Dry Eye Center
Dr. Liu has helped thousands of individuals achieve their cosmetic goals and discover renewed confidence.
Your eyes need enough tears to stay comfortable and provide you with the clearest vision, and dry eye is one of the most common reasons that people see an eye doctor. Dry eye occurs when your eyes do not produce enough tears or the tears produced do not have the right mix of ingredients, leading to rapid tear evaporation from the surface of the eye. It is important to treat dry eye because if it is not properly managed, dry eye can not only cause discomfort affecting your quality of life but can also cause scarring and infections that may result in loss of vision.
Some of the most common symptoms of dry eye include:
Having tearing in the setting of dry eye may sound counterintuitive, but when your eye is dry, it sends a signal to the tear gland to produce more tears to address the dryness, which can lead to tearing.
The most common causes and risk factors of dry eye include:
Dr. Liu is a board certified Ophthalmologist and completed an additional fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery specializing in the eyelids and the complete pathway from where tears enter the eye to where they leave the eye. Other Ophthalmologists look to Dr. Liu’s specialized knowledge and treatment protocols to address dry eye in their patients, from the most common problems to the most complex.
Many people have tried artificial tear drops or even medicated eye drops and experienced limited improvement in their dry eye symptoms. This is typically because the cause of dry eye can be complex and vary from person to person. Dr. Liu provides a suite of treatment options unique to her office, including:
During your consultation with Dr. Liu, she will perform a complete assessment of your dry eye and all of the contributing factors. Dr. Liu will then recommend a customized management protocol that addresses your particular causes of dry eye.
There are a number of treatment options for dry eye, since the underlying cause of the condition can be attributed to many different factors. Dr. Liu has extensive experience diagnosing dry eye and its causes, which enables her to guide patients to the appropriate treatment regimen.
Lifestyle modifications are usually the first line of treatment and may include:
If lifestyle modifications are ineffective or impractical, the next step for many patients is non-prescription medications:
When required, prescription medications can also be added:
Intense pulsed light (IPL) technology is a broad-spectrum light treatment used to improve the function of the meibomian glands that release oil into your tear film to prevent your tears from evaporating too quickly. IPL is able to kill bacteria and mites that live on the eyelids, melt the thick gland secretions to allow for easier oil release, and close abnormal blood vessels to decrease inflammation. A hand-held applicator is used to deliver a strategic level of light pulses to the skin surface across the cheeks, nose, and on the eyelids. After the light therapy is administered, an eyelid massage is performed to help break up the oil and encourage oil flow from the meibomian glands. Most patients achieve optimal results from four treatment sessions lasting 15 to 20 minutes each, spaced one month apart . There is little to no downtime after each treatment and since the IPL treatment uses the same light wavelength that is used for photofacials, you have the added benefit of improved skin texture and coloration in the areas treated.
Punctal plugs are tiny devices that are placed in the eye’s tear drains (called puncta) to slow the drainage of your tears so they can lubricate your eye for longer. There are two types of punctal plugs, temporary and permanent. The temporary punctal plugs usually are absorbed in 3 to 4 months and the permanent punctal plugs do not absorb. Both types of punctal plugs can be placed in the office under the microscope quickly and painlessly. If there is improvement in dry eye with punctal plugs but they keep falling out or if they cause eye irritation, punctal cautery can be performed to permanently close the tear drain. Punctal cautery can be performed in the office by administering a little local anesthetic and applying heat to the tear drain to close it.
Although often overlooked, your eyelids can be a critical contributor to dry eye. When the eyelids are not in the right position and functioning properly, all of the other treatment options are usually not sufficient to alleviate the dry eye. Based off of her specialized training in the eyelids, Dr. Liu is able to assess the contribution of your eyelids to the dry eye and discuss with you what type of procedure may be needed to improve the intimate relationship between the eyelids and the eye.
Schedule your consultation with Dr. Liu for your individualized dry eye assessment and treatment plan
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Written onAugust 24, 2019
Dr. Liu is a master micro-surgeon. It’s been two months since my operation and no one has suspected I had plastic surgery. I look ten years younger, my husband is thrilled and so am I. A dear friend of mine jut told me I look just as beautiful as I did when we first met over 40 years ago. I couldn’t be happier with the results and worth every penny and the few weeks of discomfort. So glad I chose Dr. Liu.
As a valued member of our patient community, we appreciate the trust you place in us and want to inform you about how we are addressing the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. We are closely monitoring events in our local community and continuously updating our policies and protocols as a result of new information; it is our priority to keep our patients, staff, and community safe. Our office has taken several steps to ensure that you receive the same high-quality care that you have come to expect by increasing our safety measures:
Prior to an office visit, all patients will be screened over the phone for COVID-19 symptoms and travel history to determine how our office can provide the best care. Your honesty in answering these questions is greatly appreciated by all patients and staff. All office visits are by appointment only at this time, we will not be accepting walk-ins.
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In all areas of the office, our staff follows sanitation guidelines as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Please be assured that we are taking all possible steps to ensure the safety of our patients and our staff, and your help is instrumental in achieving this goal. If you do not feel comfortable coming into the office, we also offer virtual consultations. Even in these challenging and unprecedented times, know that we are always here to care for you.
Please call 949-200-6838 to schedule your in-person or virtual consultation.