What to Expect at Your Dry Eye Assessment

Who our dry eye clinic is for

Lunaris Vision & Optometry clinic is a dry eye clinic serving the Riverside and Leslieville community. This clinic is for those who often feel their dry eye concerns are not properly assessed at their family doctor or their eye doctor’s office. If you have burning and watery eyes, or you can no longer wear your contact lenses comfortably this clinic is for you. 

Why watery eyes can actually be dry eyes 

People assume that watering eyes are not dry eyes. In fact when you have dry eyes, the tears evaporate at a faster than normal rate and when your body has to produce tears at a faster rate and the integrity of your tear film does not support long-term retention in your eyes, the eyes start to water. The cornea has about 7,000 nerve endings per square millimetre, which is about 300-600 times the amount in your skin, this means that any corneal scratches translate to discomfort, pain and a burning sensation. This also means that your cornea can no longer sustain a polymer/plastic such as your contact lens sitting on top. 

What happens during a dry eye assessment?

During a dry eye consult you will be asked to fill out a dry eye questionnaire. We then take a topography measurement using our Tomey-MR 6000 equipment. The topography allows us to note any disruptions in tear quality, or induced astigmatism that does not correlate to your true corneal shape. You are then seen by the optometrist who reviews your questionnaire. They will then stain your cornea looking for any missing corneal cells, and measure your tear break-up time (TBUT) using the latest slit lamp with dry eye and  photographic capabilities. This is then followed by a photo of your meibomian glands. 

Evaporative vs. aqueous-deficient dry eye

It is important to distinguish aqueous-deficient from evaporative dry eye. Aqueous deficiency can mean that your eyes are no longer producing enough tears to replace the tears, whereas  evaporative dry eye means that there are enough aqueous but not enough lipids being released/produced by the meibomian glands to keep the tears within your eyes. The thorough examination reveals the cause of your dry eye disease, and a treatment plan is then discussed with you. 

Dry eye treatment options in Riverside

For treatment options, we start with prescription medications and vitamins, assuming you have tried the over-the-counter eye-drops. We then explain IPL and radiofrequency treatments which both target different  mechanisms of helping your dry eyes. This is performed with our Inmode Envision system. Whereas you might want to continue seeing your regular optometrist, we provide thorough dry eye evaluation and care.

What to expect during the IPL session

A standard session of IPL is comfortable, taking approximately 40 minutes. Protective eyewear is placed over your eyes and a cool gel is applied to the treatment area. Warm pulses of light are then applied across the upper cheeks and tear-film zone. There is minimal downtime, so you can return to your normal daily activities right after your appointment. Although we recommend not getting an IPL procedure 1 week prior to any special events. 

What to expect during the RF session

The procedure is soothing, and feels like a warm, relaxing eyelid massage. After the RF session, your eye care provider may gently express the meibomian glands to clear out liquefied blockages. Many people report noticeable relief after just 1 or 2 sessions, with optimal results seen across 4 to 6 sessions.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the dry eye consultation?
- Our dry eye consults are about 40-50 minutes long. 

Is a referral needed?
- A referral from your optometrist or family doctor is not needed. 

How much does a dry eye consultation cost?
- Depending on the severity of your dry eye disease and in-office care needed your initial appointment might cost between $185 to $275. 

Where are you located?
- Our office is located at 779 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1H5 in the Riverside neighbourhood.

Should I wear my contacts to the appointment?
- It would be best to wear your spectacles to your dry eye consultation appointment since we have to check the integrity of the cornea multiple times.  

Book your dry eye consult

Call us at tel: 416-436-2048 or Book a dry eye consult  and mention you are looking for a dry eye consult. We are located in Riverside at 779 Queen street east. Looking forward to seeing you!