If your vision isn’t the way it used to be, there are things you can do to get your eye health back to normal. Dry eye syndrome is a chronic condition, generally caused by prolonged use of a computer, reading, natural aging process, problems that don’t allow your eyelids to close the way they should. Dry eyes could also be caused as a side effect of certain drugs like antihistamines, diseases that affect your ability to make tears like rheumatoid arthritis and collagen vascular diseases.

There is a number of ways of treating dry eyes:

• Artificial tear drops and ointments:

Artificial tear drops or ocular lubricants like Celluvisc, Clear Eyes CLR, Gen Teal, Hypotears, Lacri-lube, Liquitears, Refresh and Ultra fresh are used to moisturize the eyes and relieve burning, irritation, and discomfort caused by dry eyes.

• Temporary punctal occlusion:

In this method, the doctor closed the punctum or the duct that drains tears from your eyes, by using a temporary plug designed to dissolve over time. Sharepoint, Ultra plug, Beaver Visitec are some of the punctal plugs available in the market.

• Non-dissolving punctal plugs or punctal occlusion by cautery:

If temporary plugs work well, long lasting plugs may be used or a procedure called cautery could be performed.

• Lipiflow:

A medical device called lipiflow is used by doctors for unclogging the blocked glands on the eyelids. The device works by applying pressure and heat on the affected lid. These glands produce oil in the tears and help in keeping the eyes moist.

• Testosterone cream:

If dry eye syndrome is caused due to lack of testosterone in the oil glands on your eyelids, a testosterone cream May be applied to the eyelids, which makes the oil glands work better. Androgel, Axiron, First Testosterone, Fortesta, Testim, Vogelxo are some of the well-known brands of Testosterone cream.

• Lifitegrast:

Lifitegrast (Xiidra) reduces inflammation by inhibiting inflammatory cell binding and boosts tear production and thus provides relief from dry eyes.