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Need care for dry eyes? ICON Eyecare can help.

Dry eyes are a lack of moisture on the eye’s surface. A consistent layer of tears on the eyes produced by your lacrimal gland is needed to keep them healthy and functioning well. This tear film keeps the eye lubricated. Dry eye disease is the most common reason for visits to eye care providers, with over 16 million affected in the United States today. It ranges from mild irritation to debilitating pain and vision loss. Without proper care, dry eye disease can progress and become more difficult to treat. It can sometimes be a chronic condition, but dry eye syndrome is manageable in most cases. Thankfully, your eye doctor can help. Our Grand Junction dry eye treatment doctors can find just what causes your eyes to feel so irritated and offer treatment options that will help you feel comfortable once again.

Need care for dry eyes? ICON Eyecare can help.

Dry eyes are a lack of moisture on the eye’s surface. A consistent layer of tears on the eyes produced by your lacrimal gland is needed to keep them healthy and functioning well. This tear film keeps the eye lubricated. Dry eye disease is the most common reason for visits to eye care providers, with over 16 million affected in the United States today. It ranges from mild irritation to debilitating pain and vision loss. Without proper care, dry eye disease can progress and become more difficult to treat. It can sometimes be a chronic condition, but dry eye syndrome is manageable in most cases. Thankfully, your eye doctor can help. Our Grand Junction dry eye treatment doctors can find just what causes your eyes to feel so irritated and offer treatment options that will help you feel comfortable once again.

Dry Eye Symptoms

Dry eyes typically affect both eyes simultaneously, causing many uncomfortable symptoms including:

  • Feeling like you have dirt or debris stuck in your eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Stinging
  • Burning
  • Scratchiness
  • Itchiness
  • Watery eyes
  • Eye fatigue
  • Mucus discharge
  • Ocular discomfort with contact lenses
  • Blurred vision
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Common Dry Eye Causes

Normal functioning tears contain water, oils, mucus, and antibodies. If any one of these is out of balance, dry eye symptoms could result. Other causes for dry eye occur when your eyes do not produce enough tears either by autoimmune disease or gradually with age.

Causes of poor tear quality or low production include:

  • Meibomian gland dysfunction
  • Medications such as antihistamines and glaucoma drops
  • Certain diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome
  • Incomplete closing of the eyelid
  • Tear gland damage from surgery or radiation
  • Age
  • Sensitivity from use of contact lenses
  • Environmental factors like dry or windy conditions
  • Computer screen
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How can I treat chronic dry eye?

If your dry eyes only cause minor discomfort, Our dry eye treatment doctors may recommend using an artificial tear solution several times a day as a treatment for your dry eyes.

However, many patients with severe dry eye have tried artificial tears and may need more advanced treatments. Our dry eye treatment doctors are trained to diagnose and treat the cause of your dry eye beyond just using artificial tears. If dry eyes are negatively impacting your daily activities, you don’t have to continue living in discomfort. All it takes is a call to ICON Eyecare to schedule an appointment with our Grand Junction dry eye treatment doctors and you can begin your path to relief.

The ideal treatment will depend on the cause along with your eye health history and preferences. If severe dry eye isn’t treated, it can sometimes damage your cornea, the outer layer of your eye. Talk to a dry eye specialist to fins the best treatment option for you. If you are ready to get help for dry eyes or other eye conditions, simply contact us.

How can I treat chronic dry eye?

If your dry eyes only cause minor discomfort, Our dry eye treatment doctors may recommend using an artificial tear solution several times a day as a treatment for your dry eyes.

However, many patients with severe dry eye have tried artificial tears and may need more advanced treatments. Our dry eye treatment doctors are trained to diagnose and treat the cause of your dry eye beyond just using artificial tears. If dry eyes are negatively impacting your daily activities, you don’t have to continue living in discomfort. All it takes is a call to ICON Eyecare to schedule an appointment with our Grand Junction dry eye treatment doctors and you can begin your path to relief.

The ideal treatment will depend on the cause along with your eye health history and preferences. If severe dry eye isn’t treated, it can sometimes damage your cornea, the outer layer of your eye. Talk to a dry eye specialist to fins the best treatment option for you. If you are ready to get help for dry eyes or other eye conditions, simply contact us.

Our Dry Eye Treatments Include:

Serum Tears: Serum tears are made from a small sample of your own DNA to fit your unique biology. The sterile, preservative-free solution acts as a tear substitute, and contains many important growth factors and nutrients normally found in healthy tears. Because of the design, this solution does not burn, tingle, or itch when used.

Lipiflow: Eyelid expression is an in-office procedure that opens the glands and stimulates new tear production in your eyes.

Tixel®: Tixel is a cutting-edge, heat-based treatment for dry eye that uses controlled thermal energy to gently stimulate the meibomian glands and improve tear production. This non-invasive therapy increases lubrication, reduces tear evaporation, and helps alleviate dryness, irritation, and inflammation for lasting relief.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL): IPL uses gentle pulses of light to target inflammation and improve the function of the meibomian glands, which produce the oil layer of your tears. This innovative treatment helps reduce symptoms of dry eye like redness and gritty feeling and improve overall tear quality. ICON Eyecare uses the OptiLight — first and only FDA-approved light therapy device for managing dry eye disease.

Punctal Plugs: Punctal plugs keep your natural tears on your eyes longer by blocking the tear ducts through which the tears normally drain. The tear ducts are filled with tiny silicone or gel-like plugs that can be removed, if needed, keeping your eyes moist instead of dry.

Prescription Eye Drops: While many over-the-counter artificial tears will help to temporarily lubricate and soothe dry eyes, they do not resolve the root cause. Your doctor may prescribe an eyedrop that works to improve the production and quality of your tears instead.