Dry eyes can be caused when we do not have enough tears lubricating our eye surface and can affect up to 50% of the population. If you are looking for a dedicated dry eye clinic, Abernethy Owens can help with innovative dry eye disease treatment.
Caused by an inadequacy in the complex tear layer on the surface of the eye, Dry Eye Disease results in symptoms including blurred vision, eye fatigue, sensitivity to bright light, gritty, watery, red eyes and discomfort with contact lens wear. More common in females rather than males and becomes more likely as people age, of the patients suffering from Dry Eye Disease, 86% have Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) as their main cause. This results due to blockage or disruption of the oil glands in the eyelids leading to poor quality secretions on the surface of the eye. With an inadequate protective lipid layer, Evaporative Dry Eye follows with symptoms including blurred vision and discomfort.
Your Optometrist can identify the cause of your dry eyes and provide advice on tailored treatments and targeted therapies to help relieve your symptoms. There are a number of tests that your Optometrist can perform to assess the type and severity of your Dry Eye Disease. They include:
Once your Optometrist has assessed and determined the underlying cause of your Dry Eye Disease, they will be able to formulate a tailored treatment plan for you which may include a combination of the following:
This system treats MGD by applying a combination of targeted heat and controlled, pulsating pressure to your eyelids over a 12-minute cycle. This removes blockages and build-up of the glands, allowing them to return to their normal function. The LipiFlow® activators are single-use, sterile devices that safely and comfortably deliver the treatment. Studies have shown that a single LipiFlow® treatment can provide up to 12-months relief from Dry Eye symptoms and improve comfortable contact lens wear time by an average of 4 hours.
The E>Eye is an IPL device that produces highly controlled, bright and short sequenced pulses of light. These pulses are precisely engineered to stimulate the Meibomian glands in order for them to return to their normal function. E>Eye IPL is best performed following expression of the Meibomian glands. For this reason, it is recommended to be used in conjunction with a LipiFlow® treatment.
The LipiFlow® system and E>Eye IPL treatment are both currently available at our Fremantle Practice.
If you suffer from dry eyes and have found yourself asking ‘can dry eye be cured naturally?’ or ‘what treatments are available to help my dry eye condition?’ get in touch with the team at Abernethy Owens today. With clinics in 5 convenient locations including Fremantle, Rockingham, Woodvale, Floreat, Kardinya, our team is here to help with dry eye assessments and solutions tailored to your needs. Dry Eye treatments are performed in our Fremantle practice. Book online now.