The tear film on the surface of the eye is a critical component of maintaining vision. Tears nourish and lubricate the surface of the eye as well as wash away debris. A smooth, balanced tear film (consisting of water, oil and mucus) also allows light to enter the eye in an optimal fashion. If there is a disturbance of the tear film, patients will often experience tearing, burning, irritation and most importantly blurred vision. Patients who experience tearing either have a problem with tear production or tear drainage.<\/p>\n
The eye has two sets of structures that produce tears. Smaller tear glands help maintain a baseline level of moisture on the surface of the eye. Unfortunately, inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogrens disease as well as aging and menopause lead to decreased tear production. As tear production diminishes, the surface of the eye starts to dry out. Further, inflammation of the oil glands along the edge of the eyelid, common in patients with roseacea, also causes early breakdown and evaporation of the tear film. The brain senses the eye is both dry and irritated and in turn signals the main tear gland to flush the eye. As a result, the dry eye paradoxically tears and becomes watery. Patients with dry eyes note intermittent tearing of the eyes during activities like reading, driving, watching TV, using a computer or going outside on a windy day. These all cause the eye to dry out because the eye blinks less during these activities.<\/p>\n
Depending on your symptoms and their severity, we will suggest an appropriate course of action. In mild cases, a treatment of warm compresses and antibiotics may be recommended. In more severe cases, surgical intervention to bypass the tear duct obstruction may be recommended. Tear Duct surgery is performed by creating a new tear passageway from the lacrimal sac to the nose, bypassing the obstruction. A small silicone tube called a stent may temporarily be placed in the new passageway to keep it open during the healing process. In a small percentage of cases, the obstruction is between the puncta and the lacrimal sac. In these cases we will insert a tiny artificial tear drain called a Jones Tube. A Jones Tube is made of Pyrex glass and allows tears to drain directly from the eye to the lacrimal sac.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The tear film on the surface of the eye is a critical component of maintaining vision. Tears nourish and lubricate the surface of the eye as well as wash away […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n