What Is Dry Eye: Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the eye surface characterized by a loss of homeostasis of the tear film causing eye surface inflammation and damage.
Informally, Dry eye is a disease that causes insufficient lubrication of the eye by your tears.
What does it feel Like: Some common possible symptoms include: Blurry vision, tired eyes, eyes that are always watering, burning eyes, eyes that feel gritty or dry, and the inability to tolerate contact lenses. Prolonged irritation from these symptoms can lead to inflammation or issues with the ocular surface.
What can cause Dry Eye: There are a lot of things that can lead to dry eye. Some common factors are: Age, Health, Medications/ Supplements, Dry environments and, Eye lid conditions.
What Happens in the office? In the Office the optometrist will determine what is causing the dry eye through a Dry Eye assessment and work with you to find a treatment plan that fits your individual needs.
What is included in a dry eye assessment? There will be a number of measurements taken in the office that will help inform your treatment plan. We will measure the quality and quantity of your tear film, and check the health and condition of your eye lids and the meibomian glands within them with our Oculus (Picture). Additional testing of inflammatory indicators (Inflammadry) and Slit lamp bio microscopy with fluorescein are also a part of the dry assessment, followed by an analysis of your results and a treatment plan.
What Is included in a treatment plan? A treatment plan can include multiple of the following: In office treatments, Eye drops, Lid cleansers, Vitamins, Omega 3s, and/or a heat mask.
What we offer in office: A brief description of the instruments and Services that are used in our Dry eye Clinic.
Oculus: The imaging device that we use for many of the measurements of your tear film, Lids and Meibomian Glands.
Inflammadry: Tests for MMP inflammation markers that are often present in dry eye patients and help guide treatment plan.
Zest: Zocular Eyelid System Treatment
Helps to treat Blepharitis, Demodex, and Dry Eye Disease.
Zest works by gently exfoliating the eyelids to remove the film and crust from the eyelids and restore them to their natural state. By cleaning the eyelid margins which helps to clear blocked meibomian glands and helps release oils into the eye that are required for a healthy tear film and reduce symptoms of dry eye.
ILux: Helps to treat Dry eye caused by Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (Lipid Deficiency)
ILux applies light-based heat to the eyelid, melting the oils trapped within the meibomian glands and expressing it. After warming the eyelid, gentle compressions of the eyelid are performed to express oils out of the glands.
E>Eye: IRPL
Helps to treat Dry eye caused by Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (Lipid Deficiency) & Ocular Rosacea
Intense Regulated Pulsed Light. Light therapy that stimulates your Meibomian Glands to improve the production of lipid in your tears & reduce redness and inflammation in the eyelids caused by Ocular Rosacea.
- Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) is the leading cause of Dry eye disease. MGD is when the glands, that create the oil layer of your tears, get clogged and can start to atrophy.
- Blepharitis is a chronic, inflammatory condition of the eyelids caused by an overgrowth of normal bacteria living along the lid line at the base of your eyelashes. Anyone can get blepharitis at any age. The overgrowth of bacteria causes crusting along the lash line and creates a sticky environment that traps dead skin cells and other debris among eyelashes.
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Merivale
1547 Merivale Road Ottawa, ON K2G4V3
T: (613) 226-8446
F: (613) 226-1831
E: info@merivalevisioncare.com
New patients welcome!