4 Types Of Dry Eye Treatment That Might Provide Relief For Your Symptoms

If your eyes feel scratchy or burn a lot of the time, you might have dry eye. You could even have frequent watery eyes with this condition. Your eyes might be red and sensitive to light. Dry eye can make your eyes uncomfortable and interfere with your ability to work and drive. See an eye doctor to diagnose your condition and treat it. Successful dry eye treatment makes your eyes feel more comfortable. Here are four types of dry eye treatments your eye doctor might recommend.

1. OTC Eye Drops

An eye doctor can do a number of tests to confirm you have dry eye and to understand the type you have. Dry eye can be caused by a decrease in the amount of tears you produce or a change in their quality. You might even have both types at once. Your symptoms may be mild up to severe. Mild cases of dry eye might be managed by taking eye drops you buy over the counter. Your eye doctor might recommend a specific brand for you to buy.

2. Prescription Eye Drops

You might need prescription eye drops to help your condition. These might work to control inflammation in your eyes, tear ducts, or lids. You often need to take these for a few months before they start to work. Drops might also cause you to produce more tears.

Another option is to have drops made from your blood. Your blood is drawn and the blood cells are removed. The drops are made from the serum that's left over. These drops might be recommended when other treatments don't work. However, they're an expensive dry eye treatment that might not be covered by your insurance. In addition to eye drops, your doctor might try a nasal spray that works by triggering a nerve to produce more tears. Other medications to consider include oral antibiotics.

3. Medical Procedures

Plugs are a common dry eye treatment. These are inserted into your tear drains to hold tears in your eyes longer. Temporary plugs dissolve. If they do a good job of managing your condition, your eye doctor might insert permanent silicone plugs. If the plugs keep falling out, the doctor might use heat to permanently close the ducts to keep tears from draining. Certain types of dry eye might be treated by transplanting salivary glands to your eyelids.

4. Contact Lenses

Another dry eye treatment is wearing special contact lenses that lubricate your eyes. Contacts can make dry eye worse, so if you already wear them, your eye doctor might have you switch to a type made to treat dry eye at the same time.

For more information, contact a company like the Eye Institute of Mississippi.