Dry eye is a chronic condition that cannot be cured, but it can be managed with the help of artificial tears. For more severe cases, gels and ointments can be used, especially at night. Your optometrist is the best source to advise you on the best eye drops for you. In some cases, small plugs may be inserted in the corner of the eyelids to delay drainage and tear loss.
Treating any underlying systemic disease or changing your diet to include foods such as fish or flaxseed oil can also sometimes be helpful. New prescription drugs are now available to help the body produce more of its own tears. At Lock Family Eye Care in West Des Moines, IA, our staff is here to answer any questions you may have about dry eye syndrome. This relatively common condition can be easily diagnosed and treated.
During an eye exam, our optometrists can detect signs of dry eye and recommend the best treatment for your specific situation. In some cases, additional tests may be requested to provide more information about your condition. A routine eye exam with an optometrist can do more than just monitor eye health; it can also be an area where symptoms of other health conditions can be discovered. Often, they are due to excessive blood pressure and alert the optometrist that preventive measures are required.
This will give your optometrist an opportunity to discuss your medical history and any medications you are taking, as well as your family's eye health history. If an optometrist detects symptoms of multiple sclerosis during an eye test, proactive diagnostic and treatment efforts can be made to ensure the best way to recover and that the condition does not worsen. Your optometrist will also examine your eyes to ensure that dry eye symptoms aren't caused by any other underlying problem. The condition of the retinas can alert the optometrist to a variety of health problems, including the risk of stroke.
By checking for dry eyes with a slit lamp, the optometrist will check if you are producing enough tears and if your eye is generally healthy. With a visit to the optometrist and an attached eye test, they can easily see if your eyes are dry, which could be a sign of another condition. A complete eye test with an optometrist can reveal more than just excessive blood pressure, but also a high cholesterol level. The optometrist will perform several tests to determine the severity of the dry eyes and the possible cause.
Regardless of the severity of your dry eye symptoms, Market Mall Optometry can help you start living a more comfortable life with a reduction in dry eye symptoms. If your optometrist thinks you're showing signs of diabetic retinopathy during an eye exam, it's important to see your primary care doctor as soon as possible. In rare cases, an optometrist can detect if a person is about to have a stroke due to excess cholesterol just by looking them in the eye. The slit-lamp test is used by optometrists to examine the eyes in detail and detect any signs of dryness or other issues. With this test, a high-intensity light is used to help the optometrist see inside the eyes more clearly.
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