Dr. Richard Hector, Dr. Scott Han, Dry Eye Disease, Dry Eye Syndrome, dry eyes, eye disease, eye drops
Dry Eyes
Did you know that the human eye has over 2 million working parts? Imagine all those 2 million parts working beautifully, and then suddenly there is a poor tear film covering the cornea, preventing a clear image from being formed for your brain’s vision center to use when you read, drive and text, causing dry eyes.
Achieving the right volume and mixture of lubricating fluids to be available for delivery with each blink is no easy task. To better analyze your tear film, we now can do a simple and quick in office test (called a tear osmolarity test) that not only helps us diagnose Dry Eye Disease, but also allows us to monitor the progress patients are making in their treatment programs. In the past, we were not able to objectively quantify the quality of a patient’s tears. Now we can do that with the Tearlab equipment.
When the tear osmolarity (salt content) test first came out, the results were not very consistent. This was at first felt to be a deficiency in the machine. Now we understand that this variability is the hallmark of Dry Eye Disease. Those of us who suffer from dry eyes are very aware of this variability. We have our good days, and sometimes only a few good hours in the day. Many days are filled coping with the familiar battle of fluctuating vision and discomfort.
What cannot vary, though, is your dry eye treatment program. Maintain your fluid intake; do not over indulge in caffeinated beverages; apply your warm compresses, follow your lid hygiene regimen; and take your Omega 3 and Vitamin D. Do everything you can to give those 2 million parts in your eyes a clear image to work with!
Your Dry Eye Coach, Richard Hector
