What Is Dry Eye?
Dry eye happens when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or when the tears lack the right balance of oil, water, and mucus. This leads to dryness, irritation, and discomfort.
A common cause of dry eye is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), where the glands that produce the oily layer of tears become blocked or inflamed. Blepharitis–inflammation of the eyelids–can also contribute to dry eye. If you’re experiencing dry eye, you’re not alone. It’s a very common condition that’s treatable.
Contact our team for help managing your symptoms.
How We Diagnose Dry Eye
To accurately diagnose and treat dry eye, we use different diagnostic tools, including:
- Eyelid meibography (LipiView): Imaging that shows the structure and health of the meibomian glands
- Osmolarity testing: This test measures the salt concentration in your tears to identify if your tear film is imbalanced
These tests help us understand the root cause of your dry eye and allow us to create a tailored treatment plan.
Symptoms of Dry Eye
Dry eye can cause many uncomfortable symptoms that affect your daily life. Common signs include:
- Gritty or sandy feeling in the eyes
- Redness or inflammation
- Blurry vision
- Watery eyes (from overproduction of poor-quality tears)
- Light sensitivity
- A stinging or burning sensation
Symptoms can worsen with exposure to dry air, heating, air conditioning, and prolonged screen time, which reduces blinking. Certain medications and contact lens wear can also contribute to dryness. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s worth having your eyes checked.
Our Treatments & Management Options
We offer a range of treatments to target the root causes of dry eye, like intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, LipiFLow, and BlephEx. Other management options include:
- Artificial tears or gels
- Hot compresses
- Anti-inflammatory eye drops
- Meibomian gland expression
- Dietary supplements
We’ll help you find the right combination of treatments for your specific needs.
IPL therapy uses targeted light wavelengths to reduce inflammation around the eyes, improving meibomian gland function. By breaking down oil buildup and stimulating better oil production, IPL helps restore a healthy tear film and alleviates dry eye symptoms.
LipiFlow gently applies heat and pressure to massage and unblock the meibomian glands, allowing the release of clogged oils. This process helps restore healthy tear production, providing long-lasting relief from dry eye discomfort.
Micro Blepharo-Exfoliation is a professional in-office treatment designed to deeply clean the eyelid margins and improve eyelid and ocular surface health. It helps manage conditions like blepharitis and dry eye by removing biofilm, debris, and bacteria that contribute to inflammation.
We offer 2 treatment options: BlephEx and ZEST.
- BlephEx: Uses a gentle, medical-grade micro-sponge to exfoliate the eyelid margins and lashes. This deep cleaning removes biofilm, debris, and bacterial buildup that can cause chronic irritation and inflammation.
- ZEST (Zocular Eyelid System Treatment): A noninvasive eyelid cleansing procedure that uses a natural okra-based gel to break down oil, debris, and residue along the lash line. The gel is gently massaged into the eyelid margins and rinsed off, leaving the lids refreshed and clean.
Managing Your Dry Eye Symptoms
Dry eye symptoms can be disruptive, but they don’t have to be a constant struggle. Our team is here to help you find the right treatment for lasting relief. Schedule a personalized dry eye assessment today, and let us work with you to develop a tailored plan that improves your comfort and quality of life.
Don’t wait—take the first step toward clearer, more comfortable eyes. Contact us to schedule your eye exam today.
Our Purpose, Our Impact
Our Why
At Oceanside Optometry Clinic, we believe in challenging the status quo in everything we do. We believe in thinking and acting differently about how eye care is delivered and experienced.
Our How
We challenge the status quo by creating a simple, enjoyable, educational optometric experience that helps our patients feel informed so they can make decisions, resulting in the freedom and knowledge to inspire self-directed solutions.
Our What
Our purpose is to provide exceptional care and treatment plans. We strive to offer modern medical technology and quality vision care products in a relaxing environment.
Our Locations
Oceanside Parksville
Our Address
- 183 Harrison Avenue
- Parksville, BC V9P 2H3
Contact Us
- Phone: 250-248-8003
- Fax: 250-984-0755
- Email: [email protected]
Our Hours
Oceanside Nanaimo
Our Address
- 101-6330 Dover Road
- Nanaimo, BC V9V 1S4
Contact Us
- Phone: 250-390-1447
- Fax: 250-860-0046
- Email: [email protected]
Our Hours
See Differently: Challenging the Status Quo
in Eye Care
Our Eyewear Brands
Check Out Our Google Reviews
Parksville Reviews
Nanaimo Reviews
Oceanside Gallery
About Us
Eye Exams
Specialty Eye Exams
- Digital Eye Strain
- Dry Eye Therapy
- Emergency Eye Care
- Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management
- Laser Eye Surgery Consultation
- Myopia Control
- Eye Nutrition
- Neurolens
Products
Oceanside Nanaimo
- 101-6330 Dover Road
- Nanaimo, BC V9V 1S4
- Phone: 250-390-1447
- Fax: 250-860-0046
- Email: [email protected]
Oceanside Parksville
- 183 Harrison Avenue
- Parksville, BC V9P 2H3
- Phone: 250-248-8003
- Fax: 250-984-0755
- Email: [email protected]