Dry eye disease can be treated. Lubricating eye drops are helpful but are ineffective on their own in most cases.
Preservative free lubricants
Lubricating drops like HyloFresh, HyloForte, TheraTears and Tears Again replenish the deficient tear film and are a fundamental component of dry eye disease management.
There are many eye drops with varied ingredients and your Smart Vision Optometrist will discuss the best option for you. Preservative free drops are essential to avoid further aggravation of the inflamed ocular surface. Often just switching to a preservative free lubricating drop can make a dramatic difference.
Anti-inflammatory eye drops
Inflammation and dry eyes are related in a complex way. Anti-inflammatory drops like FML, Minims Prednisolone, cyclosporine, Cromofresh and Lomide are used in the short-term to break the cycle between inflammation and dryness, or allow other Smart Vision wellness treatment programs to work. In some cases, over-the-counter mast-cell stabilisers can counteract inflammation as a result of friction that a normal tear layer would prevent.
Overnight lubricating gels and ointment
Particularly useful for symptoms of dry eyes that are worse on waking in the morning, thick, long-lasting lubricants like Genteal and VitPos protect the eyes throughout the night.
