Dry Eye Care

At Bishop Eye we appreciate the major problems and decrease in quality of life that moderate and severe dry eye can cause. Fortunately there are many new pharmacologic and therapeutic options for the dry eye patient. We have devised new protocols for treating dry eyes through a routine follow-up schedule to help us determine if the treatment provided is effective.

Many different factors cause dry eye. Dry eye can be influenced by things such as current medications, oil gland dysfunction, blepharitis, rheumatoid arthritis, rosacea, menopause, thyroid disease, and Sjogren’s Syndrome.

The art and science of treating dry eye is determining the underlying cause for the dryness and treating that cause while also treating the symptoms of the disease. Thus, we are not only making the patient more comfortable, we are also essentially helping to cure or treat the underlying problem. Once the problem is diagnosed, we can determine the treatment most likely to help. Follow-up care is imperative because not every treatment is equally effective for each patient. The goal is to choose a treatment likely to be successful for a specific patient and to follow up to make sure the treatment is working.

The Dry Eye Clinic at Bishop Eye Associates uses all the most current effective treatments for dry eye. Treatments include, but are not limited to, Restasis, Lotemax, punctal occlusion, aggressive artificial tear therapy, omega 3 oil recommendations, and antibiotics.

For our most severe dry eye patients, we also offer therapeutic scleral lenses. We are one of the only clinics in the region that has experience fitting these lenses. These lenses are prescribed for patients that suffer from severe dry eye or corneal disease. The scleral lens is a large diameter rigid gas permeable contact lens that works by trapping a reservoir of tears on the cornea. In order to help these patients we employ all the latest science, materials, and techniques involving this exciting therapeutic modality.

We realize that dry eye is a serious problem and many patients are frustrated by its chronic nature. We are dedicated to helping with this often debilitating disease. Our goal is to provide our patients with the best specific treatment possible for their condition, whether it is as simple as over the counter artificial tears or complex as the therapeutic scleral lens.