Dry Eye Treatment | Fayetteville | Uptown Eyes Eyewear Gallery

Treating & Managing Dry Eye

Dry Eye, also referred to as Ocular Surface Disease (OSD), is caused by an instability of the tear film and ocular surface due to a variety of underlying factors. The cornea is your window to see the world, and we want to ensure that window is as clear as possible. OSD may cause symptoms such as dryness, discomfort, blurred or fluctuating vision, and more. Even when these symptoms aren’t perceived, leaving OSD untreated will result in further progression of the condition that can lead to irreversible damage and decreased vision. Our goal is to identify the root cause of your OSD and tailor a treatment plan that works for you and your eyes.

Dry eye management focuses on restoring moisture, conserving natural tears, supporting tear production, and addressing underlying inflammation—at the ocular surface and systemically—to provide lasting comfort and clear vision.We can develop a personalized dry eye strategy to focus on management methods that work best for YOU.

At-Home Therapies

There are a few dry eye treatments that you can try at home before beginning a more targeted regimen:

Warm Compresses: Applying a warm compress, such as the Oasis Heat Mask, for 10–15 minutes each day helps soften and liquefy the oils within the meibomian glands, allowing them to flow more freely into the tear film and improve its stability.

20/20/20 Rule: If you spend extended time on digital devices, take a 20-second break every 20 minutes by looking at something about 20 feet away and performing several full, intentional blinks. This simple habit helps reduce digital eye strain and supports healthier meibomian gland function over time.

Environmental Modifications: Adding a humidifier to your room—especially during the winter months—can help reduce tear film evaporation. Turning off ceiling fans at night and/or wearing a sleep mask can further support moisture retention and protect the ocular surface while you sleep.

Eyelid Hygiene: Support healthy meibomian gland function and tear film stability by using clean, eye-friendly makeup and avoiding eyeliner along the lid margin (the “waterline”), where it can block the glands. Use this link below to shop our recommended eye-safe cosmetic products.

Eye Drops

Thoughtfully selected eye drop therapies play an essential role in restoring comfort and supporting a healthy ocular surface.

Artificial tears offer immediate, soothing hydration for dry or irritated eyes. These over-the-counter drops replenish moisture and provide short-term relief, helping the eyes feel refreshed and comfortable throughout the day.

Prescription eye drops treat the ocular surface, prescribed depending on the type of dry eye that is present. There are many excellent options available—below is a brief overview of a few of them.

Restasis ® increases your eyes’ natural tear production, helping them produce healthier, more consistent tears over time.

Xiidra ® targets inflammation on the ocular surface that disrupts natural tear production. It helps improve tear quality and reduce dryness, burning, and irritation over time.
Miebo™ works by slowing tear evaporation, helping moisture stay on the eye longer.

XDemvy™ targets Demodex mites along the eyelids, reducing inflammation that can contribute to chronic dryness and ocular surface disease.

Regener-Eyes® is an advanced therapy that supports ocular surface healing by promoting tissue repair and regeneration.

We curate eye drop treatments based on your unique ocular needs, pairing symptom relief with targeted therapy to restore comfort, protect vision, and elevate overall eye health.

Nutritional Therapy

A well-balanced diet is foundational to overall wellness—and eye health is no exception. Adequate nutrition plays a powerful role in supporting tear quality, reducing inflammation, and managing dry eye from within.

Omega-3 fatty acids are among the most well-studied nutrients in dry eye care. They have been clinically proven to help calm inflammation, improve meibomian gland function, and support a more stable, comfortable tear film.

Blink Nutritears® is a targeted ocular nutraceutical formulated with lutein, zeaxanthin, curcumin, and vitamin D₃ to help calm inflammation, protect the ocular surface, and support a healthier, more stable tear film.

We help identify potential nutrient gaps and offer tailored dietary, lifestyle, and environmental recommendations. We are here to guide you in understanding how your nutritional choices can meaningfully support long-term eye comfort and visual clarity.

BlephEx

Blepharitis is a common condition that causes inflammation along the eyelid margins, often accompanied by dandruff-like buildup. This debris can clog the meibomian glands—essential oil-producing glands that are vital for maintaining a healthy, stable tear film.

BlephEx® is a gentle, in-office treatment that uses a medical-grade micro-sponge and foaming cleanser to exfoliate and cleanse the eyelid margins. By removing accumulated debris, bacteria, and biofilm, BlephEx® helps reduce inflammation, restore gland function, and support healthier, longer-lasting tears.

This targeted lid hygiene treatment is an effective way to reset the ocular surface and enhance comfort, clarity, and overall eye health.

Punctal Occlusion

Punctal plugs are small inserts placed in the tear drainage openings (puncta) to help your natural tears remain on the surface of the eye longer. By slowing tear drainage, they enhance lubrication and help relieve dryness, burning, and irritation.
Temporary dissolvable plugs are made from biocompatible materials and are gently absorbed by the body over time, typically lasting from several days to 6 months. These are often used to evaluate comfort and effectiveness.

Semi-permanent plugs are crafted from medical-grade materials and are designed to provide long-term tear retention. They can remain in place for years and may be removed if needed.

Punctal plugs offer a simple, minimally invasive way to preserve moisture and improve ocular comfort—especially for patients whose eyes produce tears but struggle to keep them on the surface.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

IPL uses gentle light therapy to reduce inflammation, improve oil gland function, and help your eyes produce healthier tears. Our OptiLIGHT (OPT™) technology uses precise, broad spectrum light to address inflammation and treat ocular rosacea – a key factor in ocular surface disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
Benefits
Comfortable in-office treatment
Improves the function of meibomian glands by targeting inflammatory blood vessels
Targets pigment, reducing the appearance of sun/age spots
Targets redness, reducing the appearance of facial rosacea
Kills Demodex mites that cause blepharitis

Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT)

LLLT is a non-invasive, photobiomodulation treatment approach. It utilizes red, blue and infrared lights to reduce inflammation, stimulate cellular repair, and support healing in ocular surface disease.

Benefits
– Provides internal heating of meibomian glands, stimulating natural flow of oil into tears and improving tear quality
– Reduces inflammation by increasing cell turnover
Kills Demodex mites that cause blepharitis
– Increased cell turnover promotes production of collagen and elastin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

We typically recommend combining IPL and LLLT to obtain the most optimal results. These treatments go straight to the source to target ocular inflammation to improve tear film quality, stability, and overall patient comfort.

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. Request an appointment today so we can see if a solution like IPL may benefit you.