Dry Eye Treatment From Your St. Johnsbury, Montpelier and Lancaster Optometrist

Dry eye is just as uncomfortable as it sounds -- and quite possibly more serious as well. Chronic eye redness, irritation and other annoying symptoms don't just interfere with your daily comfort and visual acuity; they also indicate an underlying disorder or imbalance that can eventually lead to significant corneal damage if left unchecked. That's why you need to treat your case of dry eye as a medical condition requiring the services of a St. Johnsbury, Montpelier or Lancaster optometrist. Here at Shippee Family Eye Care, we can help you get your dry eye firmly under control.

Why You Might Need a Dry Eye Doctor

An isolated instance of dry eye can happen to practically anyone under the right circumstances, such as the short-term use of a medication that has a drying effect or an especially windy weekend in the great outdoors. But if you're experiencing the symptoms of dry eye on a constant or regular basis, it's time to seek the advice of a dry eye doctor. Those symptoms include:

• Aching, itching, burning or soreness in the eyes
• A gritty "foreign body" sensation, as if you've gotten something in your eye
• Eye fatigue
• Blurring of vision
• Abnormal light sensitivity (photophobia)
• Redness

It's important to understand that the eyes depend not only on a steady supply of tears but also on the right quality of tears. The tear film, which is renewed every time you blink, includes a mucous layer, a water layer, and an outer lipid (oil) layer. Without the correct balance of all three ingredients, or the right quantity of all of them, the eyes become dry. Age, underlying medical conditions, blockage of the oil-producing glands inside the eyelids, constant wind (or fan) exposure, and infrequent blinking due to long hours of computer use can all result in inadequate eye protection -- and over time, this can promote eye infections, damage from foreign bodies and even ulceration of the corneas.

Your Montpelier, Lancaster and St. Johnsbury Optometrist Can Help

Your Montpelier, Lancaster, and St. Johnsbury optometrist on our Shippee Family Eye Care team can provide the dry eye treatment you need. We'll analyze your tear production and tear film while asking you about your computer use, environment, medication use and medical history. Once we've isolated the cause, we can prescribe dry eye treatment options such as eye drops, medical treatment (or changes in treatment) from your primary care physician, and adjustments to your environment and work habits. If necessary, we can also recommend treatments to unblock your meibomian glands, which can re-balance your tear film and restore normal eye protection.

Contact Your St. Johnsbury, Lancaster and Montpelier Optometrist Today!

Take the logical first step toward ridding yourself of dry symptoms and optimizing your ocular well-being. Call Shippee Family Eye Care at any of our three offices to set up an appointment with your St. Johnsbury, Lancaster and Montpelier optometrist!

What to do About Dry Eye Syndrome: An Optometry FAQ

From the winter wind to an eye infection, that irritating dry feeling in the eyes can affect anyone at any time. How do you know when it's a good idea to have your eyes checked by an optometrist for dry eye syndrome? How do you even know when it's dry eye syndrome? We've developed an FAQ of common questions about "dry eye" for our patients in the St. Johnsbury, Montpelier, and Lancaster areas for convenient reference.

Q: Why are my eyes so dry?

A: If your eyes are constantly burning, dry feeling, aching or fatigued, you may have dry eye syndrome.

This common eye condition surfaces when there is a chronic lack of lubrication in the eyes, which may result in burning, itchy, red or heavy feeling eyes. Blurred vision and light sensitivity may also be symptoms.

Q: What conditions can cause dry eye? Are they serious?

A: Dry eye is caused by many factors. Sometimes, it's from a more serious condition.

Human tears are made from water, oil, and mucus, and they're all produced by different glands in the eye. The root cause of dry eye happens when any of these glands don't produce enough of one or more of the key tear ingredients. Anything from long periods of computer screen use to outdoor weather to medication side effects can aggravate dry eye, but sometimes dry eye may develop from a more serious condition like diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis. Dry eye syndrome may scratch the eyes and cause permanent damage if left untreated, so it's important to address it right away.

Q: Can a regular eye exam detect dry eye symptoms?

A: Yes!

In fact, an optometry eye exam may be the only way to tell if you have dry eye syndrome and what the root cause of it is. Dry eye symptoms are tricky to detect on their own. 

Q: What can be done about dry eyes? 

A: It depends on what your optometrist prescribes.

Since dry eye syndrome can be caused by many things, your eye doctor will determine what the best treatment is accordingly. For example, if the dry eye is caused by frequently wearing contact lenses, you may be prescribed to wear glasses instead. 

Your Optometrist Partners in Dry Eye Care Can Help

If you have more questions about dry eye syndrome, feel free to contact the optometry specialists at Shippee Family Eye Care today! Our offices are conveniently located in Lancaster, St. Johnsbury, and Montpelier and we provide a wide variety of family eye care services from eye exams to prescription glasses to therapy treatments for many eye conditions. We appreciate your business!