symptoms associated with dry eye, our dry eye evaluation at Crystal Vision Clinic can help determine the underlying cause. Using Keratograph imaging and InflammaDry testing, we can assess the health of your tear film and recommend the best treatment to restore balance to your eyes.
Give us a call at 763-537-3213 to book an appointment today to find relief!
