Intial treatment should be artificial tears. You may wish to refer to our dry eye site above .
Start with refresh tears or liquigel 4x day. If you have significant dry eye symptoms, you need to use the drops REGULARLY.
Do not wait for your symptoms before using the drops.
If this does not work , use Systane Ultra 4x day
and add Systane Gel at bedtime.
If you are still having trouble, you can consider a punctal occlusion.
Tears are made in your tear glands and leave the eye via the drainage canals in your lower and upper lids. Most tears leave via the lower lid and approx 30% through the upper. Under local anesthesia , it is relatively easy to block the upper drains intially. The procedure takes about 10 seconds. If you are still having a lot of dry eye symptoms, the lower lids drains can then be closed.
Should this fail, you can try Restasis. This modifies your ability to make tears. It is not covered by OHIP but private plans cover it. It will run about $70 monthly. Another site to look up is http://dryeyedisease.ca/
Start with refresh tears or liquigel 4x day. If you have significant dry eye symptoms, you need to use the drops REGULARLY.
Do not wait for your symptoms before using the drops.
If this does not work , use Systane Ultra 4x day
and add Systane Gel at bedtime.
If you are still having trouble, you can consider a punctal occlusion.
Tears are made in your tear glands and leave the eye via the drainage canals in your lower and upper lids. Most tears leave via the lower lid and approx 30% through the upper. Under local anesthesia , it is relatively easy to block the upper drains intially. The procedure takes about 10 seconds. If you are still having a lot of dry eye symptoms, the lower lids drains can then be closed.
Should this fail, you can try Restasis. This modifies your ability to make tears. It is not covered by OHIP but private plans cover it. It will run about $70 monthly. Another site to look up is http://dryeyedisease.ca/
There are also special glasses with foam pads to stop your eyes from drying out. They are available from Rick at our office
As a last resort , We can make tears from your blood plasma if nothing else works. There is a lot more information on my website dedicated to rosacea and dry eye problems rosaceaeye.com