Eye Philosophy Optometrists | Williamstown & Doncaster

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Dry Eye Therapy

Relieve discomfort, and restore moisture and clarity with our personalised dry eye therapy solutions.

What is Dry Eye?

Dry eye is an increasingly common condition that is caused by insufficient lubrication of the eye and/or unhealthy tears. There are many reasons to develop dry eyes, ranging from incomplete blinking, increased screentime, environmental conditions or can even stem from conditions such as rosacea, diabetes and allergies.

You may have seen your Optometrist or GP before regarding signs and symptoms such as:

  • Burning, stinging, or scratchy sensations.
  • A feeling of grittiness or ‘’foreign body’’ sensation in the eye.
  • Redness and irritation.
  • Blurred vision that often improves with blinking.
  • Tired or heavy eyes.
  • Sensitivity to light.
  • Difficulty wearing contact lenses due to discomfort/dryness.
  • Watery eyes – as counterintuitive as it is, over-production of tears is often a result of overly dry eyes.

These symptoms may not necessarily indicate the presence of dry eyes, but are symptoms that patients will typically present to us when they have dry eyes.

The Crucial Role of Your Tear Film & Meibomiam Gland Dysfunction

Healthy tears are compromised of more than just water – there are actually three distinct layers that contribute to your tears.

  1. Mucin Layer (Inner): Helps the tears stick to the surface of the eye.
  2. Aqueous Layer (Middle): The watery layer that hydrates and nourishes the eye.
  3. Lipid Layer (Outer): An oily layer that prevents the tears from evaporating – crucial to protect them and for a high quality tear film.

The most common cause of Dry Eye Disease is a problem with this oily lipid layer. This is known as Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). Among dry eye patients, over 85% have MGD. This is when the meibomian glands that produce the oil layer are blocked, inflamed or are no longer working.

As a result, not enough oil is released to protect the tears and they evaporate at a much faster rate than they should. This often leads to patients feeling the need to blink frequently and can cause many of the above symptoms to occur.

These images demonstrate imaging of the oil glands, and what a full, healthy amount of glands looks like compared to abnormal gland health, where a few are no longer visible on imaging.

It is important to note that MGD is not curable – It is a chronic and progressive condition. While significant improvement will occur with treatment and management of the condition, consistent monitoring and treatment is required.

Management of Dry Eyes at Eye Philosophy

Once we have performed a dry eye workup and assessed your condition, our optometrists will provide in-clinic treatments as well as several at-home routines to follow to treat your dry eyes.

In-clinic treatments currently involve the usage of Blephasteam, a unique, advanced therapy that is a significant step-up from home treatments such as warm compresses.

The primary goal of Blephasteam is to gently and effectively melt the hardened, waxy oils that are blocking your Meibomian glands. By creating a therapeutically warm temperature around the eyes, it helps melt the oils blocking the glands. This will help improve tear quality, lower tear evaporation and lead to improved visual and quality of life outcomes.

Blephasteam is usually done across three sessions, however many patients report significant improvements even after a single session. Depending on the severity of your dry eyes, we may recommend more treatments.

Blephasteam looks like a pair of goggles that will warm up the eyelid area to a therapeutically effective degree. It produces a comfortable, warm feeling that will allow you to close your eyes and relax for the 15 minute session.

+ Expression of Glands!

After the Blephasteam treatment, our optometrists will express some of the previously blocked oil glands to further facilitate the removal of the blockages. This involves the usages of forceps to squeeze the oils out. In unhealthy patients, this can often look like cheese!

The end result of blephasteam treatment along with an at-home routine can often completely change our patients quality of life – many who have suffered years of extreme dry eyes can now perform all their hobbies and tasks with no compromise, pain or discomfort. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Does gland expression hurt?

Our optometrists are experienced in expressing glands and providing the many treatments for dry eyes. When you first have your glands expressed, there may be some mild discomfort. However, the long-lasting relief that many of our patients feel after their sessions completely outweighs the mild discomfort that they felt for few brief moments.

Not all eyedrops are the same. Often, without the correct knowledge patients will purchase eyedrops that are not suitable for their personal dry eyes. If we had a one drop fix all problem, that would be great! But dry eye is an incredibly subjective and complex condition that cannot simply be managed with the occasional use of an over-the-counter eyedrop. They are great and even necessary additions to a dry eye routine, but are not the solution. Our Optometrists will recommend what drops they feel are suitable for you and the frequency of usage.

While mild, temporary dry eye caused by a specific environment (like a long flight) might resolve, dry eye is typically a chronic, progressive condition that requires intervention and maintenance. If you have been suffering from dry eyes for a period of time, it will unlikely ever go away and will most likely continue to worsen. 

We often recommend warm compresses, eyelid wipes and eyelid scrubs as the minimum for home treatments. It is crucial that you see one of our Optometrists who specialise in dry eyes to ensure that you are using the correct products. Misuse or using the wrong tools can result in ineffective treatment of your dry eyes.

Yes! In Australia it is common to have the heating and airconditioner on year-round, especially in an office environment. This can cause increased evaporation of your tears and contribute to the dry eyes. In the office, we recommend reminding yourself to take long, deep blinks whenever you take a break. If possible, a humidifier can make a world of difference.

Utilising omega-3 supplements can help reduce inflammation and help reduce symptoms of dry eyes. Our Optometrists stock specialist formulas designed more to target dry eyes compared to many over-the-counter supplements that you may find elsewhere.

Book Your Dry Eye Test & Therapy Today!

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