How Our Optometrists Help Patients Find Lasting Dry Eye Relief at Lake Eye Associates

Reviewed By: Dr. Jose Alfredo Vazquez, MD
Key Takeaway
A thorough dry eye exam can uncover root causes and open the door to effective treatments, helping you find lasting relief from chronic dry eye.

Summary
Many people assume dry eye means occasional irritation. But when symptoms persist, they signal underlying issues. This article shows how our optometrists at Lake Eye Associates diagnose and treat severe cases, why the best treatments for severe dry eye differ from over‑the‑counter drops, and how you can find lasting relief from chronic dry eye.

Have you ever rubbed your eyes at the end of a long screen day, thinking it’s “just dry eye,” only to realize the discomfort keeps coming back? That’s when you might need more than symptom relief; you might need a full dry eye exam to get to what’s really going on.

At Lake Eye Associates, our goal is to help you not just cope with dry eye symptoms but to find lasting dry eye relief solutions that work for you. Many people don’t realize that dry eyes are more than a nuisance. It affects quality of life, reading, screen time, and even driving comfort. A dry eye exam is a comprehensive evaluation, so we can identify what’s behind your discomfort and select the best treatments for severe dry eye, if that’s what you need.

Understanding The “Why” Behind Your Dry Eye

Dry eye isn’t always a simple case of “not enough tears.” The tear film has three layers — oil, water, and mucus — and if any one is out of balance, the surface of your eye suffers. 

At Lake Eye Associates, we look at all these layers during the dry eye exam, so we can identify exactly what’s causing your symptoms. 

For example, one of the most common causes is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), where the oil‑producing glands in your eyelids are blocked or not working properly. Once you understand that the root cause might be MGD, the treatment becomes specific, not just “use over‑the‑counter drops.” That’s key to lasting relief.

What Happens During A Dry Eye Exam

When you schedule a dry eye exam at our practice, you’ll find it different from a standard vision check. Here’s how we approach it:

• We ask about your symptoms: when your eyes feel dry, gritty, or blurry; how long it’s been happening; whether screen time, environment, or contact lenses make it worse.
• We test tear production and tear quality: for example, the Schirmer’s test measures how many tears you make, and other tests check how quickly your tears evaporate.
• We look at eyelid health and your meibomian glands to see if they’re working properly.
• We examine your eye surface, tear film stability, and any signs of inflammation, irritation, or damage.
• Then we work together with you on a plan — this might include lifestyle changes, in‑office treatments, prescription drops, or specialised procedures if you fall into the more severe category.

Because we tailor every plan, solutions can differ widely, and that’s why knowing the best treatments for severe dry eye matters.

The Spectrum: From Mild Symptoms To Severe Cases

Dry eye exists on a spectrum. Some people have occasional dryness and respond well to basic measures (lubricating drops, humidifiers, reducing screen time). 

Others have persistent, severe symptoms — blurry vision, discomfort all day, constant need for drops. In the end, you need more than “re‑apply drops.” You need targeted solutions.

For those with chronic issues, long‑term comfort comes from fixing underlying problems like MGD, eyelid inflammation, or tear film instability rather than simply masking symptoms. That’s where the role of our dry eye specialist comes in. 

How To Find Lasting Relief From Chronic Dry Eye

Many people with chronic dry eye try different over-the-counter drops, but the relief often doesn’t last. This is usually because the treatment doesn’t match the underlying cause. Finding longer-term relief begins with identifying what type of dry eye a person has, which is where a detailed dry eye exam helps.

There are two main types:

• Evaporative dry eye: where tears dry up too quickly, often due to meibomian gland dysfunction.
• Aqueous deficiency: where the eyes don’t produce enough tears in the first place.

Some people have a mix of both. Each type has different causes, and understanding which one is present can shape the most effective plan. For example, someone with evaporative dry eye may benefit more from treatments that focus on improving the oil layer of their tear film, while someone with aqueous deficiency may need therapies that increase tear production.

Relief is also affected by daily habits. Dry air, long hours at a screen, and even certain medications can make symptoms worse. Eye care providers often combine in-office treatments with home routines such as warm compresses, eyelid cleaning, and nutrition changes to help manage symptoms more consistently.

While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, many patients find that a tailored plan based on their specific dry eye type leads to better outcomes. Follow-up is important too, since dry eye is often a chronic condition that requires adjustments over time.

What Patients Often Overlook

• Treatment length matters: Relief may take time. It’s rare to “come in once and it’s solved.” A chronic dry eye often needs a series of visits, consistent home care, and monitoring.
• Symptoms vary: You might feel “fine” some days, worse other days. That doesn’t mean everything’s fine; underlying damage can accumulate quietly.
• Environment counts: Sitting in front of screens, in air‑conditioned rooms, while blinking less, all these make dry eye worse. Support care at home counts.
• Routine exams help: Even if you think it’s just “dry eyes,” scheduling a dry eye exam early can stop problems from getting worse.

There’s growing research on how digital habits affect our eyes. You can explore how much screen time contributes to dry eye here, especially if you spend several hours a day at a computer.

A Closer Look At The Solutions We Use

Here are a few of the treatments we often use for dry eye relief solutions:

• Warm compresses and eyelid hygiene: Simple, but effective when MGD or blepharitis (eyelid inflammation) is involved.
• Prescription drops: For example, drops that reduce inflammation or boost natural tear production.
• In‑office gland treatments: Such as thermal pulsation, which clears blocked meibomian glands, changing the oil layer of the tear film. 
• Lifestyle & environmental adjustment: Reducing screen fatigue, increasing blinking frequency, using humidifiers, adjusting lighting.
• Follow‑up program: Monitoring how your eyes perform, adjusting plan if needed, and making sure you’re moving toward lasting relief.

How To Decide If You Should Book A Dry Eye Exam

Consider booking if:

• Your eyes feel gritty, dry, burning, or blurry, and it’s lasted for weeks or months.
• You’ve tried over‑the‑counter drops, and the relief is temporary or minimal.
• You spend lots of time in front of screens or in air‑conditioned/windy rooms.
• Your eyelids often feel irritated, and you have recurrent styes or eyelid crusting (possible signs of MGD or blepharitis).
• You’re a contact‑lens wearer, and comfort has dropped, or you can’t wear them as long.

If any of the above rings true, a dry eye exam now may prevent further discomfort and get you on a path to better vision and comfort.

Next step

Dry eye is a complex condition that can be caused by a number of factors, from reduced tear production to oil gland blockages to eyelid inflammation. What helps one person may not help another, which is why identifying the exact type of dry eye matters.

A thorough eye exam gives providers a clearer picture of what’s happening on the surface of your eye and what might be contributing behind the scenes. For example, someone with evaporative dry eye due to meibomian gland dysfunction may benefit from treatments that restore oil balance, while someone with aqueous deficiency may need help producing more tears.

At Lake Eye Associates, we tailor each care plan based on the patient’s specific symptoms, test results, and lifestyle. That could include in-office procedures, at-home therapies, or a combination of both. Managing dry eye is rarely one-and-done, but with the right information and support, many people do find long-term improvement in both comfort and vision.

If any of the signs or symptoms above sound familiar, it might be time to look into your eye health more closely. You can learn more about our dry eye therapy here, or schedule an exam with one of our experienced optometrists. 

A full evaluation is the first step toward more lasting comfort, and we’re here to help when you’re ready.

Frequently Asked Questions