Relief for Dry Eye Irritation is Here
It may seem like a simple, quick fix: your eyes are dry and irritated so you run to the store to purchase artificial tears, ointments or other over-the-counter eye drops. While these can soothe your eyes and give temporary relief, they may only work for an hour or two. If you find that you are needing to repeat the drops and purchase them often, we recommend coming in for a dry eye evaluation so we can recommend the right dry eye treatment in Grand Rapids or Hibbing at Bonner Eye Clinic for your unique problem.
Explore our dry eye testing methods.
Many people are surprised to learn that there are different types of dry eye, requiring different treatments.
- Evaporative Dry Eye (most common): the eyelid glands (meibomian glands) become blocked, leading to a shortage of oil on the surface of the tears and quick tear evaporation
- Aqueous Tear-Deficient Dry Eye: lacrimal eye glands do not produce enough tears due to aging or disease
The Secret of Our Dry Eye Treatment Success
We take time to assess your eyes! Depending on the root cause of your condition, our doctors may recommend:
- Punctal plugs: tiny silicone or collagen devices inserted into the tear drainage ducts to prevent tears from draining from your eyes.
- iLux®: for patients with evaporative dry eye, this quick treatment involves applying precisely-controlled heat using an LED light and compression to the eyelids to melt blockages in the meibomian glands. Our team continually monitors the heat and pressure levels – and the results of the procedure – throughout the process.
- RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion: for chronic dry eye, these prescription eye drops help your eyes produce their own tears naturally. Expect to start experiencing relief in about one month with full effects in about six months. The drops are taken two times a day.
- Xiidra®: if your dry eye is caused by inflammation of the surface of your eye, these prescription eye drops are very effective.The drops are taken two times a day.
- OPTASE®: this 3-step regimen is designed to keep your eyes clean and comfortable with products to heat, cleanse and hydrate your eyes. OPTASE may be recommended if you have blepharitis or Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). Products include eye drops, night treatment, moist heat mask to promote the free flow of oils in your tear film, eye spray to sooth irritated eyes/eyelids and cleansing gel and lid wipes for daily lid hygiene.
There is no need to suffer with dry eye irritation in Grand Rapids or Hibbing. Let our doctors help you find relief!
Treatment for Blocked Tear Ducts
Dr. Grant Carlisle performs a variety of tear duct procedures:
- Nasolacrimal duct (NLD) obstruction: probe and intubation to clear a blockage of the lacrimal drainage system.
- Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR): this surgery creates a new path for tears to flow freely from the eyes. It can be performed externally through an incision on the skin or endoscopically through the nose.
- Jones tube: a thin tube inserted to treat a severely blocked tear duct or damaged lacrimal system.
We’d Love to Tell You More About Dry Eye
We invite you to schedule an eye exam so we can assess your vision for signs of dry eye so treatment can be administered. During your visit to our practice, you will learn why so many people trust our team to provide dry eye relief.
