The Dry Eye Centre Services

Diagnosis

We use the most innovative and advanced diagnostic technology available for better understanding dry eye and ocular surface disease.

Treatment

As dry eye disease has multiple causes, our care plans are personalised to maximize the potential for success.

Review

Dry eye disease is chronic. It cannot be cured as such. Therefore, we offer a program of regular review to monitor progress.

What is Dry Eye?

“Dry Eye” is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that results in symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface. It is accompanied by increased osmolarity of the tear film and inflammation of the ocular surface [1]. It affects 15%-40% of the total population at any point in time [1]. Although it is commonly associated with ageing, dry eye disease can affect people of any age, and is more reasonably associated with intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as general health and environmental conditions.

The prevalence of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), a key cause of dry eye disease, is unknown in the adult population [2]. This is most likely due to a combination of factors; firstly, MGD being a continuous variable and secondly there being a lack of standardisation in diagnostic markers. Even so, we do know that evaporation of the tear lipid layer is responsible for about 85% of dry eye disease [3] and that MGD is a contributing factor to evaporation. Indeed meibomian glands begin to deteriorate in the third decade of life [4] and this fact combined with a range of co-morbid adverse environmental factors contributes to dry eye disease being one of the most common reasons for people seeking eye care. Dry eye disease significantly and negatively impacts quality of life and is a major public health concern.

But my eyes feel ok. Could I still have dry eye?

There is a poor correlation between signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Many people with the condition do not present with symptoms, or their symptoms correlate poorly with clinical findings. For some people, the condition progresses this way until at some point the discomfort and damage becomes significant, a bit like tooth decay! It is not possible to predict an individual’s risk, without a dry eye examination.

What do we do at the Dry Eye Centre?

We specialize in assessing and diagnosing the condition of your tear film and ocular surface. We investigate each component of the ocular surface and related structures responsible for maintaining eye comfort. Based on our findings we work with you to implement a treatment strategy for maintaining comfortable eyes into the future. There is no cure for dry eye disease, but left untreated or poorly managed, the disease can become a significant impediment to comfortable living, a cause of pain and distress and vision loss.

The Dry Eye Centre Advantage

A thorough eye examination by committed optometrists specialising in dry eye disease, advanced, innovative and evidence based diagnosis and treatment and care plans for ongoing review.

References:
1. Report of the International Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS). The Ocoular Surface. 5(2):61-204. 2. Schaumberg DA, Nichols JJ, Papas EB, Tong L, Uchino M, Nichols KK. The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: report of the subcommittee on the epidemiology of, and associated risk factors for, MGD. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011 Mar; 52(4):1994-2005. Epub 2011 Mar 30. 3. Horwath-Winter J, Berghold A, Schmut O, et al. Evaluation of theClinical Course of Dry Eye Syndrome. Arch Ophthalmo l. 2003; 121:1364 –1368.Apr;65(2):137-42. 4. Norn M.Expressibility of meibomian secretion. Relation to age, lipid precorneal film, scales, foam, hair and pigmentation.Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh). 1987