Do your eyes feel gritty or burning? Do your eyes tear excessively? Does your vision vary throughout the day? Do your eyes feel better with your contacts out? There are many reasons why your eyes could be bothering you.

It could be as simple as allergies, or, a bit more complex such as Dry Eye Syndrome or DES...

Tears function to keep the eyes lubricated and comfortable. DES causes the eyes to feel irritated, scratchy, burning, red and uncomfortable. DES is one of the most common of all eye disorders, affecting approximately 20% of our population.

WHAT CAUSES DES? The most common causes include:

**Environmental Factors-Dry, cold, windy, high altitudes, smoke, air pollution, allergens, heating vents, air conditioners all can cause DES

**Aging-As we get older, our tear flow decreases

**Contact Lens Wear-Contact lens wear can dramatically increase tear evaporation

**Hormonal Changes-Pregnancy, birth contraceptives and menopause contribute to DES

TREATMENT OF DES Depending on the intensity of the condition, treatment may be as simple as using artificial tears a few times a day. In more persistent cases, simple non-surgical procedure is available.

NON-SURGICAL IN-OFFICE PROCEDURE FOR DES This procedure has helped thousands of people. This procedure is covered by most medical insurances and usually takes a few minutes in the office and in many cases can provide long lasting relief from DES.

Dr. Young has performed hundreds of these procedures with tremendous success.

Have an initial consultation with Dr. Young to go over what is the best solution for you.

PLEASE NOTE: Ocular medical complaints such as DES is covered under most medical insurance plans - NOT routine vision plans. Please check with your ins provider to confirm.