Dry Eye Treatment

Do you feel a burning sensation, itchiness, or a gritty sensation around your eyelids? Do you experience excessive tearing or watery eyes?

You might have dry eye syndrome.

Request A Dry Eye Appointment

What Is Dry Eye Syndrome? (DES)

Dry eye syndrome occurs when tear production and drainage are not in balance. People with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears, or their tears are of poor quality. The result? Unpleasant symptoms, including itching, burning, redness, watery eyes, excessive tearing — and even eye pain. Dry eye syndrome can also increase your risk for more serious eye problems like corneal ulcers.

Without treatment or proper medication, DES can worsen over time.

Learn About the Most Common Cause of Dry Eye

Learn About Our Accurate Dry Eye Exam

What Causes Dry Eyes?

While over 80% of dry eye cases are due to blocked oil glands in the eyelids — a condition called meibomian gland dysfunction or evaporative dry eye — other factors can also cause this syndrome. These include:

Gender — the majority of dry eye sufferers are women. This tends to be caused by hormonal changes, whether through the use of contraceptives, pregnancy, or menopause.

Age — there’s a higher prevalence of DES in those over 50 years of age.

Environment — dry wind, dry air, and dry climates can evaporate tears. Home and car heaters, air conditioners, fans, and hair dryers also cause tears to evaporate.

Medication — these include antidepressants, decongestants, and blood pressure medications.

Auto-immune disorders — Sjogren’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis, among others.

MEET OUR DRY EYE TEAM

Dr. Radhika Chawla

How Do I Know If I Have Dry Eye Syndrome?

Do any of these symptoms seem familiar?

Gritty, itchy, or stinging eyes
Excessive tearing and discharge
Eyes that feel tired or dry
Increased light sensitivity
Regularly using eye drops
Discomfort that worsens as the day progresses

If so, you may have dry eye syndrome. Take our dry eye quiz to find out!

Take the Dry Eye Quiz

What Others Are Saying About Us

l love this Richmond Hill Optometric Clinic. Only professionals working here! Thanks.

2 months ago

- olek p.

i had an unparalleled experience due to the tremendous staff! very caring ❤️

2 months ago

- Cyrano M.

Really amazing optometrist and team. Very personable and kind. Impressive equipment as well far superior to another optometrist I went to. Strongly recommended.

3 months ago

- R S.

Everyone at RHOC is absolutely wonderful. The testing is thorough and goes far beyond your average. My child has been attending for Vision therapy and I have seen alot of improvement. The therapy programme has been spot on. Melissa, our vision therapist has been fantastic in getting my child to work hard and enjoy learning and growing.

4 months ago

- j r.

Dr Chawla and her team were helpful and professional. The selection of frames was fantastic. I could have easily gone home with 10 pairs of great looking glasses! Dr Chawla encouraged me to choose the progressive computer glasses. I am so happy I did! I no longer spend the day taking my glasses on and off! I will be back, there were some sunglasses I had my eyes!

5 months ago

- E J.

Sometimes you do not know you have a problem until it you get professional advise and your life gets better. This is just what happened when Dr Chawla recommended Radio Frequency Dry Eye treatment. The improvement to my vision was noticeable after the first of 3 treatments. I thought it was allergies that caused the need to rub my eyes and to find my glasses frustrating. I know know that the need to lubricate my eyes with drops or apply warm compresses often and to pay attention to when something is off is crucial to long term eye health. Thanks to Haleh the treatments were well explained and very effective.

5 months ago

- Joan A.

I recently switched to this clinic and had a great experience. They spent a lot of time with me doing a thorough exam and took time to answer all of my questions. I would highly recommend this clinic for doing a thorough job for your eye care needs and for the friendly staff.

7 months ago

- Danyal M.

Lasting & Effective Dry Eye Treatment

Our dry eye treatment program is individualized to each patient according to the root cause of their condition.

We aim to restore or maintain the normal amount of tears in the eye to minimize dryness and discomfort. Book a consultation with one of our eye doctors, who can prescribe a customized treatment plan to keep your eyes healthy and comfortable all day, every day.

Our Dry Eye Treatment

Do You Have More Questions About Dry Eyes? | FAQ

Is there a cure for dry eye syndrome?

Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure for dry eye syndrome. However, there are a number of effective ways to prevent or treat symptoms. Make an appointment today with our trusted optometrists in Richmond Hill for evaluation and personalized treatment options.

What is the main cause of dry eye syndrome?

Dry eye syndrome commonly occurs because your eyes are not producing enough tears, or the tears being produced don’t contain the proper components to keep the eyes hydrated. An eye doctor can perform tests to determine what is causing your dry eyes, and how to treat the symptoms.

How do I prevent dry eye symptoms?

Many factors, including allergies, hormones, and the weather, can cause dry eye symptoms such as dry, red, itchy, and gritty-feeling eyes. Tips to prevent these symptoms include:

Eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids helps produce oils in your tears that slow evaporation.

Following the ”20-20-20 rule” when working on computers or screens. This means looking away from the screen every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds, at something at least 20 feet away, to give your eyes a break from the strain of working on digital screens.

Position air vents, fans, and heaters so that they don’t blow directly into your eyes, drying them out.

Can dry eye syndrome cause blindness?

Yes. In extreme circumstances, dry eyes can result in scratches on the eye that leaves scars on the cornea. This scarring can make it difficult for the eye to focus incoming light, obscuring vision. This may eventually result in permanent vision damage or blindness if not treated properly.

Don’t wait for your dry eye syndrome to worsen. Take action today by booking an appointment with Richmond Hill Optometric Clinic today.