Dry eyes are a common condition that occurs when the eyes do not produce enough tears or when the tears evaporate too quickly. This can lead to a range of uncomfortable symptoms, including a gritty feeling in the eyes, redness, burning, and excessive tearing.
While many people often initially self-treat with over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops or warm compresses, these home remedies do not address the underlying cause of the problem. In fact, using OTC eye drops can even make the problem worse. Some OTC eye drops contain preservatives and vasocontrictors that while temporarily lessening redness, can also further irritate the eyes – leading to a vicious cycle of dryness and discomfort. Similarly, while warm compresses can provide temporary relief, they do not address the root cause of the dry eyes, which could be due to age, hormonal changes, eye disease, or reactions to certain medications.
For this reason, it’s important to seek the expertise of a dry eye specialist in Singapore if you are experiencing persistent dry eye symptoms. A specialist can perform a comprehensive eye exam to determine the underlying cause of your dry eyes and recommend the appropriate treatment.
Signs That You Should Go to a Dry Eye Clinic
Dry eyes can be caused by a multitude of factors, and the condition is often mistaken for temporary eye irritation. As such, many individuals with dry eye think that it’ll go away eventually on its own. However if you have been experiencing dry eye symptoms for a long period of time with no relief, it is recommended for you to go to a dry eye specialist to identify the underlying cause and get the appropriate treatment. The symptoms to be aware of include:
- Dry, gritty, or burning sensations in the eye
- Redness, irritation, or inflammation in the eye
- Excess or overproduction of tears, while the eye still feels irritated
- Blurred vision or any other changes to your regular eyesight
Dry Eye Treatment and Prevention
Some of the treatment options a dry eye clinic in Singapore might prescribe include:
- Topical eye drops: In case of mild to severe inflammation, topical eye drops are often applied to alleviate and reduce the swelling.
- Longer lasting eye drops and gels: We have a wide range of different eye drops of different viscosity, as well as viscous gels, and will choose the most appropriate combination best suited for your particular situation.
- Tear plugs: If your eyes continuously over-drain tears, an eye specialist may insert a tiny silicone or gel-like plug into your tear ducts. This will help stop your tears from leaking out and allow your eyes to properly maintain their protective layer of tears.
- Stimulating tear production: Certain prescription eye drops can stimulate and increase your normal tear production without further irritating the eye.
In severe cases of dry eye, non-invasive procedures like punctal plugs combined with prescription eye drops to increase natural tear production might be required to tackle the underlying causes.
Treat and Prevent Dry Eyes at Our Clinic in Singapore
Dry eyes may seem inconsequential at first, but they can cause huge vision problems if left untreated. Do not risk your eye health with home remedies. Go to a dry eye clinic and get your eyes checked out by a professional dry eye specialist.
EyeWise Vision is an eye clinic in Singapore that specialises in dry eye treatment and other ophthalmological problems. We are dedicated to helping you regain and maintain your eye health so you can live life to the fullest. We offer dry eye treatment, glaucoma screening and surgery, cataract surgery, and diabetic eye screening led by our trusted ophthalmologists and eye surgeons.
Book an appointment in our clinic today and let’s get you started on improving your vision.
Dr. Christopher Khng, specializes in Complex Cataract and Anterior Segment Reconstruction Surgery, in particular, Iris Reconstruction and surgery for Aniridia. His other areas of expertise include Complex Lens surgery, New Lens and Phacoemulsification technologies, Refractive surgery, Phakic IOLs (the Implantable Collamer Lens, ICL), and small-incision, topical anesthesia phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Dr. Khng is a member of the Singapore Medical Association (SMA), a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ECSRS). He is registered with the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) in Singapore and with the General Medical Council (GMC) for practice in the United Kingdom.