A recent Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today article by Whitney Hauser, OD, “Modalities for Managing Dry Eye Disease,” discusses the growing recognition of the seriousness and prevalence of dry eye disease. As Dr. Hauser points out, as the dry eye population continues to grow, so, too, does the pool of diagnostic, therapeutic, and treatment options. Knowing which tool to employ, and when, is critical.

Regarding diagnostics, Hauser encourages physicians to establish and execute a diagnostic plan instead of trying a series of ad hoc treatments. This streamlines the process for both doctor and patient and leads to a better experience overall. Hauser has a high regard for the InflammaDry® (Rapid Pathogen Screening) tool, and also emphasizes the importance of collecting a complete medical history.

When it comes to treatment, the diagnosis will determine which type of treatment should be pursued. Specifically, physicians should work to distinguish between aqueous-deficient, evaporative, and mixed form ocular surface disease. Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, punctal plugs, and addressing physical blockage of the meibomian glands are just some of the available options.

Provided that inflammation is not present on the ocular surface, Hauser highly recommends punctal occlusion. Absorbable punctum plugs, such as the Comfortear® Lacrisolve™ 180 Absorbable Punctum Plugs, allow her to assess whether punctal occlusion resolves a patient’s dry eye symptoms within a specific time frame. If the temporary plugs are found to be effective, Hauser may recommend a semipermanent silicone plug.

Hauser has also found intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy to be very effective, especially for patients with evaporative DED. Patients with aqueous-deficient dry eye have likewise benefitted from IPL. However, before pursuing this treatment option, Hauser emphasizes the importance of conducting a skin type test on each patient to determine whether IPL is appropriate.

Overall, though there are many tools and technologies available in each physician’s dry eye toolkit, a thourough understanding of each tool – and when best to deploy it – will lead to the quickest resolution of dry eye.

To read the full article, visit CRST.

Whitney Hauser, OD, is a dry eye treatment specialist practicing in Memphis, TN.

Paragon BioTeck, Inc., has developed a line of absorbable and non-absorbable punctum plugs to provide occlusion therapy to treat symptoms associated with dry eye disease that may result from allergies, cataracts, or contact lens intolerance. Patients who are unsure whether occlusion therapy is right for them should talk with their eye doctor.

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