DRY EYE TREATMENT CENTER NOW OPEN
Right now is the beginning of the Allergy Season and a lot of people are suffering from symptoms of Dry Eye Disease. Dr. Alan D. Baribeau recently kicked off his Dry Eye Center at the Lasik Eye Institute located at 7830 Louise Pasteur in San Antonio, Texas.
Chronic Dry Eye, also known as Dry Eye Syndrome, is a medical condition that can result from the eyes reduced ability to produce tears due to inflammation. Dry Eye Symptoms include: dryness of the eye, sandy or gritty feeling, lid infections, burning, itching, contact lens discomfort, light sensitivity, redness, sties, tired eyes, eye pain or soreness, constant or occasional tearing, fluctuation of vision, blood shot eyes, irritation and/or watering of the eye. Most people with dry eyes don't experience any long-term complications. However, if left untreated, severe dry eyes may lead to eye inflammation, infections, scarring on the surface of your cornea and if left untreated, impaired vision and even vision loss can be experienced.
Effective treatment begins with a careful examination to determine which factors may be causing your symptoms. The goal of treatment is to keep your eyes moist. Treatment begins by managing the dry eye symptoms. Dr. Baribeau mayrequire short-term or long specialized prescription. nightly treatment with antibiotic drops, an ointment or an oral antibiotic. People with mild dry eye can respond well to treatment with artificial tears however some people who have persistent symptoms don't respond well to artificial tears and may require a more aggressive treatment. ORALLY OR TROPICALLY
During your office visit with Dr. Baribeau, you can discuss your symptoms and develop a plan that will address the factors that appear to be contributing to your dry eye condition. Dr. Baribeau may prescribe cylosporine (Restasis). Restasis is the only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic dry eyes. Restasis decreases inflammation on the eye surface and helps increase production of healthy tears.
Self care is important and you might want to take some simple steps to help decrease your dry eye condition such as: Wearing glasses on windy days and goggles while swimming. Try to avoid direct air from hair dryer, car heater, air conditioners or fans directly towards your eyes. It is important not to rub your eyes because you can irritate them further. Something as simple as blinking or closing your eyes for a few seconds will help you rest your eyes. In general what people can do to help is to use a warm compress over the eyes and gently scrub along the eye lashes on a daily basis to remove sleep or matter that often develops overnight.
To discuss your specific symptoms or condition contact our office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Alan D. Baribeau at the Lasik Eye Institute and Dry Eye Treatment Center. Please feel free to call his office at (210)692-8888.
