Radio Segment – Dry Eye Syndrome
Did you miss Dr Andrew Apel discussing Dry Eye Syndrome on Logan 101FM’s Morning Show with TJ Blacker on Friday 20th July? Here’s a recap, and be sure to catch Dr Apel next month when he discusses the options available for over 50’s for vision correction through refractive surgery.
Dry Eye Syndrome is a condition where the surface of the eye lacks sufficient moisture or lubrication. Our eye should always be covered in a thick, stable layer of fluid, which we call the tear film. Dry eye can result from our glands not secreting enough fluid, the existing fluid evaporating too quickly or simply not blinking regularly enough.
The symptoms of dry eye include burning, itching, aching, heavy or fatigued sensations in the eyes, red eyes, blurred vision and even watery eyes. In severe cases, ongoing damage to the front of the eye can result in inflammation and scarring, which can also result in vision loss.
Dry eyes can affect everyone of every age. It can be caused by environmental conditions, menopause, systemic conditions (such as diabetes, thyroid conditions, rheumatoid arthritis), medications, smoking, contact lens wear, and more recently a link has been found between dry eyes and excessive computer use.
At The Eye Health Centre, we can diagnose Dry Eye Syndrome with a series of clinical tests that measure the volume of tears on the eye, the amount of tear fluid a person secretes, how fast the tear fluid evaporates, and how functional the glands that secrete tear fluid are. These tests help us accurately identify the type and severity of dry eye so we can customise a treatment plan for individual patients. The Eye Health Centre provides the most up to date, clinically proven treatment options for Dry Eye Syndrome in our Dry Eye Clinic, which may include Artificial Tears, Blephasteam, BlephEx, Meibography, IPL, Serum Tears and Punctal Plugs.
