MANY NONSURGICAL SOLUTIONS FOR EYE PROBLEMS

Of course, many common eye problems can be treated and helped without surgery. For example, the common condition known as dry eye is most often treated non-surgically using:

Artificial tears and ointments – The primary dry eye treatment. You can buy artificial teardrops over the counter. You might have to experiment to find the one that works best for you. If you have chronic dry eye, it is important to use the drops even when your eyes feel fine, to keep them lubricated. If your eyes dry out while you sleep, you can use a thicker lubricant, such as an ointment, at night.

Medications – Including topical steroids, may be beneficial some patients.

Restasis^® – This is the only FDA-approved prescription eye drop that helps increase tear production.

Punctal occlusion – Sometimes it is necessary to close tear ducts. This may be done using temporary plugs that can be removed or will dissolve over a few days to determine whether permanent plugs can provide adequate tears. If temporary plugs work well, then longer-lasting plugs may be used. Permanent punctal occlusion will improve lubrication by keeping tears around the eyes. For most patients, the plugs improve comfort and reduce the need for artificial tears.

Other conditions that can be treated without surgery include glaucoma, which can be treated with eyedrops and oral medications that reduce eye pressure to acceptable levels. Macular degeneration is also treated non-surgically using anti-VEGF medications to slow vision loss in people who have “wet” age-related macular degeneration. The treatment involves simple injections performed right here in our office by our retinal specialist. Anti-VEGF treatment is a step forward in wet age-related macular degeneration treatment because it targets the underlying cause of abnormal blood vessel growth. This treatment is offering new hope to thousands of people diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration. In some cases, we may recommend combining anti-VEGF macular degeneration treatment with other therapies. 

For more information about our non-surgical eye care, call Brazosport Eye Institute at 979.297.2961. You can also schedule your consultation with an eye doctor by filling out our online Request an Appointment form. Our nonsurgical patients come to us from Freeport, Angleton, Pearland, Lake Jackson (Brazoria County, TX) and Bay City (Matagorda County, TX).