Dry Eye Clinic
Personalised care designed to find the cause of your dry eye and treat it at the source.
What is dry eye?
Dry eye occurs when the tear film that protects and lubricates your eyes isn't functioning properly. You might not produce enough tears, or your tears may evaporate too quickly due to issues with the oil glands in your eyelids.
It's one of the most common reasons people visit an optometrist, yet it often goes undermanaged. Many people rely on lubricant drops alone without understanding why their eyes are dry in the first place.
Common symptoms
Gritty or sandy sensation
Feeling like something is in your eyes, even when nothing is there.
Stinging or burning
Persistent irritation that worsens through the day.
Watery eyes
Eyes that tear up excessively as a reflex response to dryness.
Red or irritated eyes
Ongoing redness that eye drops only relieve temporarily.
Blurred vision
Vision that fluctuates, especially during reading or screen use.
Heavy or tired eyelids
Eyes that feel fatigued, particularly by the end of the day.
Finding the root cause
Not all dry eye is the same. Some people don't produce enough tears. Others produce tears that evaporate too quickly because the oil glands in their eyelids aren't working properly. Many have a combination of both. Without understanding which type you have, treatment is guesswork.
Evaporative Dry Eye
The most common form. It happens when the oil layer of your tear film is poor quality or insufficient, usually due to meibomian gland dysfunction. Without a healthy oil layer, your tears break down and evaporate too quickly, leaving the surface of your eye exposed and irritated.
Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye
Less common but often overlooked. Your eyes simply don't produce enough of the watery component of your tears. It can be age-related, a side effect of certain medications, or linked to underlying health conditions, resulting in a tear film too thin to keep the eye comfortable.
We assess your tear film quality and quantity, check your meibomian glands and meibum quality, evaluate your cornea, and talk to you about your symptoms and daily routine. This is how we build a treatment plan that actually targets your dry eye, not someone else's.
Treatment options
There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for dry eye. Based on what we find during your assessment, your plan may include one or a combination of the following.
Warm Compresses & Lid Hygiene
Heat therapy and lid scrubs to improve oil gland function and keep the eyelids clean.
Meibomian Gland Expression
In-practice manual expression to clear blocked oil glands and improve tear film stability.
Eyelid Debridement & Cleanse
Removal of debris and build-up along the lid margin to support healthier gland function.
Lubricant Drops & Gels
Targeted lubricants matched to your tear film type, not just off-the-shelf drops.
Anti-inflammatory Drops
Prescription drops to reduce inflammation contributing to tear gland underperformance.
Punctal Plugs
Small plugs inserted into the tear drainage channels to help your eyes retain more of their natural tears.
Omega-3 Supplementation
Evidence-based dietary guidance to support tear film quality from within.
Ready to get to the bottom of your dry eye?
Book an assessment and find out what's really going on.