One of the most common complaints reported to optometrists and ophthalmologists is that the patient has burning, stinging eyes or even the feeling that ‘there is something in the eye’. Other common, yet surprising, symptoms are sensitivity to light and watery eyes.

Dry Eyes are caused by a lack of tear production or tear evaporation. This can be influenced by environmental factors, medications, and even physical changes within the body such as a systemic disease or condition. For example, wind, sand, smoke, allergies, hormones, Vitamin A deficiency, auto-immune disorders.

Some patients experience dry eyes when wearing contact lenses. While the addition of artificial tears to the daily contact lens regimen can be helpful in treating the dry eyes, some patients will need to be refit with daily disposable contact lenses as they increase moisture and have better comfort, without the addition of the tears and extra preservatives which can cause other eye irritations.

Many patients present with a complaint of watering eyes and are surprised to learn that they have dry eyes. This seems contradictory however the eye waters in direct response to irritation. The excess tears are created to flood the eye and is similar to crying. However, this is a short term response by the body and these tears have no true lubrication properties to counteract the dry eye syndrome.

Treatment of dry eyes begins with the use of artificial tears on a regular basis. If the patient does not find comfort in this simple method of treatment then the optometrist or ophthalmologist may elect to place punctal plugs in order to keep the naturally occurring tears on the eye and stop them from draining away. Other treatments for dry eye are prescription drops, fish oil supplements, sleep masks, and in severe cases of irritation bandage contact lenses are used.

Most dry eyes do not have to cause suffering as they are easily treated and the doctors and technicians of the Eye Center of North Florida are well trained in the treatment of this condition. Please feel free to discuss your dry eyes with us so that we can help you feel more comfortable.

Contact lens wear has evolved rapidly in recent years and Daily Disposable Contact Lenses are rapidly becoming one of the most prescribed type of soft contact lenses. The wear of Daily Disposable Contact Lenses (or Dailies as they are often called) offers many advantages that are compatible with today’s busy lifestyles. Some of these advantages are:

• Fewer infections and complications.
• Increased all day comfort, especially for people who suffer from dry eyes.
• No marking the calendar as a reminder of when to change lenses.
• No cases or solutions to maintain or keep stock of.

Essentially, Dailies have it all.

As the Contact Lens market evolves, Dailies are evolving as well expanding into new territories such as toric correction for astigmatism as well as multifocals for the presbyopic patient. So be on the look out as new Daily products are released.

Many people ask about Dailies and are at first a little intimidated, feeling that the cost is above what they would normally pay. The truth is that while they appear to cost more in the short term, Dailies cost about the same as traditional lenses. When averaged out over the year, the comparative cost between Dailies and regular contact lenses, solutions, and cases average out to about the same cost. Just imagine, a new fresh lens every day and no solutions or cases to tote around.

I invite all patients to inquire about Daily Disposable Soft Contact Lenses. I am quite certain you will not be disappointed.