How to Get Rid of Dry Eye

Talking to someone about something funny or work-related and starting to tear up for no apparent reason can be beyond embarrassing. Although your emotions are nothing to be ashamed of, excessive tearing for no emotional reason is something that needs medical attention. As one of the most common optic conditions out there, dry eye can make your life a lot more tearful. To help you get rid of your dry eye, Dr. Schlessinger can do a variety of things to clear it up.

Flush Your Tear Ducts

When the lacrimal sac gets clogged with too much oil or bacteria, it can cause the eyes to incessantly tear or give patients persistent blurred vision. For Dr. Schlessinger to determine what exactly is clogging your tear ducts and causing this issue, he will flush them out with saline. This simple procedure is fast, easy, and pain-free. For some patients, this simple procedure will help relieve symptoms, but for others, it may require additional care.

Surgery

If your symptoms come back after your tear ducts have been flushed and if you have frequent eye infections, Dr. Schlessinger may recommend a procedure called a Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). During this procedure, a new channel will be created in the eyes to allow tears to drain into the nose again. The great thing about this procedure is that we can do it fairly quickly and get you home to recover and start living a less teary life.

Aftercare

Right after you have surgery, we will send you home with detailed instructions on how to take care of yourself. Basic wound instructions include:

• Don’t lay flat. Keep your head above your heart to help reduce swelling.
• Wrap ice cubes or chips in a clean, soft towel, and place it gently on your eye. Leave it in place for 15 to 20 minutes. Do this at least six times each day (while you are awake) for the first 48 hours (2 days) after your surgery. This will help keep the swelling down. Do not put ice directly on your skin. If you are wearing a patch, do not get it wet.
• Be gentle with your eyelid when putting in eye drops or ointment.
• Don’t rub or press on your eye.
• Don’t smoke. It slows your body’s ability to heal.

Are you ready to learn more about how you can get rid of your dry eye and clear up your tear ducts? Contact our Woodbury office and call us at (516) 496-2122.