Overcome soreness and irritation with dry eye treatment in East Grinstead, Sussex and London

Discover how dry eye treatment for sore and irritated eyes can bring you relief

Overcome soreness and irritation with dry eye treatment in East Grinstead, Sussex and London

Discover how dry eye treatment for sore and irritated eyes can bring you relief

Get relief from eye dryness, itchiness and irritation with dry eye treatment

Sleep better at night knowing your eyes are cared for

Dry eye is a common problem, but it can lead to severe complications if left untreated.

The type of treatment we recommend will depend on the underlying cause. At your first appointment, we will perform a thorough dry eye assessment to find a treatment that we think would be the most appropriate to help you with your symptoms.

This examination may include:

  • The use of diagnostic dyes
  • Meibomian gland imaging and assessment
  • Tear osmolarity
  • A general assessment of the health of the surface of your eye

Some treatments focus on reversing or managing a condition or factor that’s causing your dry eyes. Other treatments can improve your tear quality or stop your tears from quickly draining away from your eyes.
Treatments include:

Drops and medications
  • Artificial tears – The most common treatment is artificial teardrops that help make up for the lack of natural lubricating tears. Artificial tear products come in liquid form, longer-lasting gel form and long-lasting ointment form, which are commonly recommended for nighttime use. Many different brands of artificial tears are available over-the-counter. Some contain preservatives, and some do not.
  • Eye inserts – If you have moderate to severe dry eye symptoms and artificial tears don’t help, another option may be a tiny eye insert that looks like a clear grain of rice. Once a day, you place the insert between your lower eyelid and your eyeball. The insert dissolves slowly, releasing a substance that’s used in eye drops to lubricate your eye.
  • Eye drops – Anti-inflammatory eye drop medications commonly used to treat dry eyes decrease inflammation in the glands and allow more natural tear formation. You can use these medications alone or in conjunction with over the counter artificial tears.
  • Eye drops made from your own blood – These are called autologous blood serum drops. They may be an option if you have severe dry eye symptoms that don’t respond to any other treatment. To make these eye drops, a sample of your blood is processed to remove the red blood cells and then mixed with a salt solution.
  • Tear-stimulating drugs – Drugs called cholinergics (pilocarpine, cevimeline) help increase tear production. They are available as pills, gel or eye drops.
  • Therapies
    • Lid cleaning – When infection, inflammation of the eyelids, or clogged oil glands contribute to dry eye, we may recommend a special lid cleaning technique (eyelid scrubs) or antibiotics.
    • Lipiflow – Dry eye disease is often due to a blockage of one or more meibomian glands. Simultaneous heat and gentle pressure are applied to the eyelids with the Lipiflow machine; this helps to unblock the glands and encourages better quality secretion.
    • BlephEx – An eyelid condition known as blepharitis can often contribute to dry eye. The BlephEx device cleans and exfoliates irritants from the eyelids and eyelashes to reduce inflammation and improve the overall health and hygiene of the eyelid.
    • IPL and LLLT – Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) can effectively treat meibomian gland dysfunction and related evaporative dry eye. Brief bursts of light are applied to the delicate eye area by a trained professional. These specific wavelengths of energy reduce the number of abnormal blood vessels involved in inflammation of the eye, brightening the whites of the eyes and leaving them feeling fresher.
Contact lenses
  • Special contact lenses – Some people with severe dry eyes may opt for special contact lenses that protect the surface of the eyes and trap moisture. These are called scleral lenses or bandage lenses.
Surgery
  • Punctal occlusion – This is another common way in which we can treat dry eyes. We can perform this treatment in the clinic by placing temporary collagen or long-lasting silicone plug into one of the tear duct drains. The tear duct drains tears away from the eye and into the nose. This is comparable to putting a stopper in a sink, allowing the natural tears on the eye to nourish the eye longer.

Advantages

All our treatments aim to improve your ocular surface, tear film and improve the consequences of dry eye.

Disadvantages

There is no cure for dry eyes. All dry eye treatments require regular ongoing care and attention.

Almost every medical treatment has the potential for some side effects. But as far as dry eye treatment goes, the side effects are negligible.

Drops and medication risks

With drops and medications, the main risks include allergy and intolerance to preservatives and ingredients.

Therapy risks

Possible side effects include redness, slight burning or stinging, blurred vision, light sensitivity and dryness. These side effects are very rare and not permanent.

Contact lens risks

With contact lenses, the main risks are overwear, which can lead to your eyes not getting the rest they need and eye infections caused by a poor eye care regime.

Surgery risks

As with any surgical procedure there are risks that we will discuss with you at your appointment. Most are minimally invasive and cause few side effects.

We do a thorough dry eye assessment looking at the tear film components, meibomian glands and suggest treatments based on this assessment.

These treatment modalities help the majority of people with their dry eye symptoms. We recommend the treatment that we think would be the most appropriate to help you with your symptoms.

We will explain the steps of each intervention to you in detail at your first appointment.

After dry eye treatment, your symptoms should be greatly improved, resulting in more comfort and improved quality of life.

Is poor vision or a worrying eye condition holding you back?

If so, we’re here to help you move forward with your life quickly and conveniently

I have cataracts or my vision is cloudy, yellow and dull

If your vision is hazy or blurred (even with glasses); if colours appear dull or faded; or if you’re having increasing difficulty driving or seeing at night, it’s likely you have a cataract.

Restore your visual clarity (AND remove your need for glasses!) with premium cataract surgery.

My glasses and contacts interfere with my lifestyle

Do glasses or contact lenses get in your way or make you feel uncomfortable? We understand how it feels to be let down by your eyes while everyone else enjoys life with natural vision.

Enjoy ultimate visual freedom free from glasses and contacts with laser eye surgery or lens replacement.

I have a troublesome eye condition

Whether you have keratoconus, dry eye, or another cornea and ocular surface disease, we appreciate the impact this can have on your comfort and quality of life.

Gain relief from your condition and move forward with your life with our range of gold-standard eye treatments.

Affiliations and memberships

We are aligned with the following professional bodies

Academic resources on Dry eye treatment

Learn more about Dry eye treatment from authoritative sources

Dry eyes are a chronic lack of lubrication and moisture on the surface of the eye. An adequate and consistent layer of tears on the surface of the eye is essential to keep your eyes healthy, comfortable, and seeing well. Click here for more information.

A lack of balance in your tear-flow system can cause dry eyes. Some other reasons include your air conditioner, heater, or other things around that could dry out your tear film. Click here for more information.

Dry eye syndrome — also called dry eye disease (DED) — is one of the most common eye conditions worldwide. This is often caused by a chronic lack of lubrication and moisture on the surface of the eye. Click here for more information.

Get relief from your troubling eye condition

Early diagnosis and treatment is key to preventing further damage and restoring vision. Come see us today for an assessment.

Beat the lockdown wait lists and move forward with your life

We provide personalised treatment at a time and place that suits you

Mr Mohamed Elalfy

MBBCh, MSc, MD, DRCOphth, FRCS (Ed), FRCS (Glas), FRCOphth, FICO, FEBO
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

Seeking eye treatment for a worrying eye condition can be stressful. Waitlists everywhere are long due to the lockdowns, and leaving the house to attend appointments can be a real inconvenience.

To make your experience as easy and stress-free as possible, we provide assessments in your local area. We also offer online appointments both before and after your treatment, so you don’t have to travel far to get the personalised support you deserve.

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