Dry Eye Disease

Des Peres Eye Center - - Ophthalmologist

If your eyes feel perpetually dry, grainy, and irritated, you might have dry eye syndrome, also called dry eyes. The caring and experienced ophthalmologists at Des Peres Eye Center offer a variety of effective treatments, including prescription eye drops and autologous serum tears. Call the office to get the relief you need and see the world more clearly.

Dry Eye Disease Q & A

What is dry eye disease?

Dry eye disease is a disease that occurs when you have insufficient tear film. When you lack the proper tear film, your eyes don't have the lubrication they need and your eyes quickly develop issues. Dry eyes can become quite uncomfortable, causing problems like:

Burning
Itching
Reflexive eye-watering (not real, healthy tears)
Redness
Blurry vision, in severe cases

Many dry eyes sufferers rub their eyes in frustration, which only makes the problem worse. Fortunately, your Des Peres Eye Center ophthalmologist can diagnose and treat your dry eyes quickly to help you feel comfortable again.

How is dry eye disease diagnosed?

After discussing your symptoms with you, your Des Peres Eye Center ophthalmologist will perform a comprehensive eye exam to look for problems throughout your eyes. Then, they'll examine your eyelids and your ocular surface to look for irregularities or irritation. They might also perform tests to evaluate your tear quality or thickness.

How is dry eye disease treated?

There are a variety of solutions available, including all of the following.

Eye drops

Restasis® and Xiidra® reduce tear gland inflammation, which can potentially allow you to start producing healthy tears again.

Autologous serum tears

Autologous serum tears are another option for dry eyes treatment. For this type of eye drops, your ophthalmologist takes a sample of your blood and then puts it in a centrifuge.

The centrifuge extracts platelet-rich plasma serum, which contains a very high amount of healing and growth factors that can help heal damage from dry eyes. Your ophthalmologist combines the serum with a sterile saline solution, and you'll use it just as you would other eye drops.

Your Des Peres Eye Center ophthalmologist can prescribe one or more of these treatments to help you overcome dry eyes.

For dry eyes relief, call Des Peres Eye Center to book your appointment today.

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