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Retina Cataract Presbyopia Dry Eye Our Doctor Directions 한국어 사이트 +82-2-553-3588

Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 09:30-18:00
Tue, Sat 09:30-13:00 · Lunch 13:00-14:00
Closed Sundays and public holidays

Artificial tears help,
but only for a moment

Too few tears and tears that evaporate too quickly are different problems with different treatment.
Finding out which one you have comes first.

Repeating the drops
does not fix the cause

The tear film is not a single layer of water. An oil layer, a watery layer and a mucous layer sit over the ocular surface together. Which of them has failed determines both the symptoms and the treatment.

Artificial tears top up the watery layer for a short time. That is why relief arrives with the drop and leaves soon after. Without identifying the cause, the same discomfort keeps returning.

Two types, two treatments

The dryness feels the same. The cause does not.

TYPE 01

Aqueous deficient

Not enough tears are produced. Reduced lacrimal function, age, medication and systemic disease all contribute.

  • Replacing the missing volume
  • Encouraging tear production
  • Closing the tear drainage so tears stay longer
TYPE 02

Evaporative

Tear volume is adequate but the film breaks up quickly. Blocked meibomian glands in the eyelid thin the oil layer and the tears evaporate.

  • Clearing and managing the meibomian glands
  • Settling eyelid inflammation
  • Restoring the oil layer over the tear film

Many patients have both. Treating only one side leaves symptoms behind.

Finding out why
it is dry

Tear volume, tear film break-up time, surface damage and the condition of the meibomian glands are assessed together. That is what decides between drops, anti-inflammatory treatment and punctal occlusion.

Tear productionHow much tear fluid is actually being made
Break-up timeHow many seconds the tear film holds after a blink
Ocular surfaceStaining to reveal damage on the cornea and conjunctiva
Meibomian glandsWhether the eyelid oil glands are blocked and what the secretion looks like

Which tests are performed depends on your symptoms. Not every test is done at every visit.

Treatment in stages

Not one procedure, but a sequence aimed at the cause.

STEP 01

Examination

The tear film and ocular surface are assessed with instruments rather than by symptoms alone.

STEP 02

Identify the type

Aqueous deficient, evaporative, or both.

STEP 03

Targeted treatment

Drops, anti-inflammatory therapy or punctal occlusion, according to the cause.

STEP 04

Environment and habits

Adjusting daily conditions so the result holds, with periodic review.

Available treatment options are explained at your visit.

What you can change
yourself

Treatment lasts longer when the environment changes with it.

  • Blink deliberately while reading a screen. Concentration cuts the blink rate by more than half
  • Turn air conditioning and heating away from your face
  • Warm the eyelids with a warm cloth so the oil glands can release
  • Shorten contact lens wear, and switch to glasses on dry days

Frequently asked

How long does the examination take?
Allow 60 to 90 minutes. Imaging, reading and diagnosis are completed together in the same visit. If dilating drops are used, the time for them to take effect is included. Please plan for the full window.
Does frequent use of artificial tears weaken the eye?
The drops themselves do not. If you need them many times a day, preservative-free formulations are kinder to the ocular surface. More importantly, needing them that often means the underlying cause has not been addressed.
My eyes water constantly. Can that still be dry eye?
Yes. A dry ocular surface irritates and triggers a reflex flood of tears, and reflex tears do a poor job of wetting the eye. Watering together with a gritty feeling is worth examining.
How do you tell the two types apart?
By measuring tear volume, how quickly the tear film breaks up, and the state of the meibomian glands. Low production points to aqueous deficiency, rapid evaporation to the evaporative type. Many patients have both.
Can dry eye be cured?
It is closer to a condition that is managed, like blood pressure. Treatment aimed at the actual cause reduces symptoms substantially, but environment and habits can bring it back, so periodic review helps.

Dryness is worth
examining, not enduring

Knowing the cause changes the treatment.
The first step is separating too few tears from tears that vanish too fast.

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