Dry Eye Treatment in Libertyville, IL

Dry eye is a condition that can have a major impact on your quality of life. You may find your eyes get tired faster or you have difficulty reading. Not to mention the discomfort of a burning sensation or excessive tearing. Let’s take a look at dry eye treatments to help you see clearly and comfortably.

What is Dry Eye?

Understanding dry eye will help you determine the best treatment option. Dry eye occurs when there is an imbalance in the tear film to lubricate and nourish the eye. The tear film also reduces eye infections, washes away foreign matter, and keeps the eye’s surface smooth and clear. Many things can contribute to dry eye - inflammation, poor oil production, poor tear production, etc. It’s a common and often chronic problem, especially in older adults.

Dry Eye Treatments

There are several treatments available for dry eye. Your eye doctor can advise the best option for your situation.

Intense-Pulsed Light (IPL) – This in-office procedure delivers gentle pulses of light to the skin adjacent to the eyes to reduce inflammation and eliminate any bacterial infection.

iLux – This in-office procedure heats the eyelid to a therapeutic temperature of 41 degrees Celcius to melt trapped oil in the oil glands and unclogs them.
Zest – This treatment exfoliates the eyelids which help release oil from the oil glands.
Antibiotic drugs – Oral or topical antibiotics can help reduce inflammation along the eyelid which help release oil from the oil glands.
Anti-inflammatory drugs – These are eye drops to control inflammation on the surface of your eyes. Examples include Restasis, Xiidra, Cequa and corticosteroids.
Punctal Plugs – Dissolvable collagen or semi-permenant silicone plugs can be inserted into the tear ducts to keep more tears on the eyes.

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