If your dry eye problem persists, another treatment option available at our practice is to close the tear duct. This is called punctum plugging.
Punctum plugs allow you to retain your own natural tears or to use artificial tears more efficiently. Usually the lower puncta are occluded but in some cases it is beneficial to occlude both upper and lower.
Many of our patients report immediate relief from dry eye symptoms using punctum plugs. There are two types available:
Temporary Closure Until recently tiny, jelly-like plugs, made from collagen have been gently inserted into the puncta. We've recently introduced a new synthetic type of soft, absorbable plug known as SA plugs. These will last for 3 months before dissolving.
Temporary plugs are very useful for evaluating the benefits of tear duct closure before committing to a long-term option. They can also be extremely helpful following eye surgery.
Permanent Closure These are non-dissolvable but removable plugs that are inserted if the benefits of tear duct closure has been recognised. Just like the temporary plugs, insertion is completely painless and takes just a few minutes in the consulting room. We offer our patients 3 different types of permanent closure.
- Formfit
- Smartplug
- Silicone
If you think you might benefit from punctal plugging and would like to discuss the options further, why not call us to make an appointment.
