February 11, 2021

Do you have dry eye?

Certainly, many people have significant symptoms and know they have dry eye. But many others are not aware that they have dry eye. Dry eye disease slowly changes you and your eyes. Many people put off or downplay their symptoms blaming things like excessive computer use or age, but no matter the cause, dry eye disease is now treated more effectively than ever before.

I counted all the tools in my toolbox for treating dry eye disease in 2021 and I came up with 39. All these treatments are beyond just prescribing moisture drops; these treatments get to the root of the problem and begin to reverse the physical changes related to dry eye disease.

The average patient has had dry eye disease for around five years before I see them, so our customized treatment plans will afford change, but it won’t happen overnight. It is a marathon of sorts not a sprint. It takes work on my part and the patient’s part, but with compliance comes healing. Studies show that with the proper treatment and compliance for their home care, 93% of patients will have improvement in their symptoms.

So, do you have dry eye?

Here is a short questionnaire we use in our office to determine if a patient has functional dry eye. If your score is greater than 8 you may have dry eye disease.