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On West Henderson Road, in the same building as Salon Lofts
Call (614) 808-0600 Request An Appointment

Columbus Ohio dry eye optometrist

Northwest Vision Dry Eye Center

Dr. Yoongie Min and the staff at Northwest Vision specialize in providing effective relief for Dry Eyes and MGD (Meibomian gland dysfunction), leading cause of dry eye syndrome. We use a wide range of treatment options. Dry eyes or dry eye syndrome (DES) is a condition where your tear glands don’t make enough tears or your tears evaporate too fast. MGD is a blockage of the meibomian glands where they don’t secrete enough oil into the tears, and the tears then evaporate too quickly.

Anyone can have dry eye syndrome, although this problem is much more common in older adults. Most people that suffer from dry eye syndrome do not even realize that they have a medical condition. For many people complete symptom relief is possible. The symptoms of dry eye, which include dry, scratchy, watery and burning eyes, can usually be successfully managed. Visit Northwest Vision Center for relief.

Tears Keep Eyes Clean & Moist

Tears help keep your eyes clean and moist. Glands behind your upper eyelid create tears, and each time you blink, the tears flow across your eye. The tears then flow into your tear ducts, located on your eyelids' inner corners, and then out of your eyes. It is very important that your eyes stay clean and moist in order to stay healthy!

What Causes Dry Eye?

Dry eyes can be caused by routine activities, like looking at a computer screen, or being outside in the sun and the wind. Being exposed to cigarette smoke can cause dry eyes, as can being tired, and the simple fact of aging. Certain medications can cause dry eye, and dry eyes can result from LASIK surgery, and overuse of contact lenses.

Not So Common Causes of Dry Eye

If medications are the cause of dry eyes, discontinuing the drug generally resolves the problem. But in this case, the benefits of the drug must be weighed against the side effect of dry eyes. Sometimes switching to a different type of medication alleviates the dry eye symptoms while keeping the needed treatment. In any case, never switch or discontinue your medications without consulting with your doctor first.

Treating any underlying eyelid disease, such as blepharitis, helps as well. This may call for antibiotic or steroid drops, plus frequent eyelid scrubs with an antibacterial shampoo.

If you are considering LASIK, be aware that dry eyes may disqualify you for the surgery, at least until your dry eye condition is successfully treated. Dry eyes increase your risk for poor healing after LASIK, so most surgeons will want to treat the dry eyes first, to ensure a good LASIK outcome. This goes for other types of vision correction surgery, as well.

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How do we treat dry eye at Northwest Vision?

We recommend the following treatment options for dry eye:

~ Avenova (from Nova Bay)
~ Lid cleanser
~ Ez Tears eye drops
~ Restasis prescription eye drops
~ Omega 3 supplements

Your optometrist may recommend artificial tears, which are lubricating eyedrops that may alleviate the dry, scratching feeling and foreign body sensation of dry eye syndrome. Prescription eye drops for dry eye, such as Restasis, go one step further, by helping to increase your tear production. To read more about the symptoms and causes of dry eyes, visit Your Eye Health.

Contact Lenses and Dry Eye

eye with contact lens

Artificial Tears

If you wear contact lenses, be aware that many artificial tears cannot be used during contact lens wear. You may need to remove your lenses before using the drops. Wait 15 minutes or longer (check the label) before reinserting them.

we treat her with mild dry eye

Mild Dry Eye

For mild dry eye, contact lens rewetting drops may be sufficient to make your eyes feel better, but the effect is usually only temporary. Switching to another lens brand could also help, as well as making sure the contacts are properly cleaned.

Columbus eye irritation from computer use

Ask Doctor First

check with your doctor before buying any over-the-counter eye drops. Your eye doctor will know which formulas are effective and long-lasting and which are not, as well as which eye drops will work with your contact lenses.

Mapping out Dry Eyes: The OCULUS Keratograph 5M

The OCULUS Keratograph 5M is a unique multifunction instrument that incorporates several unique functions. First, it serves as a corneal topographer which maps the front surface of the eye. This is important for monitoring certain corneal diseases such as keratoconus. It is also quite helpful in fitting challenging contact lens candidates. The Keratograph also functions as a precise camera system that can document many disease conditions of the eye.

Best of all, the Keratograph has technologies that allow us to evaluate the tear and gland system to determine the extent of dry eye disease. It thus allows us to determine a customized treatment plan to better serve our dry eye patients.

keratograph 5m for diagnosing dry eye syndrome

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Eye doctor, woman suffering from dry eyes in Columbus, OH

Contact Lens Discomfort & Dry Eyes

Have you been wearing contact lenses comfortably for years, but now your eyes feel dry, scratchy and irritated?

Eye doctor, woman suffering from burning eyes in Columbus, OH

Do You Wake up with Burning Eyes?

“Burning Eyes” is often associated with either dry eye syndrome, an allergic reaction, blepharitis, or even pink eye.

Dry Eye Treatment