Dry eye treatment

If not enough tear fluid is produced, or if the tear fluid is of insufficient quality, a punctum plug treatment can provide a solution. A punctum plug is a small “plug” made of silicone or collagen material. The plug looks like a small champagne cork and is not visible to the eye. The plug closes the drainage channel of the tears in the lower eyelid, so that the tears remain on the eye longer and the eye is lubricated better. The plug is therefore not placed in the eye, but in the drainage channel in the eyelid.

For whom

Punctum plugs are suitable for patients who suffer from dry eyes, because they do not produce enough tear fluid or the tear fluid is of too poor quality to keep their eyes properly moist. The result is that the eyes burn and sting or secrete mucus. Sometimes this leads to abnormally watery eyes. However, the tears are not of the same composition as the normal moisture layer that must always cover the eye, the so-called ‘tear film’. The excess tears therefore do not solve the problem of dry eyes.

Symptoms

Typical complaints are irritation, a stinging or abrasive feeling as if there are grains of sand in the eye, burning, itching, the feeling of heavy eyelids, easily tired eyes, red eyes, pain and hypersensitivity to light can also occur. Sometimes the eyes secrete a slimy fluid and strangely enough, the “dry” eye can sometimes tear excessively due to irritation. The symptoms can worsen in the wind, dry air, air conditioning (due to increased evaporation), concentrated reading, watching television or using the computer (due to a reduced blink reflex).

The procedure

Initially, an artificial tear or gel is given, the disadvantage of this is that drops or ointments are often required. If this does not work, you can choose to have the tear duct closed (punctum occlusion): Normally tears are drained through a small opening (punctum) in the lower and upper eyelid margins to the tear duct and so on to the nose. This tear point can be (temporarily) closed with a punctum plug so that the tears remain on the surface of the eye for longer. Punctum plugs are small, insoluble tear duct plugs, which provide a long-term solution for dry eyes.

After the procedure

After the treatment, drops/anointing are often no longer necessary. If desired, the punctum plugs can be removed again.