Dry Eye

Learn about dry eye disease & advanced treatment options at our dedicated dry eye centers across Arizona.

Play Video
Video thumbnail

What is Dry Eye Disease?

Dry eye disease (DED) occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or when the tears evaporate too quickly. This can lead to discomfort, vision problems, and even damage to the eye’s surface.

DED affects 20 million Americans and 344 million people worldwide, with cases rising in both children and adults. Studies show symptoms can begin as early as age 12, with dry climates like Arizona making the condition even more common. If you’re experiencing irritation, redness, or blurry vision, our team offers effective solutions to help you find relief and protect your eye health.

Types of Dry Eye

    • Evaporative Dry Eye (most common) – often from Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)—the oil layer of your tears isn’t doing its job, so tears evaporate.
    • Aqueous-Deficient Dry Eye– Your lacrimal glands don’t make enough tears.]

 

Symptoms of Dry Eye Disease

  • A feeling of dryness, irritation or grittiness
  • Burning or stinging
  • Redness
  • Light sensitivity
  • Watery eyes
  • Eye fatigue
  • Contact lens intolerance
  • Blurry or fluctuating vision
Man with irritated, dry eyes while behind the wheel.

Common Causes and Triggers

Arizona’s dry air, wind, low humidity, and constant use of air conditioning accelerate tear evaporation and destabilize the tear film.

Prolonged screen time lowers your blink rate, so the tear film isn’t refreshed and evaporates faster. Contact lens wear can disrupt the tear layer and increase friction on the eye, amplifying dryness.

Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) reduces the quality and quantity of protective oils in tears, leading to rapid evaporation. Blepharitis and Demodex mites inflame the lid margins and glands.

Autoimmune conditions (like Sjögren’s), rosacea, and eyelid laxity reduce tear production or quality and inflame the ocular surface. Prior eye surgery—including LASIK—and glaucoma itself can alter tear dynamics and corneal sensation, increasing dryness.

Antihistamines, certain antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and isotretinoin can decrease tear production or change tear composition. Some glaucoma drops (especially those with preservatives) can irritate the surface and worsen dryness.

Shifts in estrogen and androgen levels particularly during menopause can reduce meibomian gland function and tear volume. Natural aging also diminishes lacrimal output and gland efficiency, making dry eye more common over time.

Our Personalized Approach

1

Evaluate Precisely

Slit-lamp exam, tear breakup time, ocular surface staining, meibomian gland assessment/meibography, tear volume and (when needed) tear osmolarity/inflammation testing.

2

We Treat The Root Causes

Especially MGD, which drives most dry eye in our climate.

3

Suggest Lifestyle Changes

Simple routines—blink breaks, humidity tweaks, lid care—paired with the right drops or devices to keep you comfortable between visits.

4

Maintain for The Long Term

Follow-ups fine-tune your plan. Dry eye is chronic; relief is achievable and sustainable with the right rhythm.

Schedule Eye Exam Today

Don’t let dry eye symptoms disrupt your daily life—relief is within reach! Schedule a comprehensive eye exam today to find the right treatment and protect your long-term eye health.

Advanced In-Office Options for MGD

Because MGD drives most dry eye, restoring healthy oil flow is essential. Our centers offer:

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

Light energy reduces eyelid margin inflammation and helps liquefy stagnant oils so the glands work better. Many patients feel relief after the first few sessions; a typical series includes four treatments with personalized maintenance.

Radiofrequency (RF)

Gentle electrothermal energy warms the lids to loosen thick oils and supports eyelid skin health. RF is often paired with in-office gland expression for best results.

Note: IPL and RF are quick, in-office treatments. While not usually covered by insurance, many patients use HSA/FSA funds.

Other Treatment Therapies

  1. Thermal pulsation / heat & expression systems
  2. Lid hygiene & debridement, targeted Demodex care
  3. Amniotic membrane therapy for advanced surface disease (as appropriate)

 

Medical & At-Home Care

  • Prescription drops for inflammation and tear support (e.g., cyclosporine, lifitegrast); short steroid taps for flares when indicated
  • Punctal plugs to help retain natural tears
  • Preservative-free artificial tears, gels, and ointments for frequent use
  • Lid hygiene routines with warm compresses and cleansers
  • Lifestyle tuning for Arizona: hydration, humidifiers, blink breaks (20-20-20), contact lens guidance
  • Specialty (scleral) lenses to protect and hydrate the cornea in select cases

Dry eye is usually chronic but very manageable. With a tailored plan—often combining lifestyle changes, medical therapy, and MGD treatments—most patients achieve meaningful, lasting relief.

Some patients notice improvement within 2–4 weeks of consistent treatment. MGD-focused procedures (IPL/RF + expression) often accelerate relief, with best results after a full treatment series and maintenance.

For appropriately selected patients and performed by trained clinicians, IPL and RF are generally safe and well-tolerated. We’ll review candidacy, precautions (e.g., skin type, meds), and aftercare before treatment.

Diagnostic visits and prescription drops are often covered. IPL, RF, and some in-office therapies are typically out-of-pocket, but many patients use HSA/FSA funds.

Yes. An unstable tear film leads to fluctuating vision, especially with reading, computer use, or at the end of the day.

Treat Your Dry Eye Symptoms Today

Don’t let dry eye limit your life. Your eye doctor will discuss options ranging from at-home care and prescription treatments to in-office MGD treatments, such as IPL and RF. Receive a precise diagnosis and a tailored plan that works effectively in Arizona’s climate.

Locations

Formerly Southwestern Eye Center
2370 W State Rte 89A, Suite 17, Sedona, AZ 86336

Clinic & Optical Shop

5250 E. Southern Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85206

Clinic, Surgery Center, Optical Shop

Formerly Morestky Cassidy Vision Correction
160 W University Dr
Mesa, AZ 85201

Clinic & Surgery Center

Formerly Moretsky Cassidy Vision Correction
5620 W Thunderbird Rd Ste. C-5
Glendale, AZ 85306

Clinic

5285 W Bell Rd
Ste. 110
Glendale, AZ 85308

Clinic & Optical Shop

14820 N. Del Webb Blvd.
Sun City, AZ 85351

Clinic, Surgery Center, Optical Shop

14239 W. Bell Rd.
Ste. 216
Surprise, AZ 85374

Clinic & Optical Shop

4800 N. 22nd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85016

Clinic & Surgery Center

350 N. Switzer Canyon Dr.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Clinic, Surgery Center, Optical Shop

855 S. Dobson Rd. Ste. 1
Chandler, AZ 85224

Clinic & Optical Shop

8435 E. Baseline Rd.
Mesa, AZ 85209

Clinic

1626 N. Litchfield Rd. Ste. 110
Goodyear, AZ 85395

Clinic & Optical Shop

1151 S. La Canada Drive, Ste. 200
Green Valley, AZ 85614

Clinic & Optical Shop

40 Capri Blvd.
Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403

Clinic & Surgery Center

2963 W White Mountain Blvd.
Lakeside, AZ 85929

Clinic & Optical Shop

10195 N. Oracle Rd.
Ste. 125
Tucson, AZ 85704

Clinic & Optical Shop

825 S. 20th Ave.
Safford, AZ 85546

Clinic & Optical Shop

1610 S. White Mountain Rd.
Show Low, AZ 85901

Clinic, Surgery Center, Optical Shop

5632 E. 5th St.
Tucson, AZ 85711

Clinic & Optical Shop

698 E Wetmore Rd
Ste 100
Tucson, AZ 85705

Clinic, Surgery Center, Optical Shop

Doctors