Providing Comprehensive Care for Your Dry Eyes
If your eyes often feel dry, gritty, or like something’s stuck in them, you might be dealing with dry eye disease. This common condition affects how your eyes produce and maintain moisture, and many of us take it for granted until it starts impacting our daily comfort.
At Spectrum Eyecare & Eyewear, we know how frustrating dry eye can be. During your comprehensive eye exam, we’ll help with a thorough diagnosis and a range of proven, effective treatment options tailored to your needs.
Schedule an eye exam with us today.
Symptoms of Dry Eye
Dry eye can feel different for everyone. Some people notice a burning or stinging feeling, while others experience watery eyes or blurred vision that worsens as the day progresses.
You may also feel like you need to blink more often or take breaks from reading or working on the computer. Common symptoms include:
- Dryness or grittiness
- Watery eyes
- Blurred vision
- Redness or irritation
- Sensitivity to light
- The feeling of something in your eye
Types & Causes of Dry Eye
Dry eye is usually caused by an imbalance in your tear film. You need the right amount of tears, and they need to have the right balance of water, oils, and mucus to stay comfortable.
There are 2 types of dry eye. Aqueous-deficient dry eye is when your eyes don’t produce enough tears. Evaporative dry eye occurs when your tears evaporate too quickly.
Meibomian gland dysfunction is a common cause of dry eye. When the oil-producing glands that line your eyelids get blocked or stop working properly, your tears evaporate too quickly, and your eyes become dry, irritated, and inflamed.
What Makes Dry Eye Worse?
If you’re already prone to dry eye, there are things that can make it more noticeable on a daily basis, including:
- Wearing contacts
- Indoor heat or air conditioning
- Wind, smoke, or a dry environment
- Autoimmune conditions, like Sjögren’s syndrome
- Certain medications, like antidepressants or antihistamines
- Long hours of screen time, which reduces how often you blink
- Hormone changes, including birth control use, menopause, pregnancy, and hormone replacement therapy
During your comprehensive eye exam, we’ll discuss your lifestyle and environment to identify what might be making things worse.
How We Diagnose Dry Eye
Getting dry eye therapy right starts with an accurate diagnosis. We use different technologies to help pinpoint what’s causing your symptoms and how your tear film is functioning.
- Dyes & staining: We use special eye-safe dyes to check for inflammation or dry patches on the surface of your eyes.
- Automated tear breakup time (TBUT): Measures how quickly your tears evaporate, giving us insight into tear film stability.
- Subjective TBUT: A manual version of the automated TBUT, where we observe tear breakup patterns using a slit lamp.
- Meibography: Imaging that shows the structure of your meibomian glands, helping us detect blockages.
Treatments Tailored to You
We take a customized approach to dry eye therapy. What works for one person might not be right for another.
After identifying the cause of your symptoms and guiding you through the diagnostic stage, we’ll recommend a treatment plan designed around your eyes and lifestyle.
We may combine some of the following treatments:
OptiLIGHT by Lumenis is an FDA-approved intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment designed specifically for dry eye related to inflammation and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). It gently delivers pulses of light around the eyelids to help reduce inflammation, unclog oil glands, and improve tear film stability. It’s especially effective for dry eye related to rosacea or blepharitis.
Patients often notice improvements in both eye comfort and clarity. It’s quick, noninvasive, and typically part of a series of treatments.
TriLift is a non-surgical treatment that combines radio-frequency with Dynamic Muscle Stimulation to tone the delicate muscles around the eyes. As we age, the periorbital muscles can weaken, leading to lower lid laxity, reduced muscle tone, and impaired blinking.
This treatment works to activate and strengthen these muscles, helping to support better eyelid function while improving the overall appearance of the lower eyelids. By enhancing muscle activity, TriLift can help contribute to more complete blinking and improved tear distribution across the eye surface.
Zocular Zest is a gentle but powerful in-office eyelid cleaning treatment. It removes biofilm, debris, and bacteria that can build up along the lash line and contribute to dry eye and blepharitis.
The procedure uses an okra-based gel and a micro-sponge applicator to deeply clean and gently exfoliate the eyelids without irritation.
Celluma LLLT uses photobiomodulation to help reduce inflammation and support natural healing within the ocular surface and surrounding tissues.
This light-based therapy can help improve meibomian gland function and support tear quality, making it a helpful option for patients with chronic or recurring dry eye symptoms. It is noninvasive, comfortable, and can be included as part of a treatment plan.
Omega-3 fatty acids can support healthy tear production and can help reduce inflammation in the eyes. We’ll recommend quality supplements known to benefit eye health, sourced from trusted brands that meet clinical standards.
Adding omega-3s to your daily routine can enhance your body’s natural tear film and improve long-term comfort.
Warm compresses are an easy, at-home way to encourage oil flow from the meibomian glands. Regular use helps soften hardened oils and improve gland function.
We recommend consistent use of microwaveable, electric, or sleep masks as part of your daily dry eye care routine to support ongoing treatment.
Daily eyelid hygiene is an important part of managing dry eye, especially when blepharitis is present. We offer a range of products to help clean the eyelid margins gently and effectively.
Devices such as the BlinkJoy Eyelid Brush can help remove bacteria, debris, and buildup while supporting overall eyelid health and reducing inflammation.
Eyelid sprays offer a soothing and hydrating option for patients who find drops challenging to use. These sprays help stabilize the oil layer of the tear film and relieve inflammation around the eyelids.
They’re easy to apply just spray onto closed eyes and are especially helpful for people with sensitive eyes or those on the go.
Prescription and over-the-counter eye drops may be recommended when additional support is needed to control inflammation or improve tear quality.
We focus on preservative-free options and tailor recommendations to your specific symptoms, whether that includes redness, burning, irritation, or blurry vision.
Meibomian gland expression is an in-office procedure that gently applies pressure to the eyelids to clear blockages in the meibomian glands. It’s often done after warm compresses or heat-based treatments.
By manually expressing the glands, we help restore the flow of natural oils needed to keep your eyes properly lubricated. It’s a straightforward but effective way to improve comfort, especially for those with persistent meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) symptoms.
We offer eye-safe makeup and skincare options designed for sensitive eyes, including products from Twenty/Twenty Beauty and We Love Eyes.
These formulations help reduce irritation while still allowing you to wear and enjoy cosmetics comfortably.
Helping You Manage Your Dry Eye Symptoms
Dry, irritated eyes don’t have to be your new normal. We’re here with the care, tools, and support to make dry eye a thing of the past.
The skin around the eyes is delicate and often affected by dryness and environmental exposure. Ask about skincare recommendations, including EltaMD SPF products designed for sensitive skin. Additional skincare options are coming soon to further support the health of the skin around the eyes.
Don’t let dry eye slow you down—contact us to schedule your appointment today.
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Visit Our Fredericton Location
Fredericton
You can find us on the corner of Prospect and Hanwell, right across from Riverview Ford. While coming up Prospect, look out for the fun mural on the side of the building!
Hours
Address
- 550 Prospect Street
- Fredericton, NB E3B 6G9
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Visit Our Minto Location
Minto
Visit us at the corner of Logue Road and Queen Street (one street back from Main) on Mondays and Wednesdays. We have plenty of parking available.
Hours
Open Monday & Wednesday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Address
- 253 Logue Road
- Minto, NB E4B 3XR
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Our Locations
Spectrum Eyecare & Eyewear
Fredericton Location
- 550 Prospect Street
- Fredericton, NB E3B 6G9
Spectrum Eyecare & Eyewear
Minto Location
- 253 Logue Road
- Minto, NB E4B 3XR
