Dry eye disease (DED) is a condition of the tears and ocular surface that results in discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability. It is one of the most common reasons for visits to ophthalmologists and optometrists. DED affects people of all ages and can lead to serious complications, including blindness. Thus, many advanced therapies have been introduced for severe dry eye disease treatment.
Table of Contents
What Are The Most Common Symptoms Of Dry Eye Disease?
Dry eye disease is a condition that affects the eyes and can cause various symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- A feeling of dryness in the eyes
- Tired eyes
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Burning or itching eyes
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to see your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment.
What Are The Health Conditions That Can Cause Severe Dry Eye:
Dry eye is a condition that various health conditions can cause. However, the most common health conditions leading to severe dry eye are diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjogren’s syndrome.
Each of these health conditions can cause damage to the tear film or the meibomian glands. The tear film keeps the eyes moist, and the meibomian glands produce the oily part of tears that helps keep the eyes lubricated. When either of these components is damaged, it can lead to dry eye symptoms.
Various advanced therapies can help reduce dry eyes symptoms. Some of these are:
Medication Adjustments:
Many different advanced dry eye therapies can help improve the condition. One of these is medication adjustments. This involves changing the medications that a patient is taking to better control their dry eye symptoms.
Making medication adjustments is a complex process and should only be done by a healthcare professional who has experience treating dry eye syndrome.
Prescription eye Drops:
Most people with dry eye syndrome have meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). MGD is the main cause of evaporative dry eye. Therefore, prescription eye drops are one of the advanced dry eye therapies.
There are many different types of prescription eye drops. Some are used to lubricate the eyes, while others reduce inflammation. In addition, some eye drops contain a hormone called prostaglandin. Prostaglandin helps to keep the meibomian glands open.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS):
NSAIDs are one of the advanced dry eye therapies. They are a group of drugs that includes ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin. NSAIDs are used to relieve pain and inflammation.
NSAIDs come in many different forms, including tablets, capsules, liquids, and gels. They can be taken with or without food.
Steroid Eye Drops:
Steroid eye drops are one of the advanced dry eye therapies. They are used to treat moderate to severe cases of dry eye. Steroid eye drops work by decreasing inflammation in the eyes. They are available as prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Autologous Serum Eye Drops:
There are a variety of treatments available for dry eye, but one of the most advanced therapies is autologous serum eye drops.
Autologous serum eye drops are made from a patient’s blood. The blood is centrifuged to isolate the serum, then diluted and used as an eye drop. Autologous serum eye drops effectively treat dry eyes because they contain many growth factors and cytokines.
Specialty Contact Lenses:
Specialty contact lenses are one of the advanced dry eye therapies available today. These lenses help to improve the quality of life for people with dry eye syndrome by providing them with relief from the symptoms of this condition.
Intense Pulse Light (Ipl) Therapy:
Intense pulse light (IPL) therapy is one of the advanced dry eye therapies. It is a non-invasive and painless procedure that uses light to target and destroy the oil glands in the eyelid. IPL therapy is a quick and easy way to improve dry eye symptoms, and it only requires a few severe dry eye disease treatment procedures to see results.