Dry Eye Treatments

That gritty, scratchy, burning sensation in your eyes? Dry eye is more common than many people realize. At The Eye Care Center, it’s one of the most common conditions we treat across our Canandaigua, Geneva, and Macedon locations.

Whether you’re dealing with occasional discomfort or ongoing symptoms that affect your daily routine, there are effective treatment options available, and we’re here to help you find the right one for your needs.

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What Is Dry Eye?

Dry eye is a condition where your eyes don't produce enough tears, or the tears they do produce evaporate too quickly or aren't the right quality. When that happens, the surface of the eye doesn't stay properly lubricated, which leads to irritation and, over time, potential damage to the ocular surface.

For some people, dry eye is a passing nuisance tied to seasonal allergies or too much screen time. For others, it's a chronic condition called ocular surface disease that needs ongoing management. Either way, it's worth taking seriously, because untreated dry eye can get worse over time.

What Causes Dry Eyes?

Dry eyes can develop for a lot of different reasons, and often it's a combination of factors. Some of the most common causes include:

• Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD): The meibomian glands line your eyelids and produce the oily layer of your tear film. When they get blocked or stop functioning properly, tears evaporate too quickly, leaving your eyes exposed and uncomfortable.
• Blepharitis: This is an inflammation of the eyelids, often caused by bacteria or skin conditions, that can clog the oil glands and disrupt tear production. Dry eyelids, flaking, and irritation are common signs. Blepharitis is a frequent underlying cause of chronic dry eye, and treating it is often an important part of managing dry eye symptoms overall.
• Age: Tear production naturally decreases as we get older, which is why dry eye becomes more common with age.
• Hormonal changes: Menopause in particular can significantly reduce tear production.
• Medications: Antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and others can all contribute to dry eye symptoms.
• Environment: Dry climates, indoor heating and air conditioning, wind, and extended screen time all contribute to faster tear evaporation. Upstate New York winters don't exactly help either.
• Contact lens wear: Long-term contact lens use can reduce corneal sensitivity and affect tear film stability.

Symptoms of Dry Eye

Dry eye symptoms can range from mildly annoying to genuinely disruptive. They can also vary throughout the day, often getting worse in the afternoon or after extended periods of reading or screen use. Common dry eye symptoms include:

• A gritty or sandy feeling in your eyes
• Burning eyes or stinging
• Redness or irritation
• Blurry vision that comes and goes
• Sensitivity to light
• Watery eyes
• Dry eyelids or crusty buildup around the lashes
• Discomfort when wearing contact lenses
• Eye fatigue or heaviness

If you're experiencing several of these symptoms regularly, it's worth coming in for an evaluation. What feels like a minor irritation can sometimes point to a more significant underlying issue.

Treatment Options for Dry Eyes

There's no single dry eye treatment that works for everyone, but the good news is there are a lot of options. Treatment depends on the underlying cause, the severity of your symptoms, and how your eyes respond. At The Eye Care Center, we work with patients in Canandaigua, Geneva, and Macedon to find an approach that actually fits your life.

Here's a look at the treatments we offer:

1. Artificial Tears and Lubricating Eye Drops

For mild or occasional dry eye, over-the-counter artificial tears are often a good starting point. They help supplement your natural tear film and provide temporary relief from burning eyes and irritation. There are many formulas available, and our team can help you find one that works well for your eyes.

2. Medicated Eye Drops

For more persistent dry eye, prescription eye drops like cyclosporine (Restasis) or lifitegrast (Xiidra) can help reduce inflammation and support your eyes' ability to produce tears on their own. These aren't quick fixes, but they can make a meaningful difference for people with chronic dry eye over time.

3. Warm Compresses and Eyelid Care

If your dry eye is related to meibomian gland dysfunction or blepharitis, warm compresses applied to closed eyelids can help loosen blocked oils and improve the quality of your tear film. Regular eyelid hygiene, including gentle lid scrubs, can also keep inflammation in check.

4. Intense Pulse Light (IPL) Therapy

IPL therapy is a more advanced option for people dealing with dry eye caused by meibomian gland dysfunction. Light is applied to the skin around the eyelids, and the heat it generates helps melt and thin the thickened, low-quality secretions that are clogging the glands. By clearing those blockages, IPL can improve the lipid layer of your tear film so tears don't evaporate as quickly. It's a good option to discuss if other treatments haven't given you enough relief.

5. Punctal Plugs

Punctal plugs are tiny devices, no bigger than a grain of rice, that are inserted into the small drain openings (called puncta) in the inner corners of your eyelids. By blocking drainage, they help your natural tears stay on the surface of the eye longer. They're typically tried when eye drops alone aren't cutting it, and they can be removed if needed.

6. Permanent Punctal Occlusion

For patients who respond well to punctal plugs but want a longer-lasting solution, the puncta can be permanently closed using a quick cautery procedure. This keeps tears on the eye's surface without the need for ongoing plug maintenance.

7. Serum Tears

Serum tears are custom eye drops made from a patient's own blood. After removing the cellular components, what remains is a serum that contains growth factors, vitamins, and other proteins that support healing at the ocular surface. Unlike standard artificial tears, which are primarily salt and water, serum tears have properties that can help promote a healthier ocular surface.

They're typically recommended for patients with very severe dry eye who haven't gotten adequate relief from other treatments.

8. Scleral Contact Lenses

Scleral lenses are larger than standard contact lenses and vault over the entire corneal surface, resting on the white of the eye (the sclera). They create a fluid reservoir in front of the cornea that keeps the eye consistently moist throughout the day. Scleral lenses can be a great option for people with chronic dry eye or irregular corneas who struggle with conventional contacts.

9. Eyelid Repositioning Surgery

As the lower eyelid ages, it can begin to droop outward as muscles weaken and skin loses elasticity. This can prevent tears from spreading evenly across the eye, contributing to dryness, excessive tearing, and redness. Eyelid repositioning surgery corrects the position of the eyelid to help restore normal tear distribution and reduce these symptoms.

Which Dry Eye Treatment Is Best for You?

The best dry eye treatment depends on what's actually causing your symptoms. Is it inflammation? Gland dysfunction? Blepharitis? A combination of things? The answers help guide the approach.

A thorough eye examination at one of our offices in Canandaigua, Geneva, or Macedon will give us a clear picture of what's going on. From there, we can talk through your options in plain language, start with the least invasive approaches, and build a plan that makes sense for you. Chronic dry eye in particular often benefits from a layered approach, where we address the root cause while also managing day-to-day comfort.

If your current routine isn't working or you've never been formally evaluated for dry eye, come see us. There's a lot more we can do than just recommending eye drops.

Dry Eye Treatment FAQs

Have questions about dry eye or your treatment options? Here are answers to some of the things we hear most often.