Comprehensive Care for Your Dry Eyes

Do you notice dry, gritty, stinging eyes, or even blurred vision or redness in your eyes? These can all be signs you’re living with dry eye disease, which affects millions of Canadians.

We take a thorough, personalized approach to dry eye treatment based on your symptoms and your lifestyle.

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What Is Dry Eye Disease?

In simple terms, dry eyes happen when your tears aren’t able to do their job of keeping your eyes lubricated. Typically, this is because you don’t have enough tears or they’re of low quality.

This lack of good tears leads to irritation and inflammation, resulting in eye discomfort.

What Causes Dry Eyes?

Dry eyes are a complex condition, and there can be more than one cause behind your symptoms. The most common cause is meibomian gland dysfunction, which is an issue with the meibum glands in your eyelids that supply your tear film’s lipid (oil) layer.

Other common contributors to dry eyes include:

Aging, as the eyes produce fewer tears after age 50
Hormone changes, including birth control use, menopause, pregnancy, and hormone replacement therapy
Eye allergies
Dry, smoky, or windy conditions
Wearing contacts
Past laser eye surgery

Diagnosing Dry Eyes

To find the likely causes of your dry eye symptoms, we’ll record your symptoms, conduct an eye exam, and perform some testing and observations using our state-of-the-art technology.

We perform a quantitative tear test with our I-Pen Tear Osmolarity device.

Our office has invested in an IDRA ocular surface analyzer to evaluate the composition of your tears and to look closely at your meibomian glands. This process is known as meibography and allows us to assess those glands. We want to make sure they are producing that all-important oil layer of your tear film. This helps us determine the type and severity of dry eye you might be experiencing.

Treatment for Dry Eyes

We believe in personalized eye care, and we’ll recommend a treatment plan for you designed to address the causes and symptoms of your dry eyes. Your plan may include one or more of the following approaches.

Intense Pulse Light (IPL) Therapy

The Lumenis M22 IPL is a intense pulse light (IPL) therapy we used to treat dry eye. IPL treatment reduces inflammation around the eyes with light energy. Inflammation is often the root cause of dry eye, particularly with ocular rosacea. This treatment is quick and personalized for each patient.

Radio Frequency Therapy

The Endymed Pure RF warms the meibomian glands with subdermal heat to free up any trapped oil or debris. The process helps to clear blockages and relieve dry eye. In addition to decreasing the symptoms of dry eye, the devices helps to tighten the skin, minimizing the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

Zocular Zest Lid Hygiene

Zocular Zest is an in office treatment to help with the effects of Blepharitis. The Zest treatment is a deep and gentle exfoliation and cleaning of the eyelids. An okra-based solution in combination with a micro-sponge applicator is used to gently cleanse the eyelids. Dirt, debris, and biofilm along the eyelid margin is removed to help reduce a common cause of dry eye.

iLux MGD Thermal Pulsation (In-Office)

Treatment with iLux can increase meibomian gland function by as much as 300%. The iLux applies gentle heat and pressure to your eyelids, softening and releasing the blocked oils needed for high-quality tears in just a 12-minute treatment.

BlephEx Eyelid Cleaning (In-Office)

For some people, an eyelid inflammation called blepharitis contributes to their dry eyes. BlephEx is a short, in-office eyelid cleaning procedure that removes excess bacteria from the area, relieving symptoms.

Omega-3 Supplements

A healthy diet is important for your eyes, and omega-3 fatty acids are part of that. Evidence suggests that omega-3s naturally found in fish may reduce inflammation that causes dry eyes while supporting tear production.

You can add omega-3s to your diet by eating coldwater fish like salmon, sardines, and herring or by taking a supplement. We carry omega-3s from I-Med Pharma and Nutrasea.

Eye Mask or Compress

Moist heat therapy from a compress or eye mask can be an effective complementary treatment for dry eyes. An eye mask like the I-Relief Therapy Eye Mask can stimulate meibum production as well as provide immediate relief of your discomfort.

Eyelid Hygiene

For those with blepharitis, keeping the eyelids clean is an important part of keeping your eyes more comfortable. We carry lid cleaning solutions and wipes to make this easier for you, including Blephaclean and I-Lid ‘n Lash.

Eye Drops & Ointments

Eye drops are one of the first defences against dry eye discomfort. We can recommend excellent over-the-counter drops to bring you relief throughout the day.

We may also prescribe medicated eye drops, depending on your symptoms.