Call Today: (413) 782-0030

Archive for category: Dry Eye

You are here: Home / Dry Eye
woman putting eye drop into eye, dry eye, dry eye syndrome, dry eye treatment, dry eye treatment Springfield MA

Why are my eyes so dry?

/in /by

Do your eyes feel dry after looking at a computer screen for several hours or when you’re sitting in an air-conditioned room? If you are experiencing a stinging or burning in your eyes, you may have dry eye. It’s a common condition and treatment is available to help you be more comfortable and prevent dry eyes from getting worse. Read on to learn more about dry eye disease and what you can do about it.

What is dry eye?

Dry eye disease occurs when the healthy tear film of your eyes is compromised. There are three layers in the tear film – an oily layer, watery layer and mucus layer. The film’s job is to keep the eyes lubricated, smooth and clear. If there are problems with any layer of the film, you may experience dry eye.

Inflamed eyelid glands, hormone changes, autoimmune disease can disrupt the tear film. Decreased tear production or increased tear evaporation leads to inadequate lubrication for your eyes. If you don’t produce enough tears or produce poor quality tears, this tear instability can lead to inflammation and damage the eye’s surface.

What are the signs and symptoms?

The signs and symptoms of dry eye usually affect both eyes. You may feel a burning, stinging or scratchy sensation in your eyes, watery eyes or blurred vision. A stringy mucus may be in or around the eyes. If you have redness, sensitivity to light or the sensation that there is something in your eyes, these are common signs of dry eye.

How is it diagnosed and treated?

A comprehensive eye exam, along with a number of tests can determine if you have dry eye disease and the underlying causes. For treatment, most people need over-the-counter eyedrops for mild symptoms. If you have persistent or more severe symptoms, prescription medications or procedures such as closing tear ducts or using light therapy may be indicated.

If you have dry eye, you may be able to manage this disease with frequent eyelid washing and over-the-counter eyedrops. Call (413) 782-0030 to schedule an appointment to talk to your doctor about the treatment that is right for you.

Dry Eye Treatment with True Tear® Springfield MA, woman putting eye drops into eye, dry eye treatment Springfield MA, dry eye treatment, True Tear dry eye treatment

The Fix for Your Dry Eyes

/in /by

Dry eyes can be unbearable. Between the burning or scratchy sensation to redness and sensitivity, there are several signs and symptoms that can send you running for eye drops for relief. But sometimes artificial tears, tear conservation and other methods don’t provide the relief you’re seeking. That’s when Papale Eye Center turns to True Tear® technology to help.

Healthy eyes produce tears that lubricate the eye, keeping the surface smooth and clear. Tears are made up of three layers – an oily layer that keeps tears from drying too quickly; a watery layer that washes away outside particles; and a mucus layer that keeps the eye’s surface moist and helps the tears stick to the eye. When the eyes are unable to produce enough tears for clear vision, or when the consistency of the tears isn’t right, this is what’s known as dry eye. True Tear® is a new technology that causes your eyes to produce natural tears using tiny pulses of energy.

This technology is called neurostimulation and consists of a small handheld device that has tips that stimulate a nerve in the nasal cavity with tiny pulses of energy that send out nerve signals to the brain. The brain sends nerve signals to the tear glands surrounding the eyes to increase tear production. Those tear glands react to the signals and temporarily produce natural tears that cover the eyes normally.

Age is the most common cause of dry eyes. Hormonal changes, especially in post-menopausal women, can cause eyes to produce fewer tears. Other causes include computer eye strain, being around smoke or in wind, using contacts for a long time, blepharitis (swollen, red eyelids), taking certain medications, diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, even having LASIK surgery.

Ideal candidates are at least 22 years old and have dry eyes from inadequate tear production. Those who have cardiac pacemakers, implanted defibrillator or other electronic devices in the head or neck, or have chronic or recurrent nosebleeds or another bleeding disorder, are not good candidates for True Tear®.

Our ophthalmologists at Papale Eye Center can diagnose dry eye syndrome with an eye exam or tear test. To learn more about True Tear® and other ways to treat and even reduce your symptoms of dry eyes, call our office today at (413) 782-0030.

Young woman sitting in grass field on windy sunny summer day looking into the distance, Lasik surgery, western MA eye doctor, Springfield MA ophthalmologist

Is it Easy to Manage Dry Eyes at Home?

/in /by

One of the questions that we get from patients with dry eye is whether or not they can use over the counter treatments in order to find some relief from their symptoms. Depending on the severity of your dry eye, there may be a few things that you can do from home or it may be best to just get it treated while you’re at our office. Let’s take a closer look at what things to know about dry eye syndrome and at-home treatments.

Allergies

If your dry eye syndrome is caused by allergies or the weather (like if there is smoke in the air) then it’s usually pretty easy to treat at home. Typically, if you can get your allergies under control, then you can kick your dry eye symptoms to the curb as well. If you need some prescription strength allergy drops, contact our office and we can try to help you out or point you in the right direction.

