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Dry Eye Treatment in O'Fallon

Offering Lasting Relief For Dry, Itchy & Gritty Eyes

(636) 281-5367

Tired of your eyes constantly watering?

Want to find a solution for your red, dry, itchy eyes?

Dry eye disease can seriously harm your quality of life. It can cause severe irritation and even infection in severe cases.

Symptoms of dry eye disease include:

  • Red, dry eyes
  • Itchiness in and around the eye
  • A gritty-feeling in the eye
  • Light sensitivity
  • Excessive watering of the eyes

Visit Crown Vision Center - O' Fallon for effective and lasting dry eye relief.

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How Dry Eye Disease Develops & How to Treat It

man with dry eye sneeze

Dry eye disease is an increasingly common eye condition that can happen either because the eye is not producing enough tears, or because tears are evaporating too quickly, leaving the eyes without enough moisture to function comfortably.

This can happen for several reasons including allergies, side effects from medications, hormonal changes, and illness.

Depending on the cause and exact symptoms of your dry eyes, our O'Fallon eye doctors will be able to prescribe treatments and medications aimed at increasing the amount of tears your eye produces and/or slowing the evaporation of tears to better hydrate your eyes.


What Are the Main Causes of Dry Eye?

  • Aging

    Dry eye disease tends to affect people over the age of 50. This is because tear production slows as we age. As the lacrimal glands produce fewer tears, dry eye develops.

  • Hormonal changes

    It's not uncommon for some women to experience dry eye symptoms during pregnancy, menopause, or while using birth control pills. That's because hormone imbalances can reduce tear production.

  • Autoimmune disease

    Certain autoimmune diseases, like Sjögren’s syndrome, can cause white blood cells to attack your tear glands, thus reducing tear production. Other diseases like arthritis, lupus, and diabetes can also cause poor or insufficient tear production.

  • Medications

    Certain medications can reduce mucus production (one of the 3 tear components) thus contributing to chronic dry eye.

    They include antihistamines, antidepressants, diuretics, and beta-blockers.

Note that this is just a handful of causes. There are many other factors that can contribute to dry eye, including pollution and dry air, allergies, poor tear quality, dehydration, contact lens wear, and more.


Dry Eyes FAQs

Can I still wear contact lenses if I have dry eye syndrome?

Yes, some people can still wear contact lenses with dry eye syndrome. However, depending on its severity, you may need to carefully select the adequate contact lens for optimal clarity and comfort.

Oftentimes, because contact lenses sit on the eye, it's difficult for vital oxygen to reach the eye. This can worsen dry eye symptoms, and increase the risk of scratching or otherwise damaging your eye. Make sure to ask your eye doctor which contact lenses are most adapted to your condition.

Can dry eye syndrome be cured?

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for dry eye syndrome. There are, however, many treatment options that offer lasting dry eye relief.

Can dry eye syndrome cause blindness?

In rare extreme cases, dry eye syndrome can cause corneal ulcers. These ulcers can result in scarring on the eye, making it difficult for the cornea to focus light accurately. If left untreated, corneal ulcers and the associated scarring can result in blindness.

How can I prevent dry eye symptoms?

Below are a few tips that will help prevent dry eye symptoms:

  • Point fans, heaters, and air vents so that they don’t directly blow into your eyes
  • Eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids
  • Stay properly hydrated
  • Take breaks during long tasks, especially those that require extended visual focus
Patient Reviews
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191 Reviews
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- Sep. 05, 2024
We are very please with the level of care and service received.
- Jul. 12, 2024
Knowledgeable, friendly staff. Dr is awesome.
- Jul. 10, 2024
Staff was very friendly and helpful and Dr McCoy explained everything and answered all my questions
- Jun. 12, 2024
Dr. McCoy was so helpful and explained everything about my exam. Saw that I needed a Cornea Speciali... st and gave a referral. Very professional and knowledgeable.
- Jun. 11, 2024
Dr. Matthew has been a life saver. He not only diagnosed the problem that's been bothering me for a ... year, but he also put me on the right path for treatment. Feels nice to be getting my life back. He's thorough, explains things well and overall just a good guy. Plus the ladies at the front are always so nice. I do not want to go anywhere else!
- Apr. 15, 2024
Great experience
- Apr. 15, 2024
Excellent treatment
- Mar. 12, 2024
Dr. McCoy is amazing. He goes through all your tests and explains what he is looking for and explain... s everything to you. Hannah is amazing! She is extremely patient when you are looking for that perfect pair of glasses and she is extremely knowledgeable. Will recommend them to anyone.
- Dec. 30, 2023
Dr. McCoy is very knowledgeable and thorough. The staff is friendly and professional. The location i... s convenient. Highly recommend!
- Nov. 12, 2023
Everything was perfect. First time visiting this one and was actually fun experience. Staff was supe... r nice and there was few minutes wait which made interesting listening party next door in their cooking class 🤣🤣 Really wanted to go there after my eye exam.
- Aug. 25, 2023
Dr. McCoy is An Amazing doctor! Such a great doctor plus so explains everything so well! Highly reco... mmend him!!
- Aug. 22, 2023
Excellent professional service and offered savings compared to other places I've experienced.
- Aug. 19, 2023
My recent visit with Dr. McCoy and his staff was exceptional! My older brother is blind and I am con... ditioned by media to fear lifestyle limiting conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Both the technician and Dr. McCoy greeted me with confident smiles, gentle manners and addressed my concerns with straight forward explanations. Dr. McCoy was thorough, precise and exacting. There wasn't anything about my vision that he didn't check out. The office imaging technology was terrific and so easy to do! Being able to view the retina images of my eyes on a screen as Dr. McCoy explained put me at ease.
- Aug. 04, 2023
Knowledge staff were very helpful and informative. No wait time and worth my drive out there from St... l city.
- Jul. 08, 2023
Everyone I saw and interacted with were very friendly, knowledgeable and professional.
- Jul. 01, 2023
My husband and I recently had our routine eye exams with Dr. McCoy and had a great experience! There... was little wait time, the technician who did our testing was very nice, and Dr. McCoy was thorough and answered any questions we had. Looking forward to our eye exam next year!
- May. 22, 2023
Dr. McCoy and his technicians are very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. I also love the wide se... lection of frames they offer. The office itself if very comfortable and visually appealing. (no pun intended).
- Feb. 24, 2023
Lovely experience. The staff and doctor were very kind and knowledgeable, and I didn't feel pressure... d into buying more than I needed.
- Jan. 19, 2023
Excellent, caring service and a good value. Will continue to go here for all of our vision needs. ... Staff was especially attentive to special need requests.
- Jun. 26, 2022
I had a concern about my vision and it wasn't time for my annual check up The staff helped me get an... appointment right away. The ladies up front are friendly courteous, and helpful. The doctor did not make me feel rushed during the exam. He answered by questions and took time to ensure I thoroughly understood the next steps. Everyone is friendly, courteous, and respectful. The facilities are clean and orderly. Altogether, the staff made sure that my visit was a success.

View All 191 Reviews

Dry Eyes Treatment in O'Fallon

Our optometry practice in O'Fallon

Photograph of Matthew  McCoy
Hours
  • Monday 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
  • Tuesday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • United Healthcare
  • Aetna
  • Spectera
  • Medicaid
  • Anthem
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • MetLife

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Don't suffer in silence

Contact us for lasting dry eye relief!

(636) 281-5367