Kingsway Eye Care is committed to providing you with healthy, clear and comfortable vision.
We understand your frustration with the limitations of traditional therapies, which is why we are proud to offer the Dry Eye Treatment Centre at Kingsway Eye Care Family Optometry. Our Personalized Treatment Plans are tailored to your unique condition and lifestyle with the ultimate goal of helping you manage your condition.
Dry Eye occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly, or when the tears are not of the correct consistency and evaporate too quickly.
Dry Eye is a long-term chronic disease that takes years to develop – and may worsen if left untreated. Dry Eye currently affects more than 100 million people.
If you’ve been suffering with this painful condition – or think you may have it – we can determine the cause of your symptoms and apply therapy appropriate to your specific needs that may make your daily discomfort a thing of the past.
If you suffer from any of these symptoms you may benefit from a visit to our Dry Eye clinic:
- Dryness
- Discomfort and irritation
- Grittiness or feeling of a foreign body in the eye
- Redness
- Tiredness
- Fluctuating Vision
- Sensitivity to light
There are two main forms of Dry Eye disease: Evaporative and Aqueous Deficient.
Evaporative Dry Eye
Evaporative Dry Eye accounts for 90% of all dry eye cases. It is caused by a condition called Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, where obstructions occur in the Meibomian Glands–located in your eyelids near your eyelashes. The Meibomian Glands are responsible for creating the Lipid (oil) Layer of tears. When the glands are not working as they should, the result is a lipid insufficiency in your tears. As consequence, your tears evaporate 4 to 16 times faster than individual’s without Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and your eyes feel irritated, tired, scratchy and uncomfortable.
Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye
Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye occurs when the Lacrimal Glands do not create a sufficient amount of aqueous (water) to keep the eyes moist; causing dry and irritated eyes.
What are some of the risk factors for Dry Eye?
Hormonal changes in women during Menopause
Eye lid hygiene
Environmental factors
Diet/Medications (e.g. anti-depressant drugs)
Cosmetic use
Previous eye surgeries (e.g. LASIK/PRK/Blepharoplasty)
Did you know that the average person blinks 10 to 17 times per minute? Depending on how long your workday is, that is a whopping 10,000 times per day! The number of blinks can vary depending on your emotional state and the visual tasks performed.
When reading or on the computer, our blink rate decreases dramatically by 2 to 4 times per minute. For this reason, many dry eye sufferers cannot tolerate extended reading or computer use. Our blink rate and tear quality therefore impacts our level of eye comfort and how well we see throughout the day.
The normal tear film is composed of three different layers, each secreted by three different glands:
Aqueous: The largest portion of the tear film is made up of a water-based element called the aqueous layer. Produced by the lacrimal gland located on the upper, outer portion of each eye, the aqueous layer supplies all of the moisture your eyes need to feel healthy and comfortable. Without any help, the aqueous layer would quickly evaporate off the eye or run off as tears.
Lipid Layer: Luckily, on top of the aqueous layer, forming the outermost layer of the tear film, you’ll typically find a layer of lipids. Formed by oil-secreting glands embedded along the edges of the upper and lower eyelids, the lipid layer seal in the aqueous layer and prevents the aqueous layer from evaporating too quickly.
Mucin Layer: Finally, below the aqueous, you’ll find a layer of proteins called mucins. Created by cells on the eyelids and on the surface of the eye, mucins coat the eye and allow the aqueous to “stick” to the otherwise water-repellent cornea. All three of these layers are necessary in creating tear film for moist, healthy eyes. If any layer becomes depleted, the tear film will be unable to properly coat your eyes, and your eyes will feel gritty and uncomfortable.
We will identify the root cause of your Dry Eye and create a personalized Dry Eye Treatment Plan.
At the Kingsway Eye Care, a careful and detailed tear film analysis is performed on each patient to determine whether the patient is suffering from lacking aqueous secretions (aqueous deficient) or meibomian secretions (lipid deficient). Once the type of Dry Eye is determined, Dr. Do will create a Personalized Dry Eye Treatment Plan. Since Dry Eye is multi-factorial and multi-faceted, a personalized approach for each patient is necessary. Treatment options may include:
1. Dry Eye Micro-Inserts (Punctal Plugs)
2. Nutritional Supplements
Choosing the right Omega-3 is just as important. Omega-3 that is rich in EPA and DHA (n their natural triglyceride form) will enhance your therapeutic outcome. If nutritional supplements are a part of your personalized Dry Eye treatment plan, a specific pharmaceutical dosing will be recommended by Dr. Do. Caution should be taken if you have any blood clotting disorders.
3. Artificial Tear Supplements
Depending on your dry eye condition, certain eye drops will work better than others. Preservative free eye drops are the best at relieving dry eye symptoms. Ask Dr. Do about the preservative free, Hylo Drops, as part of your personalized Dry Eye Treatment Plan. Hylo drop or gel is a unique preservative free, phosphate free drop specially formulated for patients who experience intense dry eyes following eye surgery. Hylo Drops are an excellent artificial tear supplement for casual dry eye sufferers.
4. Restasis (Cyclosporine)
5. Steroid-Based Drops
6. LipiFlow ™
Did you know that Dr. Do was one of first trained Optometrists in North America to treat Dry Eye using the breakthrough Lipiflow™ treatment?
How Dry Eye can negatively impact your vision – and your life
The symptoms of dry eye can be uncomfortable – and can be a big burden on your every day basic visual tasks. Everyday activities, such as reading, using a computer, driving or watching television may become difficult. Some sufferers of dry eye may even find wearing contact lenses to be impossible without serious discomfort.
And, you might find that symptoms worsen later in the day, keeping you from enjoying the activities you want to do. Underlying the considerable discomfort is a real physical condition that needs treatment to stop the cycle of dry eye deterioration and worsening symptoms.
Dry Eye is a chronic disease – and without proper management and intervention, the deterioration may look like the picture to the right: Dry Eyes with Fluorescein Dye.