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Dry Eye Therapy in Annapolis

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Uncomfortable Eyes? You’re Not Alone.

If you struggle with uncomfortable dry eye symptoms, you’re not alone.

About 16 million Americans experience some degree of chronic dry eye. But because this issue is widespread across the country, we’ve invested in several modern relief strategies to bring you the comfort you need and deserve.

We offer a variety of treatments, and we can tailor your plan based on your unique needs. Let the team at Annapolis Vision Center help you achieve comfortable vision and book your appointment today.

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Don’t Ignore
Your Symptoms

There are many different dry eye symptoms you may experience, but they may change depending on what’s causing your dry eye. Some of the most common include:

  • Stinging, burning, gritty sensations
  • Redness
  • Light sensitivity
  • Blurry vision
  • Difficulty wearing contact lenses

Dry eye could also cause eye surface damage and more frequent eye infections. Regardless of your symptoms, our team is ready to help.

How Dry Eye Develops

There are 2 different types of dry eye (evaporative dry eye and aqueous tear deficiency), and several factors may increase your risk of experiencing them, like:

  • Aging
  • Certain medications
  • Certain medical conditions
  • Vitamin A deficiency
  • Allergies
  • Dry, smoky, or dusty air
  • History of eye surgery such as LASIK, PRK, and cataract surgery
  • Hormonal changes
  • Certain skin conditions such as rosacea and acne

How we treat your dry eye depends on what’s causing your symptoms. In some cases, we may recommend an in-office treatment like Lumenis OptiLight IPL therapy, or we could recommend a variety of dry eye products for you to use at home.

Evaporative Dry Eye

Evaporative dry eye, sometimes known as EDE, is the most common version of dry eye syndrome, responsible for about 85% of all dry eye cases.

EDE occurs when your tears lack the oil content they need to keep them from evaporating. There are several reasons why your tears might lack some oil content, but one of the most common is meibomian gland dysfunction.

Aqueous tear deficiency occurs when your tears lack the water content they need to keep your eyes hydrated and comfortable.

This version of dry eye is less common than EDE, but it can develop if you have health conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus. You may also have a higher risk of experiencing aqueous tear deficiency if you take medications for birth control, high blood pressure, allergies, congestion, or depression.

Our Dry Eye Strategies

As one of the first optometry practices in our area to focus on dry eye treatment, we’ve adopted many in-office and at-home strategies.

The treatment or strategy we recommend depends on what’s causing your symptoms, but we’re proud to offer comprehensive solutions for a wide range of needs. In some cases, you may need repeat treatments or combine strategies to maintain your eye comfort, but we can determine if this is necessary when you come in for an eye exam.

Alongside our featured in-office treatments, we also carry dry eye products like eye drops, heated masks, and eyelid cleansers. We even carry eye makeup specifically designed for people who struggle with dry eye!

Lumenis OptiLight IPL Therapy

Intense pulsed light therapy is a common strategy we use to help address meibomian gland dysfunction.

Our Lumenis OptiLight system gently heats your eyelids to melt away blockages in your meibomian glands using high-powered flashes of light. This allows oils to flow more freely into your tears and prevent them from evaporating too quickly.

Learn more about this treatment by visiting our OptiLight by Lumenis page today.

TearCare thermal treatment is an in-office strategy we may use to address meibomian gland dysfunction.

This treatment uses single-use SmartLid devices that rest on top of your eyelids. These devices produce gentle heat to help warm up your meibomian glands, melting away blockages and promoting a healthy flow of oils to your tear film.

BlephEx is an in-office eyelid cleansing strategy we may use to address issues associated with blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction.

Using the BlephEx device’s spinning brush tool, we can gently clear away debris and bacteria that may block meibomian glands or irritate your eyelids. We may use BlephEx alongside other treatments to ensure your eyelids remain as comfortable as possible.

In some cases, we may manually express your meibomian glands to help remove blockages and promote a healthy flow of oils to your tear film.

We may also express your meibomian glands as a part of other dry eye treatments like IPL therapy, thermal treatment, or BlephEx lid cleansing.

Dry Eye & Stye Treatments

Optilight IPL Dry Eye Treatment

Optilight IPL helps liquefy and release oils that have hardened and clogged the meibomian glands in the eyelids, reducing blockages that cause dry eye symptoms and improving the quality of your tears. Each treatment is followed by an expression of the meibomian glands.

  • 4 Sessions, scheduled 2 to 4 weeks apart – $1,400.00 – (Single Session $400.00)

RF targets the source of inflammation of the meibomian glands enabling them to secrete oils naturally and resume their moisturizing function. RF relieves symptoms and helps slows the progression of chronic dry eye. RF will also target collagen resulting in a tighter appearance of the skin.

RF is also an ideal alternative for patients that are not candidates for OptiLight dry eye treatments. Each treatment is followed by an expression of the meibomian glands.

  • 4 Sessions, scheduled 2 to 4 weeks apart – $1,400.00 – (Single Session $400.00)

The wavelength of light generated by OptiLight specifically targets the inflamed and clogged meibomian gland, softening it and making it easier to express. The light also kills the bacteria causing infection and inflammation.

  • $250.00 Per Session

Dry Eye Friendly Makeup

If you have sensitive or dry eyes, your makeup may be contributing to your symptoms. When makeup comes into contact with your eyes, it can cause your tear film to thin, and your tears can begin to evaporate more quickly.

We carry dry eye friendly makeup to help you avoid irritation. Ask us about our products during your next appointment.

Shop our products online here.

 

Our Medical Aesthetic Services

Look, feel, and see your best with the help of the team at Annapolis Vision Center. Please visit our medical aesthetics page to view a complete menu of our in office treatments and services.

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Helping You Achieve Comfortable, Hydrated Eyes

It’s time to live life with comfortable, hydrated vision.

Book an appointment, and we’ll get to work on creating a dry eye strategy unique to your needs today.

Our Services

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Comprehensive Eye Exams

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Dry Eye Therapy

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Contact Lens Fittings

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Myopia Management

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Our Location

Find us right off Riva Road at Holiday Court in the Parole Professional Center.

If you have any trouble finding us, please give us a call!

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Contact Us

Our Address

  • 130 Holiday Court, Suite 109 & 111
  • Annapolis, MD 21401

Office Hours

  • Monday: 9:00 AM 7:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 8:00 AM 6:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 9:00 AM 7:00 PM
  • Thursday: 8:00 AM 6:00 PM
  • Friday: 9:00 AM 1:00 PM
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
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