Dry Eye Syndrome and Epithelial Basement Membrane Dystrophy
Dry Eye Syndrome is one of the most common conditions we treat at WWFO. It can result in blurred vision, stinging, burning, watering and irritation. We use sodium fluorescein dye to temporarily highlight the cornea and tear film so we can determine the type and severity of the irritation.
In this video, the patient has punctate keratitis at the bottom of her eyes, where the eyes have become so dry that the tissue has become “chapped” or irritated. This is a common feature of Dry Eye Syndrome. This patient also has a reduced TBUT (Tear Breakup Time).
This patient also has Epithelial Basement Membrane Dystrophy – the smaller circular patterns toward the top of her eye. This relatively common condition causes the tear film to have trouble absorbing resulting in further dry eye symptoms.
This patient was treated with artificial tears, nighttime ointment and punctal plugs.