Dry Eye Treatment

Treating & Managing Dry Eye

Dry eye treatments focus on replenishing or preserving the tear film (the eye’s moisture layer). The goal is to help soothe symptoms and promote eye health. The right approach can vary depending on the type of dry eye and individual factors, from your environment to your health.

There are 4 main ways to manage dry eye:

Adding tears
Conserving tears
Increasing tear production
Treating eyelid or surface inflammation

We can develop a personalized dry eye strategy to focus on management methods that work best for you.

Eye Drops

Artificial tears are eye drops formulated to mimic the natural lubrication of tears, providing relief for dry eyes. They typically contain ingredients like saline, lubricants, and electrolytes to soothe and hydrate the eyes. Prescription drops like Restasis and Xiidra, on the other hand, are designed to treat chronic dry eye disease by reducing inflammation and increasing tear production. Restasis works by suppressing the immune system, while Xiidra targets inflammation directly. Another innovative option is Regener-Eyes, a novel regenerative medicine product that harnesses the power of stem cells to promote tissue repair and regeneration in the ocular surface. It offers a potential solution for patients with more severe or refractory dry eye conditions by stimulating the body’s natural healing processes. These various options provide patients with a range of choices for managing dry eyes, addressing both symptoms and underlying causes.

Nutritional Therapy

While your diet is essential for maintaining your overall health, key nutrients can help support eye health—and fight dry eye. We can help identify nutrient deficiencies and suggest dietary changes. We’ll work with you so you understand the eye care insights of your nutritional intake, from vitamin A to omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3s, in particular, have been clinically proven to reduce the risk of dry eye, control inflammation, and improve meibomian gland function (responsible for the oily layer of tears).

BlephEx

BlephEx is a non-invasive procedure focusing on exfoliating the eyelids to manage blepharitis and dry eye symptoms. Blepharitis is a disorder causing eyelid inflammation and dandruff-like scales, which can trap oil in the meibomian glands (tear glands in the eyelids).

The treatment uses a medical-grade micro-sponge to gently remove debris, bacteria, and irritants from the eyelids. The deeper clean promotes a healthier eyelid margin, helping to soothe inflammation and release oil to support longer-lasting moisture.

Punctal Plugs

Punctal plugs are small devices placed into the tear ducts (puncta) to keep the eyes moist for longer. The plugs prevent tears from draining, treating aqueous deficient dry eye (when too few tears are produced).

Temporary (dissolving) plugs are made of materials that are biocompatible and are naturally absorbed by the body. The temporary plugs are intended to last a few days or months. Semi-permanent plugs use medical-grade materials and can help with tear drainage for years before removal.

IPL

Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy is a non-invasive treatment using light to unclog blocked glands in the eyelids. The light generates heat to melt oil trapped in the glands and reduce inflammation. Improving oil flow helps alleviate dry eye symptoms, as an oily layer of tears helps moisture last longer.

We’re excited to share innovative solutions with our patients that can help with evaporative dry eye (poor tear quality). Learn more about what to expect with IPL treatment and our IPL technology.

Technology for Longer-Lasting Relief

Innovation has always played a big role in taking quality care to the next level. That’s why we’re thrilled to be introducing our patients to a modern dry eye solution with IPL. We know finding long-lasting relief is challenging. With IPL, many patients can experience improvement for months.

At Uptown Eyes, we’re dedicated to helping our patients achieve positive results. Our team is excited to support patients in regaining comfort through this innovative treatment.

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What Is IPL?

IPL delivers pulses of light to generate heat in the area surrounding the eyes. The heat seeps into meibomian glands (oil glands in the eyelids) to melt clogged oil, reduce excess bacteria, and decrease inflammation.

IPL can help alleviate dry eye by helping release oil (meibum). The oil is a component of tears that prevents moisture from evaporating too quickly.

What to Expect During IPL Treatment

To help prepare you for your appointment, we’ll discuss what to expect before, during, and after your appointment. While an overview can help answer a few frequently asked questions, our team is happy to go over details one-on-one with you. Getting comfortable is the goal of dry eye treatment, so we want to do everything we can to help you feel at ease during the process.

Before IPL Treatment

Before your treatment, we cover your eyes with a protective shield. The eyewear allows the light flashes to work on the area around the eyes but not affect your vision.

A water-based cooling gel is applied to the area around the eyes. The cooling gel has a dual function: it shields the skin from the light pulses and it helps transmit the light energy to the underlying tissue.

During IPL Treatment

An IPL treatment typically takes between 15 to 30 minutes to complete. During the procedure, the device delivers short pulses of light, which penetrate the outer skin layer and heat tissue beneath it. Patients may experience a warm, tingling or snapping sensation when the pulses reach the skin.

After IPL Treatment

After your treatment, we’ll remove any remaining cooling gel. As IPL is a non-invasive procedure, patients can return to normal activities immediately after the session. You can also apply makeup straight away.

The skin around the eyes may appear red or feel warm. Redness usually disappears within a few hours. Patients should protect the treated skin by wearing sunscreen and avoiding direct sunlight for a few days following your appointment.

How Often Should You Schedule IPL?

How often we recommend treatments depends on your individual needs. You may see results after 1 or 2 visits, but 4 treatments are common. IPL sessions may be performed 2–6 weeks apart, depending on the patient.

Our goal is to help you achieve longer-lasting results. We’ll evaluate your eye health and symptoms—discuss how you’re feeling—to determine an appropriate treatment schedule.

Book Now to See IPL Is Right for You

At Uptown Eyes, our dry eye focus is bringing relief and a smile to our patients’ faces. Eye comfort can significantly impact your vision and your wellbeing. We want to help you find a remedy that works. Book an appointment today so we can see if a solution like IPL may benefit you.

Visit Our Location

Find us in The Shoppes at Steele Crossing shopping center, located on the northeast corner at the intersection of Joyce Boulevard and Steele Boulevard. Our space is between Smitty’s Garage and Scott Frame and Art.