What is dry eye syndrome?

Dry eye is one of the most under-diagnosed ocular diseases, and yet it is the most common reason why patients go see their eye care professional.

Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that results in symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface. It is accompanied by increased osmolarity of the tear film and inflammation of the ocular surface.

What are the symptoms of dry eyes?

Symptoms of dry eyes include burning, stinging, irritation, redness, and excessive tearing of the eyes.

Are there any daily changes that can be made to improve symptoms?

We recommend that you prevent dry eye symptoms before they begin and address lifestyle factors that may be aggravating an existing condition.

Blink a lot, drink plenty of fluids and avoid eye irritants. Maintain a healthy lifestyle with a focus on vitamins like Omega 3. Make sure to use lubricating eye drops if you are taking medication that puts you at risk for dry eyes. Over the counter eye drops for dry eye are widely available.

20/20/20 RULE

During prolonged computer or digital device use, make sure to take a short break every 20 minutes to look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

HYDRATION

Drink enough water. Women need at least 91 oz. of water a day and men need even more. Insufficient water intake can directly contribute to a reduced supply of tears, particularly in hot and dry climates.

HEALTHY DIET & OMEGA 3

A healthy diet is essential for maintaining optimal health. Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to help maintain good vision and eye health, as well as decrease dry eyes symptoms.

Fish and flax are good natural sources of Omega 3 fatty acids and are available in tablet/supplement form. There are supplements specifically made for dry eyes. These usually consist of Omega 3 with DHA from flaxseed oil and include vitamin C, vitamin E, Vitamin B6, magnesium, and a variety of other vitamins specifically formulated for patients with this eye condition.

What advanced technology can help with dry eye diagnosis?

Vivid Visions Optometry, Inc uses the latest diagnostic equipment to quickly and accurately pinpoint the cause and type of dry eye problem you’re suffering from. The CA-800, Topcon's corneal analyzer, enhances the diagnosis for dry eye patients with the new Tear Film analysis.

The CA-800 is a placido-based topography system that delivers accurate, high-resolution images of the anterior corneal surface. The latest features of the CA-800 includes an enhanced meibography observation and a comprehensive analysis of the Tear Film by using the Blink Detection and Tear Breakup Time measuring modes

SOFT CONTRAST ENHANCEMENT

The Soft Contrast Enhancement is a more subtle contrast adjustment and makes the dark areas of the image darker, while the Hard Contrast Enhancement is a more dynamic contrast adjustment that brings more detail to the image for improved observation capability.

ENHANCED MEIBOGRAPHY OBSERVATION

With the infra-red illumination of the CA-800, the Meibomian Glands of the upper and lower eyelid can be captured and analyzed. Now two types of adjustable Contrast Enhancement are displayed directly below the image to enhance the Meibomian Gland viewing.

The Soft Contrast Enhancement is a more subtle contrast adjustment and makes the dark areas of the image darker, while the Hard Contrast Enhancement is a more dynamic contrast adjustment that brings more detail to the image for improved observation capability.

BLINK DETECTIONS

The Blink Detection automatically detects blinks and calculates the average blinks per minute and blinks interval. The analysis of the Blink Detection includes the average Inter-Blink Interval (IBI average) that is used to calculate the Ocular Protection Index (OPI), the IBI standard deviation, the total duration of the time range analyzed and the average number of blinks per minute.

TEAR BREAKUP TIME

The Tear Breakup Time (TBT) records the patients' tear film condition while they hold their blink and calculates the time of the first breakup and the average time for the breakup of the Tear Film.

This new feature allows video playback with a colored overlay to show the quality of the corneal surface. The sectors will be color-coded from green to red according to the scale on the left side of the image, showing the breakup overtime of the Tear Film.