Dry Eye Therapy in Modesto

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Living with Dry Eye

Dry eye can be irritating, uncomfortable, and it can interfere with healthy vision. There are many reasons we might experience dry eyes, especially as we age. Dry eye occurs when we don’t produce enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish our eyes. 

It’s a common condition, affecting more than 16 million Americans. Although the causes vary, there are also many options for managing and treating symptoms.

Contact our eye care team about dry eye. Valley Optometric Group can help with dry eye!

How Do Tears Work?

Your eyes need moisture to nourish your cells. Our tears lubricate our eyes through blinking, which spreads the moisture across the surface of the eyes. The tear film consists of 3 layers:

  • Watery layer
  • Mucus layer
  • Oily layer

The watery layer makes up most of our tears. It cleans and moisturizes the eye. The mucus layer helps the water layer spread more easily, and the oily layer prevents water from evaporating too quickly.

Each layer is crucial to effective tears. When we experience dry eye, it’s because one of these layers is out of balance. For example, the oily layer is produced by the meibomian glands. If an eye condition clogs the glands or interferes with oil production, the oily layer can’t effectively support the tear film.

Dry Eye Symptoms

People with dry eye can experience multiple symptoms, including:

  • Dry eyes
  • Redness 
  • Blurry vision
  • Light sensitivity
  • Watery eyes
  • Stringy mucus
  • Gritty or scratchy eyes
  • Burning or stinging eyes

If dry eye is untreated, it can advance. As symptoms worsen, it may damage the front surface of the eye and impair vision. 

What Causes Dry Eye?

Dry eye occurs because of tear quality or quantity, but what causes changes in our tears? There are many reasons why our eyes might produce less tears, but some of the most common causes of dry eye include: 

Managing & Treating Dry Eye

Although dry eye can be challenging, there are many options for managing and treating symptoms. Discussing your symptoms and lifestyle factors can help our optometrists understand your eye health. By learning about you and your unique eyes, we can recommend personalized solutions to meet your eye care needs.

Lubricating eye drops or artificial tears support your natural tear film to hydrate and protect the surface of your eye. There are many over-the-counter options, but you can discuss prescription eye drops with your optometrist.

Consulting your optometrist can help you determine the best option and help you manage any side effects, such as an allergic reaction. Some artificial tears containing preservatives can irritate your eyes. Talk to our optometrists about preservative-free options to ensure you are using high-quality drops that work best for your eyes.

One of the most common symptoms of digital eye strain is dry eye. Since water makes up 98% of your tears, staying hydrated can help support your tear film. You might have heard we need 8 cups every day, but most adults need 9–13. How much water you need also depends on multiple factors, including activity level, health, and environment.

You can also improve environmental moisture by adding a humidifier to your home or office. If you’re experiencing multiple symptoms of dryness, such as dry skin, dry throat, or headaches, a humidifier could help.

OptiLight by Lumenis is a light-based, noninvasive treatment done in the area below the eyes to manage dry eye. It’s the first and only IPL FDA-approved for dry eye management. OptiLight uses precise pulses of light to reduce the inflammation that is typically associated with dry eye disease, improve tear break-up time, and increase meibomian gland functionality.

Visit Us for Dry Eye Solutions

Whether you have chronic dry eye or experience periodic symptoms, we can help you find solutions. Talk to us about treatment and prevention. Our eye care team is dedicated to working with our patients for healthier, comfortable vision.

Book an appointment with Valley Optometric Group!

Our Location

Visit us

Valley Optometric Group is located on the corner of Kingswood Drive and Sylvan Avenue, right near Beyer Community Park. 

If you’re having trouble finding our practice, please give us a call!

  • 1401 Sylvan Ave
  • Modesto, CA 95355

Hours of Operation

  • Monday: 7:30 AM 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 7:30 AM 5:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 7:30 AM 5:00 PM
  • Thursday: 7:30 AM 5:00 PM
  • Friday: Closed
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed

Closed: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM daily for lunch

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