Since COVID-19 hit the U.S, many of us had to adapt to working from home, causing a surge in dry eyes. Even though businesses start to re-open the majority of office workers and professors are still working remotely. Being home and having to manage eye strain and dry eyes can be unbearable as it causes discomfort and/or pain. Many patients with dry eyes experienced blurry vision which made them unable to work for long hours on a computer screen.

Patients’ routine changed drastically with COVID-19, job insecurity increased, home-schooling became the norm, and as a result, patients forgot to take their dry eye medications regularly. Being home all day also increased screen time significantly, which made dry eye symptoms even worse.

To help patients with dry eyes remotely, it is important to check their routine, and prescriptions, and to explain to them why taking fish oil (omega 3) just a few times a month will not solve their dry eye problems. We then help in creating a routine to help treat their dry eyes, prescribe new medicines for long-term treatments, and plan for in-office visits to go beyond our patients’ needs. In-office visits help understand the cause of dry eyes. Our doctors can test for allergies and check eyes’ health in detail to choose the right treatment.

At Eyepic, we understand that the right treatment depends on which tear layer is causing dry eyes. There are three different layers in tears; the oil layer, the water layer, and the mucin layer.

OIL LAYER

If the oil layer is not working properly, most of the time patients suffer dry eyes from Meibomian Glands Dysfunction (MGD). To treat MGD, we are able to prescribe TearCare. TearCare has “an intelligent design that provides a universal fit across various patients’ lid anatomy”. It delivers constant thermal energy to help express clogged meibomian glands. Once TearCare is active, your Doctor will manually express the Meibomian glands to optimize their function.

WATER LAYER

When the water layer is causing symptoms, we offer punctal collagen plugs to address aqueous deficient dry eye syndrome. They are temporary plugs that dissolve after a few months. These plugs help prevent tear draining to keep your eyes moist and jump-start the lacrimal gland in the production of the water layer of the tears.

Allergies testing is another great way to treat a water layer dysfunction as it addresses reflex tearing. Reflex tearing occurs when your eyes need to wash harmful chemicals, dust, or allergens from your eyes.

MUCIN LAYER

To treat dry eyes when the mucin layer is impacted, we can use amniotic stem cells. Amniotic stem cells are a mixture of cells obtained from the amniotic fluid and amniotic membrane. They are mostly composed of collagen types IV and VII.  Amniotic stem cells reverse inflammation and aids in the mucin layer of the tear film.

Eye care professionals started using them a decade ago. It has shown incredible results to heal the cornea in some patients. The amniotic stem cells’ composition is very close to the cornea and conjunctiva compositions. They promote cellular growth, are anti-inflammatory, and promote a healthy environment for the eye’s wounds to heal.

LIVE A BETTER LIFE WITHOUT DRY EYES

All these procedures are available to facilitate patients’ lives. Dry eyes can cause discomfort and alter your daily life. If you currently experience discomfort please contact us.