.jpg)
Dry eye is an increasingly common issue that affects people of all ages. Even though the condition may seem like a minor problem, persistent dry eye and its symptoms can impact an individual’s quality of life. Many people use artificial tears for their dry eye symptoms. While they can provide temporary relief, they don’t address the underlying issue or cause. Relying on artificial tears alone only masks the problem but doesn’t solve it.
What Are Artificial Tears?
Artificial tears are lubricating eye drops designed to mimic the natural tear film and soothe surface-level dry eye. Using lubricating eye drops can replenish moisture, reduce friction, and wash away debris that causes irritation. Such products can be beneficial for patients experiencing mild symptoms due to environmental factors. Wind, dry air (such as in an air-conditioned room), and extended screen time can cause temporary dry eye, which can be managed with moisturizing eye drops.
Artificial tears only provide temporary relief and do not address the underlying causes of dry eye, which often include issues with tear production, tear quality, rapid evaporation, or gland dysfunction. Many people mistakenly believe that these drops are a permanent solution; however, they merely soothe symptoms and cannot cure the condition itself. For lasting improvement, it is important to seek a comprehensive treatment that targets the root causes of dry eye.
What Causes Dry Eye?
To understand why artificial tears cannot be used as a long-term solution, it’s essential to understand what causes dry eye. The condition is divided into two categories: aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye. Aqueous-deficient dry eye occurs when the lacrimal gland, small glands above each eye that produce the watery layer of tears, do not produce enough moisture to keep the eyes comfortable.
Evaporative dry eye, on the other hand, is caused by the meibomian gland (the tiny oil glands along the eyelid) failing to produce enough of the oily layer that helps prevent tears from evaporating. The oily layer plays a critical role in maintaining the moisture balance in the eyes because it prevents excessive evaporation of the watery layer. If the delicate balance of the tear film is disrupted, it can cause severe side effects.
Factors that can contribute to dry eye include hormonal changes, autoimmune conditions like Sjögren’s disease, contact lens wear, medications, and chronic ocular inflammation. Environmental conditions, such as prolonged screen use or low indoor humidity, can aggravate dry eye symptoms further. Each cause requires a personalized approach for long-term care because lubricating drops cannot solve the problem permanently.
What Are the Drawbacks of Artificial Tears?
Even preservative-free artificial tears cannot provide long-term relief because they only replace fluid on the surface. Artificial tears cannot normalize tear composition or resolve gland dysfunction, so eventually the dry eye will return. Identifying and treating the root cause of your dry eye is the only way to achieve long-term symptom relief and manage the condition effectively.
Are There Other Treatments Available for Dry Eye?
There are several advanced dry eye therapies that we offer at Miami Contact Lens Institute. First, we will perform a comprehensive eye exam to determine the cause of your condition and select the appropriate treatment. Lipiflow® treatments use thermal pulses to unblock meibomian glands and restore the oily layer of the tear film. OptiLight is an intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment that targets abnormal blood vessels that cause inflammation.
Scleral lenses are a special type of contact lens that vaults over the cornea and provides continuous hydration through their unique fluid reservoir. TearCare® is a wearable eyelid device that uses heat to remove meibomian gland blockages and stimulate tear production. Prokera® is a groundbreaking treatment that uses amniotic membrane to promote tissue repair and reduce inflammation on the ocular surface.
Explore Long-Term Dry Eye Treatment for Lasting Relief
If you’re dealing with constant dry eye that returns consistently despite regular use of artificial tears, the expert eye care practitioners at Miami Contact Lens Institute are here to help. Effective dry eye management requires an in-depth understanding of the cause of your condition and the treatment methodology that would best suit your specific situation.
Our goal is to help you achieve lasting relief or create a management plan that enhances your comfort and quality of life. For patients with dry eye, long-term treatment is often part of maintaining healthy eyes and preventing symptom flare-ups. The advanced therapies we offer can provide relief that lasts for several months at a time, far longer than the temporary comfort that artificial tears provide. Contact us to schedule a consultation and take the next step toward restoring your ocular health.
