Dry Eye Treatment

Your Optometrists Dr. David Blanton and Dr. Robert Askary Answer Your Questions about Dry Eye Treatment

Your eye doctors at Eye Care Center — Ballantyne in Charlotte prescribe dry eye treatment every day. Dry eye disease is an extremely common condition. Experts estimate that 10 to 30 percent of all adults over the age of 40 need dry eye treatment. Here are our patients' most frequently asked questions about dry eye treatment.

dry eye

What are the symptoms that suggest that I need dry eye treatment?

Dry eye disease causes certain complaints that come up over and over again in our practice:

  • Eyes that feel dry, and, ironically,
  • Excessive tear production, tears for no obvious reason, except as a reflex reaction to the sensation of dry eyes.
  • Itchy, red eyes that feel like they have grit or sand or cinders in them.
  • Feeling that there is some kind of foreign object in the eye.
  • Swollen eyes.
  • Sensitivity to light.
  • Blurry vision. The blurriness will usually come and go.

Dry eye treatment comes up more often during winter, when many people are exposed to dry heat from their furnaces, and in summer during a drought. It is also a problem in high-pollen or smoky conditions. People who stare at a computer screen all day are prone to getting dry eyes, as are people who sleep with CPAP for sleep apnea. Sometimes a prescription drug reduces tear production and causes dry eyes. Medications with this effect include beta blockers, antihistamines, and oral contraceptives.

Is dry eye disease really so serious that I need to see my eye doctors about dry eye treatment? 

When dry eyes are neglected, the eye can become infected. There is also the possibility of scars on the cornea, ulcers on the cornea, and infections in those ulcers in the cornea. If dry eyes are making you feel miserable, they are giving you a message that you need to get eye care from your eye doctors.

But aren't eye drops enough?

Eye drops may make you feel better temporarily, but the problem with dry eye disease isn't just a lack of moisture. Part of the problem is that the eyes generate inflammation. You need something to stop the production of those inflammatory compounds. Another part of the problem is usually that the eyes aren't producing enough lubrication. You need something to replace the lubricant that your eyes don't make. You may need treatment for eye infections that come and go as the weather changes. There's always a possibility that one of those infections could become severe. And sometimes the need for dry eye treatment is one of the early symptoms of an autoimmune disease.

Let your eye doctors at Eye Care Center — Ballantyne in Charlotte give you your dry eye treatment.

Call to make an appointment with Dr. David Blanton and Dr. Robert Askary today to get the eye care you need to keep your eyes moist and pain-free. You can call Eye Care Center – Ballantyne today at (704) 541-5500.

Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Charlotte Office

Monday  

9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Tuesday  

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Wednesday  

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Thursday  

9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Friday  

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Saturday  

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Sunday  

Closed