You Deserve Comfortable Vision

Itching, burning, red eyes are never welcome. Dry eye affects more than 4.88 million Americans and is often caused by environmental factors like low humidity, dust, wind, smoke, and pollen. This condition can also be caused by dermatological conditions like rosacea.

When your eyes aren’t producing high-quality tears, you may feel that your eyes are dry or overwatering. The overwatering is caused by low-quality tears that don’t stay in your eye.

Dry eye syndrome is one of the most common eye conditions, but it can be managed through proper treatment and care.

Our friendly optometrists want your eyes to feel their best. If you think you may have dry eyes, we offer dry eye treatment in Fort Myers. The first step is to come and talk to us about it.

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How Do I Know If I Have Dry Eyes?

Symptoms of dry eyes may include:

Stinging, burning, or scratchy sensation
Redness on and around the eye
Foreign object feeling
Poor night vision & sensitivity to light
Watery eyes or blurred vision
Eye Fatigue
Stringy mucous
Fluctuating vision

What Causes Dry Eyes?

Dry eyes can be caused by many different factors and often relate to tear film dysfunction, like decreased tear production or increased tear evaporation.

A high-quality tear is made up of 3 parts: aqueous (water), meibum oil, and mucous. These three ingredients should come together to create a tear that stays in your eye, lubricates your eye, and helps with clear vision.

If your eyes are too dry, you may be blinking a lot. The aqueous, oils, and mucous levels could be low, resulting in an uneven distribution of lubrication across your eye.

Common Causes of Decreased Tear Production

Aging is a common factor that contributes to dry eyes
Medical conditions including allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, thyroid disorders, vitamin deficiencies, and more
Medications including antihistamines, decongestants, hormone therapies, antidepressants, high blood pressure medication, birth control, and more
Prolonged contact lens use that prevents the proper flow of air to the eye
Laser eye surgery (typically temporary)

Common Causes of Increased Tear Evaporation

Meibomian gland dysfunction or posterior blepharitis
Blinking less often due to reading, driving, or using a computer screen for long periods
Have eyelid problems, such as lids turning outward or inward
Suffer from eye allergies
Using low-quality eye drops with preservatives
Wind, smoke, or dry air in your environment

Meibomian Gland Dysfunction & Blepharitis

Your meibomian glands secrete meibum oil into your eyes, which mixes with the water and mucous to create healthy lubricated eyes.

You have 60–80 meibomian glands in each eye. If they aren’t functioning properly, it can make your eyes feel scratchy and irritated.

The most common issue is clogged meibomian glands. When this happens, they aren’t able to secrete the oil into the eye as needed. If meibomian gland dysfunction continues, it can lead to inflammation along your eyelids called blepharitis.

Treating Dry Eye

If you feel like you have dry eyes, be sure to speak to your eye doctor about it. Our optometrists will be able to diagnose the cause of your symptoms and suggest ways to reduce them.

Some treatment options include:

Applying a warm compress to your eyelids twice per day
Using high-quality eye drops and artificial tears
Meibomian gland expression
Using mild soaps to keep your eyelids clean
Specific medical-quality Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Additional options may be available for people who experience chronic or severe dry eye symptoms.

You don’t have to live with red, itchy eyes. Talk to your optometrist about what options are available to you.

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See Us For Yourself

Find us on College Parkway between Winkler Road and Premiere Boulevard. We’re located east of the Cape Coral bridge. We serve Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Lehigh, and surrounding areas.