Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of tears. The diagnostic methods available to us today are able to direct the eye doctor in the diagnosis of dry eye and therefore, in the identification of the factor that most negatively affects the composition of tears, resulting in a pathological condition typically called dry eye. The dry eye can be generated by the alteration of one of the 3 components of the tear: watery component, mucous component (mucus), lipid component (fat). At Sekal Microsurgery Rovigo the diagnostic-therapeutic pathway consists, according to the case, of a set of exams, such as:
- Fluorine and lissamine green colors;
- Schirmer test;
- BUT (Break UP Time) invasive and non-invasive;
- Tearscope;
- Corneal estesiometria;
- Specific questionnaires to subject the patient’s discomfort.
Based on the results of the visit and the health status of the individual patient, it is possible to identify the diagnostic procedure and the best suited therapeutic procedure for the individual patient.
Nowadays it is possible to intervene with medical treatments (artificial tears specific for the single tear deficiency, antibiotic therapy) and conservative treatments, such as:
- Pulsed Light, particularly useful in lipid dysfunctions. The treatment is simple and painless and the session lasts a few seconds: the patient sits on a bed and a protective mask is placed on the eyes and a moisturizing and gelatinous substance is spread on the pericular skin and the eyelids. A series of flashes are applied around the lower eyelid, in sequence, proceeding from the side near the nose and going towards the part near the temple. Stimulation allows the meibomium glands to resume normal function just a few hours after treatment. The complete success of the therapy, however, occurs only if the complete protocol of 3-4 sessions is performed at precise intervals over time.
- Squeezing the glands with special pincers, in the cases of Meibomite in which the inflammatory component prevails so much as to determine a partial obstruction of the ducts of the meibomian glands (glands which produce fat);
- Probing of the glands, through specific cannulae needle it is possible to dilate and reopen occluded glands that produced fat;
- Insertion of closed Plugs, plastic caps placed in the tear dots able to hold the tear longer on the ocular surface (useful in cases of reduced amount of tear film).
