You are not alone if you have been experiencing dry, irritated, red eyes — especially since the pandemic! 
Dry eyes affect millions of people, according to the National Eye Institute. Although dry eye disease (DED) is already one of the most common eye disorders that eye doctors treat, a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics found that in people who switched to working remotely during the pandemic, a large number had an increase in eye strain symptoms, with over 28 percent experiencing severe DED. Researchers attributed this to their increased digital screen usage. Even as people return to the office, many workers follow a hybrid model, doing at least part of their workweek from home.

Besides eye dryness and redness, DED can cause other symptoms like a gritty and sandy feeling, itchy or painful eyes, and even blurry vision. This condition can be annoying for some people and downright debilitating for others. Although dry eyes may not seem like a serious health condition, it’s still important to treat them, particularly if your symptoms interfere with your quality of life. If left untreated, DED can damage eye tissue and scar the cornea.

But now for the good news: it’s possible to get these healing molecules from your blood plasma, which is the liquid component of your blood.

Better Solutions for Dry Eyes

At South Waterfront Eye Care, we have been making serum eye drops to treat DED for years using patient’s own blood, a regenerative therapy called platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Many people have never heard of PRP, and most eye clinics don’t offer it. But we have a convenient and straightforward process of drawing blood and making the drops within one hour.

PRP eye drops provide more concentrated growth factors and more healing properties. We see incredible results in corneal healing, pain reduction, and vision improvement in patients who have tried and failed with many other therapies for dry eye. According to research in the scientific journal cornea, PRP eye drops effectively treat moderate to severe DED. In addition, PRP does not contain the additives, preservatives, or stabilizers found in artificial eye drops.

We also advise on other factors influencing your eye health, assessing nutrition, gut health, and overall wellness, and recommend home treatments that can help. Patients are often unaware that their nutrition and lifestyle can affect their eyes. While treating their dry eye, they start to see improvements in other areas, such 
as better sleep, more energy, and less anxiety.

Get to the Root of Your Dry Eyes

Although DED is common, it is still an underdiagnosed and undertreated condition. For example, some patients tell me they don’t have dry eyes but use artificial tears daily. No, it’s not normal to use lubricating drops; that’s only masking the symptoms! Addressing each patient’s unique root cause and utilizing the regenerative powers of your biologics can be critical factors in treating this disease.

For more information on PRP eye drops and other dry eye treatments we offer at our clinic, please visit our website, SouthWaterfrontEyeCare.com, or call us at 971-229-0820.

South Waterfront Eye Care
3615 S River Parkway
Portland, OR  97239
(971) 229-0820
SouthWaterfrontEyeCare.com