DR. PHILLIP HAIMAN & ASSOC. P.A.
SUNRISE, FLORIDA

Tears are composed of mainly water and oils. The oils come from special oilglands near the base of the eyelashes. The water comes from another gland above your eye. The oils help to prevent tear evaporation and allows the tears to stick to the eye surface. Without good oils mixed into your tears, the eye surface dries and the vision blurs. When dryness occurs, the eye signals the brain to produce more tears. This causes the eyes to water, but again these tears evaporate and cannot stick to the surface. This is why it is common for patients with dry eyes to complain of both blurred vision and tearing. How can omega 3 fatty acids, help with dry eyes? Lid inflammation reduces the quality of tears released into the eye. Inflammation also causes the oils within the oil glands to become thickened and sludge-like. Omega 3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation and improve the oils within the tears. Increasing dietary forms of omega 3 fatty acids can help to reduce dry eye syndrome. Good sources of omega 3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines,halibut, herring, mackerel, tuna, chia seeds, walnuts, flaxseed, and pumpkinseeds. If you are not getting enough of these in your diet, ask your doctor if fish oil supplementation is right for you. Please note fish oils can increase the blood thinning effect of warfarin, and/or aspirin. The proper dosing of omega 3 fatty acids for dry eyes is 2000mg a day. Ask your eye doctor what Omega 3 is best for dry eyes as all Omega 3s are not alike. Yes. Artificial tears and lid scrubs can be used, but lid cleaning is slow to produce an improvement in signs and symptoms. Another option includes an in-office deep cleaning procedure called BlephEx. BlephEx exfoliates and cleans the bacteria and its biofilm off the eyelids and lashes. This procedure can immediately improve dry eye symptoms. It also helps to control the long-term damage to your oil glands. After the in-office treatment, daily lid cleaning is needed to maintain the effect. The BlephEx procedure is usually performed 1 to 2times a year. The procedure does not hurt and is easily tolerated. The eyelids, like the entire skin of our body, have a normal flora of bacteria. With blepharitis, the normal flora overgrows and becomes unbalanced. Cleaning the lids can help to slow the overgrowth of bacteria. Follow-up visits are important to assure your ocular surface remains healthy.The more years you have dry eyes, you will lose sensation to the ocular surfaceand may think everything is fine. Dry eyes can cause eye infections, lid damage and scarring of your cornea. Follow-up care will prevent further damage to your eyes. Each patient is different and may have a different treatment plan. We are here for you and are available to answer all your questions. We will determine the best fitting lens based on your lifestyle needs, the shape and health of your eye. In most cases, you’ll have the opportunity to try lenses on the same day as your exam. You can even go home with a few samples before making a final decision. Please provide a reason for your appointment. Details are stored securely and not sent by email. Insurance Company Name Please provide a reason for your appointment. Details are stored securely and not sent by email. We are always interested in improving our patients’ experience with our Practice. Click on an icon in the grid below to review us online. We welcome your feedback and appreciate your time in helping us find new ways to make our patient services exceed your expectations! We will determine the best fitting lens based on your lifestyle needs, the shape and health of your eye. In most cases, you’ll have the opportunity to try lenses on the same day as your exam. You can even go home with a few samples before making a final decision.