eye disorders
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca
Treatment of Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca
Artificial tears Cyclosporineeye drops Punctum plug Artificial tears applied every few hours can generally control the problem. Artificial tears are eye drops prepared with substances that simulate real tears and help keep the eyes coated with moisture. Lubricating ointments applied before bed last longer than artificial tears and help prevent dryness in the morning. Such ointments are not usually used during the day because they may blur vision. Some doctors may recommend omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplements to improve the oil film of the eye, but most evidence indicates that these do not help. Eye drops that containcyclosporinecan decrease the inflammation associated with dryness. These drops sting and take months before an effect is noticed. Inflammation can lessen significantly, although the drops work only in a fraction of people. Avoiding dry, drafty environments and smoke and using humidifiers can also help. An ophthalmologist (a medical doctor who specializes in the evaluation and treatment―surgical and nonsurgical―of eye disorders) can do a minor in-office procedure to help people with dry eyes. During the procedure, an ophthalmologist inserts plugs into the puncta (the small openings at the inner corners of the eyelids near the nose) to keep tears from leaving the eye by blocking the flow of tears off of the eye surface, through the tear duct, and into the nose. This way more tears are available for longer to bathe the eyes. In people with extremely dry eyes, the eyelids may be partially sewn together to decrease tear evaporation. A device that improves the symptoms of dry eyes by electrically stimulating tear production through a soft-tipped probe placed into the nose several times a day can also be tried, if other methods for treating aqueous-deficient dry eye were insufficient. A special nasal spray can also be used twice a day to stimulate tear production. If a person has Blepharitis , it is treated with measures such as warm compresses, massage and heating devices, eyelid scrubs, and sometimes oral antibiotics. 