Dry Eye Therapy | La Mesa Optometry

Dry Eye Relief at La Mesa Optometry

Dry eye syndrome is a condition that can interfere with your comfort as well as your productivity. At La Mesa Optometry, we want to help you find relief from the effects of dry eyes through various diagnostic and treatment methods that address dry eye syndrome.

We aim to help you understand dry eye syndrome, its symptoms, and how it develops. Contact us to schedule an appointment and get relief from dry eyes today.

Book Appointment

A Closer Look at Dry Eyes

In today’s digital world, dry eyes can be more common than ever. Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes do not produce enough tears to stay lubricated or something has gone wrong with the tear production process.

Your tears are composed of 3 layers:

An oily outer layer
A watery middle layer
An inner mucus layer

Dry eyes can happen when the glands that produce these elements of your tears are not functioning properly or become inflamed.

This inflammation can also cause meibomian gland dysfunction. This process clogs the small glands in your eyelids that produce the oily layer of tears and cause instability in the tear film, leading to dry eyes.

Our Diagnostic Methods

Before exploring your treatment options, our team will diagnose your dry eye symptoms and get to the underlying cause of your dry eye issues.

Meibography

Meibography is a specialized imaging study of your eyes. This imaging tool examines the health of your meibomian gland function.

Meibography allows our team to observe the structure of your meibomian glands, helping us get a more thorough picture of your eye health.

Firefly Dry Eye Tool

The Firefly dry eye tool provides full-resolution clear images of your eye. This detailed imaging tool allows our team to get a detailed view of your meibomian glands and determine the underlying cause of your dry eye syndrome issues.

Our Dry Eye Treatment Methods

Following the diagnostic stage, our team will better understand how to help with your dry eye symptoms. At La Mesa Optometry, we offer a variety of treatment methods to help you find relief from dry eye syndrome.

Punctal Plugs

Punctal plugs are small devices that are inserted into your tear ducts to slow down how quickly your tears leave the surface of your eye.

Punctal plugs come in different sizes, so our team will measure the opening of your tear duct to get a comfortable fit.

There are 2 types of punctal plugs:

Temporary or dissolving—This type of plug is usually made out of collagen and naturally dissolves in a few days or months.
Semi-permanent—These plugs are made of medical plastics and designed to stay in your eyes long-term.

Restasis or Other Medicated Drops

RESTASIS eye drops are prescription drops that target the underlying cause of chronic dry eye by managing inflammation and increasing your eyes’ ability to produce tears, which can help prevent dry eye syndrome and help you find relief.

Nutrition & Supplements

Research on supplements for dry eyes is still developing, but taking various supplements and vitamins for healthier tears can help. Different vitamins and supplements you can use include:

Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12
Omega-3 fatty acids

Studies have shown omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of dry eye and soothe symptoms. Our doctors recommend EZ Tears, a dry eye supplement formulated with a high concentration of fish oil.

It’s important to consult your doctor before introducing new vitamins or supplements to your diet. Visit our eye nutrition page to learn more about eating for eye health.

Taking Dry Eyes Seriously

At La Mesa Optometry, we value your comfort. Dry eyes can be challenging to manage, and our doctors offer thorough dry eye diagnostic and management services to help you find relief.

Dry eye syndrome can put a dent in your productivity—schedule an appointment with us to help get over your dry eye symptoms today.

Book Appointment