Artificial Tears

Patients suffering from dry eye may find relief in artificial tears. At Bowden Eye Associates we offer RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion, the only prescription eye drop available to treat chronic dry eye caused by low tear production. Made by Allergan, RESTASIS® drops increase tear production so the eyes are better moisturized and less painful. Two drops a day in each affected eye – one drop in the morning and one at night – is all it takes.

Punctal plugs can relieve dry eye symptoms when drops or ointments fail. Punctal plugs are placed in the opening of the tear ducts (called "puncta") in the eyelids to block tear drainage and keep the eyes moist. Implantation should reduce the need for artificial tear drops and increase the patient’s overall comfort.

Punctal plugs come in a few different shapes and sizes, and may be placed in the lower or upper eyelid or both eyelids. The most common plugs are umbrella-shaped and made of silicone. They may be placed partially inside the tear duct or embedded entirely within the duct (Herrick plugs). A recently introduced acrylic plug called the SmartPLUG softens at body temperature and expands to custom-fit each patient’s eye.

Implantation takes only a few seconds in a professional’s office. In some cases, before implantation, collagen is temporarily placed in the eye to predict the effectiveness of punctal plugs.

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A conventional punctal plug (left)
and the SmartPLUG (right).
Images from medennium.com.

Learn more about the SmartPLUG at http://www.medennium.com/