DRY EYE
Personalised Dry Eye Care from Your Independent Sydney Optometrist
Do your eyes often feel dry, irritated or tired? Perhaps they water constantly, sting when you’re using a computer, or your vision becomes blurry throughout the day.
Dry eye is one of the most common conditions we see at Tracton Optometrists, and it can affect people of all ages. While the symptoms may seem minor at first, untreated dry eye can become increasingly uncomfortable and begin to affect your work, reading, driving and overall quality of life.
The good news is that dry eye can usually be managed successfully with the right diagnosis and treatment.
At Tracton Optometrists, we don’t believe in simply recommending another bottle of eye drops. Our focus is on understanding why your eyes are dry and developing a personalised treatment plan that provides lasting relief.
What Causes Dry Eye?
Healthy tears do much more than keep your eyes moist. They protect the surface of the eye, keep your vision clear and help maintain long-term eye health.
Dry eye develops when your eyes don’t produce enough quality tears or when those tears evaporate too quickly.
There isn’t one single cause. Dry eye can be influenced by:
- Long hours on computers, tablets and smartphones
- Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)
- Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids)
- Ageing and hormonal changes
- Air conditioning, heating and windy environments
- Contact lens wear
- Certain medications
- General health conditions
Many people have more than one contributing factor, which is why a personalised assessment is so important.
Common Symptoms of Dry Eye:
- Dry, sore or irritated eyes
- Burning or stinging sensations
- Watery eyes
- Gritty or sandy feeling
- Blurred or fluctuating vision
- Tired or heavy eyes
- Red eyes
- Sensitive eyes in windy or air-conditioned environments
- Crusting around the eyelids
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, a comprehensive Dry Eye Assessment can help identify what’s causing the problem.
A Personalised Dry Eye Assessment
Every person’s eyes are different, which is why there is no single treatment that works for everyone.
During your Dry Eye Assessment, our experienced Sydney optometrists take the time to understand your symptoms, lifestyle and eye health before carefully examining your tear film and eyelids.
One of the most common causes of dry eye is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), where the tiny oil glands along the eyelids don’t produce enough healthy oil to keep tears from evaporating too quickly. We also look for conditions such as Blepharitis, reduced tear production and inflammation, as these often contribute to ongoing symptoms.
By identifying the underlying cause, we can recommend treatment that is targeted specifically to your eyes.
Personalised Dry Eye Treatment
As therapeutically endorsed optometrists, we offer a wide range of evidence-based dry eye treatments.
Depending on your individual needs, your treatment plan may include:
- Preservative-free lubricating eye drops
- Prescription anti-inflammatory eye drops
- Eyelid hygiene treatments
- Warm compress therapy
- Nutritional supplements
- Omega-3 supplementation
- Lifestyle and environmental advice
- Treatment for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction or Blepharitis
Many patients benefit from combining several treatments rather than relying on artificial tears alone.
Our goal is to improve the quality of your tears, restore comfort and help prevent your symptoms from returning.
Prescription Dry Eye Treatments
For some people, inflammation plays a significant role in dry eye disease.
When appropriate, our therapeutically endorsed optometrists can prescribe medications such as Cequa® (cyclosporine). This prescription treatment helps reduce inflammation, allowing your eyes to produce healthier natural tears over time.
Because these medications work by improving the health of the eye rather than masking symptoms, they often take several weeks to reach their full benefit. We’ll monitor your progress and adjust your treatment plan as needed.
Nutritional Support
Healthy tears rely on more than eye drops alone.
We may recommend nutritional supplements, including Lacritec® Dry Eye Supplement, to support tear production and reduce inflammation from within. These supplements contain ingredients including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and antioxidants that may help improve the stability and quality of your natural tears.
We’ll discuss whether nutritional support is appropriate as part of your individual treatment plan.
Advanced Dry Eye Management
For patients with more significant or long-standing dry eye, additional treatment may be recommended.
When appropriate, we can arrange referral for advanced therapies including:
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
- LipiFlow® treatment
- BlephEx® eyelid treatment
For some patients, punctal plugs may also be beneficial. These tiny devices are placed in the tear drainage ducts to help retain your natural tears on the surface of the eye for longer, providing greater comfort for certain types of dry eye.
Why Choose Tracton Optometrists?
As an independent Optometrist in Sydney, we pride ourselves on providing personalised care rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
We take the time to listen, investigate the underlying cause of your symptoms and develop an evidence-based treatment plan tailored specifically to you.
Whether your symptoms have only recently started or you’ve been living with dry eye for years, we’re here to help you achieve clearer, more comfortable vision.
Book Your Dry Eye Assessment
You don’t have to live with sore, watery or uncomfortable eyes.