You have rubbed your eyes twice before breakfast, blamed it on the wind, then reached for your eye drops, again. If that sounds familiar, you might face something more than a passing irritation.
In Winnipeg, many people have dry eyes. At our practice, we help our neighbors see what “normal” means for eye comfort. Our dedicated dry eye spa offers advanced treatments like thermal pulsation therapies and meibomian gland imaging to bring lasting relief that doesn’t rely on lubricating eye drops.
What is Chronic Dry Eye
Chronic dry eye, also called dry eye disease, happens when your eyes can’t stay properly hydrated. This may be due to low tear production, poor tear quality, or an imbalance in the tear film.
Instead of just occasional dryness, chronic dry eye leads to ongoing discomfort, making it hard to read, drive, or work on screens and feel like yourself.
Common Medical Causes Behind Dry Eye Symptoms
While seasonal dryness does affect us here in Manitoba, chronic dry eye is often driven by deeper issues. It is not just about the environment—your body might be sending signals that something isn’t functioning as it should.
Here are some of the key causes:
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD)
Your eyelids contain tiny oil glands called meibomian glands that stabilize your tear film. When these glands get blocked or stop working correctly, your tears evaporate too quickly. MGD is one of the most common causes of dry eyes, often leading to symptoms like burning, gritty sensation, or eyelid inflammation.
Chronic Inflammation
Long-term inflammation in or around the eyes can damage the tissues responsible for tear production. It also disrupts the balance of your tear film. This makes your eyes more prone to dryness, irritation, and infection. Left untreated, inflammation can make the symptoms of dry eye harder to manage over time.
Hormonal Shifts
Hormones play a key role in regulating tear production and gland function. Life stages such as pregnancy, menopause, or aging can trigger hormonal changes that lead to dry eye symptoms. Women are especially susceptible to hormonally linked dry eye due to estrogen and androgen fluctuations.
Medications and Medical Conditions
Certain medications—like antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure drugs, or acne treatments—can reduce tear production as a side effect. Chronic health issues can impact your eye moisture. These include diabetes, thyroid disorders, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. They affect the glands and tissues responsible for keeping your eyes moist.
When to See a Dry Eye Specialist in Manitoba
If you are wondering whether your symptoms warrant an appointment, here is a simple checklist to help you decide:
- You are using warm compresses and artificial tears multiple times a day with little relief
- Your eyes feel tired, itchy, or gritty, especially by the afternoon
- You experience stinging or burning while working on a screen
- You have stopped wearing contacts because they are too uncomfortable
- You wake up with dry, irritated eyes
- Your vision blurs and clears when you blink
Dry eye doesn’t have to become your new normal. There are proven ways to improve comfort and protect your long-term eye health.
How Our Spa Team Treats Dry Eye Disease
At Winnipeg Dry Eye Spa, getting the right dry eye medications and treatments starts with understanding the root cause—because no two eyes are the same. It also disrupts the balance of your tear film. This makes your eyes more prone to dryness, irritation, and infection. Our solutions for dry eye include:
- Thermal treatment options like InMode gently heat and massage the eyelids to clear blockages and restore oil flow
- IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) like Lumecca reduces inflammation and improves tear stability
- ZEST stands at the forefront of eyelid hygiene. It’s a refreshing, okra-based exfoliating solution that deeply cleans the eyelids and lashes—like shampoo for your eyes.
- Blephaclean wipes & ZocuFoam cleanser for soothing eyelid hygiene at home
- Omega-3 supplements like PRN to increase tear production from the inside out
- Nighttime gels & ointments for overnight relief
- Scleral lenses sit over the cornea and hold a fluid reservoir against the surface of the eye. This keeps the eye hydrated and protected all day.
- Personalized eyelid care plans developed with your daily routine in mind
Get Real Relief from Dry Eye at Winnipeg Dry Eye Spa
If you have been living with dry, irritated eyes, we want you to know: you don’t have to keep pushing through. At Winnipeg Dry Eye Spa, we treat dry eye disease with empathy, precision, and advanced tools that go beyond the drop bottle. We aim to get to the root cause of your symptoms and offer clear, lasting relief.
Whether you are managing screen time, hormonal changes, or just trying to survive winter, we are here to help. We want you to feel better and see better.Book your dry eye consultation at our practice in Winnipeg and start your journey toward lasting comfort.