Avenue Acupuncture FAQs

Dry eyes can feel gritty, scratchy, stingy, or like something is stuck in the eye. Some people also experience eye redness, light sensitivity, blurry vision, eye fatigue, or episodes of excessive tearing as the eye tries to compensate for the dryness.

Common causes include age (tear production declines with age, especially in women postmenopause), medications such as antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants, and birth control pills, diseases such as autoimmune conditions, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid disorders, dry or windy environments, and too much screen time, which reduces blinking.

An optometrist or eye care professional will usually perform a comprehensive eye exam to measure tear volume and quality. The most common treatment is over-the-counter eye drops that act as artificial tears. Anti-inflammatories, tear stimulating drugs, or surgery may be considered depending on severity, and any underlying medication or condition causing the dryness may also be addressed.

No needles go into the eye. Most of the acupuncture points used for dry eyes are actually in the ears and hands. Treatment addresses both the dry eye symptoms and the internal imbalance contributing to the condition, stimulating the glands around the eye directly and indirectly to increase oil production that keeps the eye moistened.