Dry Environment

One of the good things about living back east is that our air is so humid that our eyes typically don’t dry out because of the environment that we are in. If, however, you are taking a trip to the dessert this summer for some R&R, you may want to bring a little humidifier with you to help your eyes and skin acclimate to the different environment.

Give Over-the-Counter Drops a Try

You can’t knock it unless you try it, right? If you haven’t tried over-the-counter eye drops, you can certainly give them a try. Typically, you can pick up a generic version at your grocery store or pharmacy for just a few dollars. If they help, great. If they don’t, you didn’t invest a lot into them anyway.

Typically, dry eye syndrome is caused by clogged tear ducts. When there is too much oil in your tear ducts, it can cause your eyes to tear excessively or hardly tear at all; both of which can lead to chronic dry eye. If you have tried some of these at-home remedies without success or if you don’t know what’s causing your dry eye, then come into our office and let us help you out. To learn more, contact us at our Springfield office today and call us at (413) 782-0030

woman putting drops into her eyes, dry eye treatment Springfield MA, dry eye True Tear treatment, dry eye treatment services Western MA, True Tear dry eye treatment

What to Know About True Tears

/in /by

Dry Eye Treatment Springfield, MATearing up at the right moment is a sure way to land you in the good graces of everyone around you, but tearing up for no apparent reason can be a little confusing. If you have noticed that your eyes are runny and watery all the time, then you may be suffering from an underlying condition like dry eye. Dry eye is caused when there is a decrease in tear production. And because your tears are an essential way to coat your eyes and protect them, dry eye syndrome should be taken care of. But how? Here at Papale Eye Center, we specialize in a variety of eye conditions— including dry eye— and have several treatment options that we will discuss during your initial consultation. One of the treatment options that we may suggest is called TrueTears.

What Are TrueTears?

Although treatments like artificial tears are adequate for some people, they aren’t for everyone. TrueTears work differently than artificial tears or eye drops. By using a handheld device, TrueTears work by sending small pulses of energy to signal the brain. The brain then signals the tear glands to produce tears to help lubricate the eyes. The glands around the eyes then react to this response and produce artificial tears.

How Do You Use It?

The thought of using a handheld device near your eyes is a little worrisome for some patients, but it is safe as long as you use it right. When you use it the first couple of times, it may take a little longer to find the sweet spot. To start out, insert the tip into the nose as far as comfortably possible. The goal is to make sure that TrueTear comes in contact with the bridge under the nose. Once it has been properly inserted, make sure the buttons are pointing toward your lips and face. Then you can press the buttons and start treatment.

During your initial consultation with one of our doctors at Papale Eye Center, we will go over all of your treatment options— include TrueTears—- to help you determine which option is best for you. To learn more about TrueTears or other dry eye treatments, schedule an appointment at our Springfield office today and call us at (413) 782-0030.

woman putting drops into eyes, dry eye treatment Springfield MA, dry eye treatment East Longmeadow MA, eye doctor Hampden MA

Not a Dry Eye In the House: Understanding Chronic Dry Eye

/in /by

Dry Eye Springfield MAYou may like your clothes dry and your martini’s dry, but the last thing you want when it comes to your vision is dry eye. Caused by environmental factors and medication, dry eye can be uncomfortable and downright obnoxious. Luckily, here at Papale Eye Center, we specialize in treating chronic dry eye so that you can get back to seeing and feeling like normal once again. To help you better understand this condition, we have created a brief guide. Read on to learn more.

Why Are Your Tears So Important?

Yes, tears are a great way to show someone your true emotions and to even get your way on occasion, however, they are there for a few medical purposes as well. Tears provide your eyes with lubrication, they wash away things like dirt and dust, keep your eyes smooth and clear, and reduce the development of infections. With the lack of tears or with an insufficient amount of them, your eyes are more prone to getting damaged and developing infections.

What Are Symptoms of Dry Eye?

Yes, the dry eye does cause your eyes to feel dry and less lubricated, but it can also cause them to sting, burn, itch, and just feel overall irritated. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, schedule an eye appointment with us at Papale Eye Center.

How Is It Treated?

Luckily, dry eye can be addressed in a variety of different ways. Depending on how severe your condition is, we will likely start you off with a prescription strength eye drop medication. These will be used to coat your eyes and hopefully speed up the production of natural tears. If this treatment doesn’t work, we may recommend a tear conservation treatment. During this treatment, your tear ducts will be blocked with a silicone plug with one goal in mind: to keep the tears in the eyes there for longer.

If you have started to experience symptoms of dry eye, we at Papale Eye Center can help. To learn more about this and other eye conditions, contact our Papale Eye Center office today to schedule an appointment!

Call Now Button