Dry eyes after sixteen months of prk surgery. Will it continue and how I can heal this symptom?

Management of dry eye after refractive surgery may require a multi-pronged approach. Non preserved artificial tears may need to be used as often as every 1-2 hours. Restasis, a prescription medication, may be required to improve the quality of the tears produced.Punctal, collagen or silicone plugs are very effective in helping patients retain their natural tears.Blepharitis, a chronic inflammation of the eyelids, may need to be addressed with the use of warm compresses, topical antibiotic ointments and or low dose doxycycline pills. Oral supplements of Flax Seed oil are also very helpful.

Dry eyes almost always resolve six months to a year after PRK. If your dry eyes persist you may have other risk factors such as allergies, ocular rosacea, or floppy eyelid syndrome. Your surgeon can recommend appropriate treatments for these depending on the severity, from punctual plugs to Restasis to Intense Pulsed Light Therapy.