Dry Eyes Specialist
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Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts
Ophthalmologists, Eye Surgeons, and Optometrists located in Bellmore, Great Neck, Huntington and Little Neck, New York
Dry eye can feel like a nuisance, but it can also damage your eyes and cause vision problems when left untreated. At Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts, the skilled optometrists and ophthalmology team diagnose and treat dry eye to give you a better quality of life. Call the office nearest you in Bellmore, Great Neck, Huntington, or Little Neck, New York, today for an appointment or book one online.
Dry Eyes Q & A
What is dry eye?
As the name implies, dry eye is a condition that causes your eyes to feel dry or irritated. This eye problem is commonly underdiagnosed and can occur when your eyes lack the moisture needed to function correctly. Common symptoms of dry eye include:
- Itchiness
- Redness
- Pain
- Dry spots
- Eye irritation
- Watery eyes
- Weepy eyes
In addition to causing pain, dry eye can damage eye tissue and harm your vision. Treatment offers relief and helps prevent complications.
What causes dry eyes?
Common causes of dry eye include older age, past eye surgeries, eye injuries, and some medications. You can experience dry eye because your tear ducts don’t produce enough tears or because the tears aren’t chemically balanced. Risk factors for dry eye include excessive computer work and genetics.
How does my provider diagnose dry eye?
To diagnose dry eye and its cause, your eye doctor reviews your medical history and asks about your symptoms. They assess your vision and complete a comprehensive eye exam. Schedule an eye exam every year or more often if you regularly experience eye discomfort or dryness.
What are common dry eye treatments?
Common dry eye treatments your eye doctor could recommend include:
Lifestyle changes
A healthy lifestyle, including eating right, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting regular exercise, can improve your eye health. If you often work at a computer, take frequent eye breaks (look away from your screen) for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
Your eye doctor can show you blinking exercises to try. They could recommend that you increase the humidity in your home or at work whenever possible.
Artificial tears
Using artificial tears or moisturizing ointment can reduce the symptoms of dry eyes.
LipiFlow®
LipiFlow is a treatment developed by TearScience® in Morrisville, North Carolina, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision. It’s a safe, effective, cutting-edge approach to reducing dry eye symptoms.
The procedure applies heat and gentle massage to your inner and outer eyelids to remove blockages and restore moisture production. The procedure usually lasts less than an hour and can reverse meibomian gland dysfunction.
The meibomian gland produces an oil that is a necessary part of your tears. The oil keeps the water part of your tears from evaporating too quickly.
Surgery
Minor surgeries, including plug insertion and eyelid surgery, can be an option if other dry eye treatments fail.
Don’t live with unpleasant symptoms of dry eye when simple solutions can offer you relief. Call the Long Island Ophthalmic Concepts office today for an appointment or book one online.
