For Issues Associated with Dry Eyes or Treatment of Dry Eye Disease in Northern VA, Contact the Eye Doctors at Dominion Eye Care

The ophthalmologists at Dominion Eye Care in Manassas and Warrenton, VA treat patients throughout Northern VA with a condition known as Dry Eye. Eyes need oxygen and nourishment from tears. When the eye is no longer producing an adequate number of tears or low-quality tears, the symptoms of dry eyes can appear.

Dry eyes can develop due to a natural process of aging, gender, medications, medical conditions, and other factors like long-term use of contact lenses. LASIK surgery can also decrease tear production, which can also contribute to dry eyes.

Through a comprehensive eye exam, the eye doctors at Dominion Eye Care can determine if you have Dry Eye Syndrome. Testing and evaluating the quality of the tears produced is a defining factor in determining Dry Eye. Dyes may be used to examine tear flow and tear abnormalities.

Symptoms of Dry Eye

Dry Eye symptoms might include irritated, gritty and/or scratchy eyes. Your eyes might burn, or you might feel that something is in your eye. You may have excess watering due to reflex tearing and blurred vision, and if the condition is advanced, the eyes might be damaged and vision impaired.

Identifying Dry Eye

The ophthalmologists at Dominion Eye Care will examine your medical history, discuss general health problems, medications and environmental factors that may be causing your Dry Eye issues. They will look at your blink dynamics and the structure of the eyelid. They may do an evaluation of the cornea with bright lights and magnification. Through this process, treatment options can be determined.

Treatments for Dry Eye in VA

Patients can reduce the symptoms of Dry Eye themselves by blinking regularly, increasing the humidity in the home, wearing sunglasses outside, and adding nutritional supplements as part of a health program. Dominion Eye Care ophthalmologists may also recommend conserving tears naturally, by blocking the tear ducts, prescribing medications to increase tear production, treating eyelid/ocular surface inflammation (that may be causing the Dry Eye), or recommending you use artificial tears (which are purchasable over the counter). We also employ advanced treatments such as AMG (Amniotic Membrane Graft) or Prokera, as well as autologous serum drops.

Contact the ophthalmologists at Dominion Eye Care in VA for information and treatment solutions for Dry Eye.

Call: (703) 361-3128 in Manassas or (540) 349-0906 in Warrenton
Email: info@dominioneyecare.com

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Our Dry Eye Procedures

What Is OptiLight by Lumenis?

OptiLight by Lumenis is a safe, gentle, and effective treatment done to manage dry eye disease. This non-invasive procedure is the first and only FDA-approved intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment for dry eye management.

OptiLight uses pulses of light precisely administered in the area below the eyes to reduce dry eye symptoms. This 10-15 minute procedure can relieve dry eye symptoms by:

• Increasing tear break-up time
• Reducing the amount of demodex mites and bacteria around your eyes
• Decreasing inflammation inflammation
• Improving meibomian gland functionality

If your eye doctor has recommended the OptiLight treatment, they will go over everything you can expect before, during, and after your appointment.

Preparing for Your Appointment

To prepare for your appointment you should avoid:

• Using skin brightening agents or serums for the week before your appointment
• Using tanning beds 1 month prior to your appointment
• Getting botox for at least 3 months before your appointment
• Taking oral isotretinoin, tetracycline, or doxycycline in the 3 months prior to your appointment

The OptiLight Treatment

This treatment is fast and simple, taking only 10–15 minutes. During your treatment your doctor will apply a cool gel on the treatment area and cover your eyes with shields to protect them.

As light is applied to the skin, you may experience a warm or a tapping sensation, but you shouldn’t feel any pain.

Post-Procedure Care

While side effects are uncommon, your eyes may feel slightly more dry or gritty for the day following your procedure. If you do experience dry eyes, you can use preservative-free artificial tears.

Following your treatment, your skin will be sensitive, so we recommend avoiding sun exposure and wearing sunscreen.

Am I a Good Candidate for OptiLight by Lumenis?

How do you know if OptiLight is the right treatment for you? During an eye exam, your doctor can determine whether or not it is the right option for you.

In general, OptiLight isn’t recommended for patients who:

• Are taking certain medications, like Accutane
• Have active acne
• Suffer from certain skin disorders
• Are susceptible to keloid scarring
• Have severe scarring
• Have severely sunburned recently

What Is the TearCare System?

The TearCare® System is intended for the application of localized heat therapy in adult patients with evaporative dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), when used in conjunction with manual expression of the meibomian glands.

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