Dry Eye

20/20 Sight & Style Optometrists are excited to announce the opening of The Peninsula Dry Eye Clinic

What is Dry eye?

Dry Eye is perhaps the most common eye disease in the world, affecting literally millions of Australians. With symptoms including sore, red, itchy, tired and watery eyes, in addition to fluctuating vision, Dry Eye Disease can significantly impact our lives. Though the actual disease process can begin several years before any symptoms are experienced. Historically eye care practitioners have managed the condition simply with eye drops. However modern science has shown that over 80% of Dry Eye is caused not by a lack of tears, though by poor quality tears. Thus eye drops, whilst helpful, do not usually address the underlying cause of the disease.

The majority of Dry Eye Disease is caused by defects in the lipid (oil) component of tears, which is expressed from meibomian glands within the eyelids each time we blink. Clinical research has taught us that Dry Eye has many contributing factors, thus the condition needs to be taken more seriously, diagnosed more thoroughly and then treatment plans can be individualised to provide the best possible outcome for each patient.

Scientific Assessment of Dry Eye

The Oculus Keratograph 5
This is a revolution in Dry Eye assessment. The K5 allows us to scan and measure critical features such as 1) the quantity of tears,    2) the quality of lipids in tears, 3) tear break-up time and – through infra-red scanning – 4) the integrity of the Meibomian Glands.
Korb Meibomian Gland Evaluator
With the use of the Meibomian Gland evaluator, we can examine directly the quantity and quality of lipids (essential oils) being released from the glands.
Slit-lamp Biomicroscope
High magnification scanning of the anterior eye allows us to differentiate Dry Eye from conditions with similar symptoms, such as Ocular Allergy, viral infection and blocked tear ducts.