An optometrist can diagnose dry eye during your routine eye exam and recommend the appropriate treatment. The treatment will depend on how severe your dry eye is and what is causing the symptoms.

You can develop dry eye from another medical condition or the medications you are taking. It could also result from environmental factors, like wind, dry air, dust, smoke, or air conditioners. Regardless of why you have dry eye, it helps to know when to see your eye doctor and get the care you need. Although dry eye can be a chronic illness, an optometrist can treat it. 

Dry Eye Symptoms

Dry eye can manifest in various ways, including:

• Itchiness, stinging, or burning sensations.
• Watery or teary eyes.
• Sensitivity to light.
• Blurred vision.
• Eyelid swelling and discomfort.
• If your eyes feel dry and irritated, call your eye doctor.

Diagnosis

Your optometrist will examine your dry eye symptoms and assess their severity. The examination will check whether your eyes are making enough quality tears. Some of the tests that optometrists use to diagnose dry eye include the following:

• Schirmer's Test: This test places a strip of paper on your eyelids to assess how much water you have in your tears and how far they can travel. You have dry eye if the tears cover a distance below 15 mm.
• LipiScan: This exam checks the health of the oil glands in your tear duct. It can show whether your oil glands are in good shape, weak, congested, or swollen.
• TearLab test: TearLab examines how salty your tears are. Tears that are too salty point to dry eye disease and can harm your eyes.
• Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) Assessment: TBUT measures the time it takes your tears to dry. When the tears dry too fast, they cannot moisturize and nourish the eyes, causing dry eye.
   

If the results from the assessment show that you have dry eye, your optometrist can suggest treatment options.

Treatment

Every person's treatment will differ based on their dry eye's causes, symptoms, and severity. Some of the most common treatments optometrists suggest include:

Increasing Tears

Mild dry eye cases can be treated by increasing tears using over-the-counter eye drops, also called artificial tears. Your optometrist may recommend chemical-free artificial tears to supplement the production of your natural tears.

Saving Tears

Your optometrist can block your tear ducts to save or conserve your tears. If your tears flow too fast out of your eyes, the optometrist can use gel-like pads to block the tear ducts. That way, your tears can linger in your eyes longer and ease dry eye symptoms.

Improving Tear Production

There are eye drops that can improve your tear production. Your optometrist may recommend omega-3 dietary supplements to help with the condition.

Reducing Inflammation

If inflammation on your eyelid is causing your dry eye, the optometrist may prescribe ointments, eye drops, or eyelid cleansers to reduce swelling. Your optometrist may also recommend warm compresses and eyelid massages to ease inflammation around your eyes. If you think you have dry eye, your optometrist needs to know. A comprehensive eye exam will help diagnose the condition and facilitate treatment to stop it from worsening.

For more on treating dry eye, visit Premier Eye Care at our office in Fort Worth, Texas. Call (817) 428-2020 to book an appointment today.