What Is Dry Eye Syndrome? (DES)
A dry eye evaluation is routinely included in your annual eye exam, where Dr. Yesnick examines the front of your eye can easily determine if you have dry eye and how severe it is. A dry eye evaluation consists of the front of your eye’s health, including the volume and quality of your tears and health of your eyelids.
Dry eye syndrome occurs when tear production and drainage are not in balance. People with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears or their tears are of poor quality. The result? Unpleasant symptoms, including itching, burning, redness, watery eyes, excessive tearing—and even eye pain. Dry eye syndrome can also increase your risk for more serious eye problems like corneal ulcers. Without treatment or proper medication, DES can worsen over time.
Depending on the severity of your dry eye, treatments can be as simple as consistent use of over-the-counter products, or comfortable in-office treatments.
Some in-office dry eye treatments or procedures are covered by insurance. Each dry eye treatment depends on which medical insurance you have. Insurance does not cover over-the-counter products to treat dry eye, which are very reasonably priced.
For a patient with advanced dry eye symptoms, we can escalate both in-office and at-home treatments until we find what works.
The vast majority of Las Vegas patients will benefit from our simple dry eye workup, as the extreme desert dry air affects everyone. Additionally, contact lens users, post-operative eyes, and patients taking medicine eyedrops also are good candidates.
What Causes Dry Eyes?
While over 80% of dry eye cases are due to blocked oil glands in the eyelids — a condition called meibomian gland dysfunction or evaporative dry eye — other factors can also cause this syndrome. These include:
Gender – the majority of dry eye sufferers are women. This tends to be caused by hormonal changes, whether through the use of contraceptives, pregnancy or menopause.
Age – there’s a higher prevalence of DES in those over 50 years of age
Environment – dry wind, dry air and dry climates can evaporate the tears. Home and car heaters, air conditioners, fans and hair dryers also cause tears to evaporate.
Medication – these include antidepressants, decongestants and blood pressure medications.
Auto-immune disorders – Sjogren’s disease and arthritis, among others.
How Do I Know If I Have Dry Eye Syndrome?
Do any of these symptoms seem familiar?
- Gritty, itchy, or stinging eyes
- Excessive tearing and discharge
- Eyes that feel tired or dry
- Increased light sensitivity
- Regularly using eye drops
- Discomfort that worsens as the day progresses
If so, you may have dry eye syndrome. Take our dry eye quiz to find out!
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Lasting & Effective Dry Eye Treatment
Our dry eye treatment program is individualized to each patient according to the root cause.
We aim to restore or maintain the normal amount of tears in the eye to minimize dryness and discomfort. Book a consultation with one of our eye doctors, who can prescribe a customized treatment plan to keep your eyes healthy and comfortable all day, every day.
