Dry Eye Therapy
What is Dry Eye or ‘Ocular Surface’ Disease?
|
Ocular surface disease is when tear film instability causes damage to the surface of our eyes leading to discomfort and vision changes. Our tears are made of 3 layers.
The outermost lipid or oil layer stops the tears from evaporating off our eyes. It is squeezed into our tears from Meibomian glands when we blink. Most often OSD results from an unstable tear film due to a thinning of the oil layer as a result of blinking less when concentrating on screens. OSD is a chronic and progressive condition similar to tooth decay and that is why optometrists now recommend daily care of your eyelids, just like we care for our teeth! |
Home Treatments
Eye Drops
Look for preservative free products with hyaluronate and use them 4 times per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime) or as needed according to doctor instructions. Please note that eye drops only provide short term relief. This is why heat masks and omegas are now the treatment of choice to treat OSD from within.
Look for preservative free products with hyaluronate and use them 4 times per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime) or as needed according to doctor instructions. Please note that eye drops only provide short term relief. This is why heat masks and omegas are now the treatment of choice to treat OSD from within.
Heat Masks
Oil flows better when it’s warm so heat masks are recommended to keep the oil glands in our eyelids flowing. Science has shown that 10 minutes of heat are required to be therapeutic.
Blurry vision is normal after using the heat mask and this is a positive indicator that the therapy is working. Afterwards, gently massage your lids with your fingers using small circular motions.
Oil flows better when it’s warm so heat masks are recommended to keep the oil glands in our eyelids flowing. Science has shown that 10 minutes of heat are required to be therapeutic.
Blurry vision is normal after using the heat mask and this is a positive indicator that the therapy is working. Afterwards, gently massage your lids with your fingers using small circular motions.
Omega 3
Our meibomian glands need omega 3 to make healthy oil in our tears, but most North American diets are heavier in omega 6. When they don’t have enough omega 3, our meibomian glands substitute omega 6 which thickens the oil in them and plugs up our glands.
Science has shown that 2-3g of oral omega 3 supplements per day improve ocular surface disease by improving the lipid layer of our tears after 6-8 weeks of use.
It is important to choose a brand that is bioavailable (re-esterified). Often manufacturers do not convert omega 3 back into its natural form after removing the toxins such that our body cannot recognize and use it to our benefit.
Our meibomian glands need omega 3 to make healthy oil in our tears, but most North American diets are heavier in omega 6. When they don’t have enough omega 3, our meibomian glands substitute omega 6 which thickens the oil in them and plugs up our glands.
Science has shown that 2-3g of oral omega 3 supplements per day improve ocular surface disease by improving the lipid layer of our tears after 6-8 weeks of use.
It is important to choose a brand that is bioavailable (re-esterified). Often manufacturers do not convert omega 3 back into its natural form after removing the toxins such that our body cannot recognize and use it to our benefit.
