Vision Therapy in Greater Lowell

Spotting the Signs of Dry Eye

(978) 452-0127

Understanding the Symptoms

Dry eye is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide, and its symptoms can vary in severity. It's crucial to recognize the signs of dry eye early to seek appropriate treatment and improve your eye health and comfort.

man with sore eyes


Common Symptoms to Look Out For

woman with red eyes

Experiencing dry eye symptoms can greatly affect your daily life and overall health. These symptoms can disrupt your work, hobbies, and even your ability to carry out everyday tasks comfortably.

The constant discomfort and distraction caused by these symptoms can lower your productivity and overall quality of life. 

Here are common signs that may indicate dry eye syndrome:

  • Dryness:
    A persistent sensation of dryness, grittiness, or eye irritation.
  • Itching:
    Frequent itching or a burning sensation in and around the eyes.
  • Redness:
    Bloodshot or red eyes, often accompanied by discomfort.·
  • Excessive Tearing:
    Paradoxically, your eyes may produce more tears as a response to dryness, leading to watery eyes.
  • Blurry Vision:
    Vision may become temporarily blurred, particularly when reading or using digital screens.
  • Light Sensitivity:
    Increased sensitivity to light, known as photophobia.
  • Foreign Body Sensation:
    Feeling as though something is in your eye.
  • Eye Fatigue:
    Increased eye fatigue, especially during prolonged periods of reading, screen time, or other visually demanding tasks.

Ignoring dry eye symptoms can lead to worsening discomfort and potential complications. Chronic dry eye can damage the eye's surface and increase the risk of eye infections, scarring, and vision loss. Seeking professional guidance if you're experiencing any of these symptoms is crucial.


Dry Eye Diagnosis and Expert Care

When you choose Advanced EyeCare Associates for your dry eye care, you benefit from our expertise in comprehensive diagnosis. We understand that your unique health history and lifestyle can affect your dry eye differently, which is why we practice personalized care tailored to you. Our approach includes:

  • In-Depth Eye Exams

    During a comprehensive eye exam, we evaluate your eyelids, eye surface, and your complete health history and lifestyle to identify potential underlying causes of dry eyes.

  • Tear Assessment

    We conduct a detailed assessment of your tears, measuring their volume and quality. This assessment helps us identify any deficiencies in tear quantity or quality, crucial factors in dry eye diagnosis.

  • Tear Breakup Time

    Using advanced techniques like tear breakup time measurement, we identify specific areas of your eyes where tears may evaporate more rapidly. This information aids in tailoring your treatment plan.

  • Specialized Dry Eye Test: Schirmer Test

    This test involves placing blotting test paper strips on the lower eyelids to measure tear production over a specific time. It helps determine the volume of tears your eyes produce.

Patient Reviews
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119 Reviews
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- Sep. 12, 2024
I’ve been going to doctor Karelekas for many years! He is great at his job and he has the nicest p... ersonality! I would definitely recommend him to anyone!
- Jul. 12, 2024
Dr. Karalekas is awesome! He conducts thorough and high-quality eye exams without rushing through ap... pointments. His genuine concern for your eye health is evident, ensuring that you receive detailed answers to any questions, making it a natural, comfortable, and informative experience. Dr. K's commitment to personalized care makes this practice highly recommended!
- Jul. 12, 2023
Great eye care. Very helpful and friendly staff. Dr. Sikalis is an amazing Optometrist. Highly recom... mend.
- Mar. 21, 2023
Great experience! My concerns were listened to and everything was explained very clearly to help wit... h my dry eyes. Tori and Debbie were extremely helpful when I was picking out glasses. I'm very indecisive and they both had great patience and gave me great advice!
- Nov. 12, 2022
Very professional. Well organized. Dr. Sikalis takes time to explain everything to you. Great plac... e!!
- Nov. 09, 2022
Very thorough with eye exams and staff is so warm and friendly!
- Oct. 07, 2022
A long term patient of Steve Sikalis, I can’t say enough about the care and consideration I receiv... e. Steve takes the time to explain everything to me and I know he joins me in advocating for my eye health. Proficient and friendly; that’s what I want in my health care professionals. Dr Sikalis is all that and more.
- Sep. 28, 2022
Very nice stuffs. . On time appointments. Happy to be there .
- Jul. 28, 2022
Been going here for years. Staff is always pleasant, and Dr. Sikalis is wonderful!
- Jul. 27, 2022
Loved
- Jun. 29, 2022
I brought my dad here as a new patient, Dr. Harney is very efficient, took his time and explain ever... ything relating to diabetic eye disease.
- Apr. 28, 2022
Very friendly coming in. The doctor took time in explaining his findings and what they meant. Friend... ly with helping pick out glasses.
- Apr. 07, 2022
Dr Chris K is such an awesome human being. He has taken care of my dad and daughter’s eyes for yea... rs. The team is amazing at this practice. I strongly recommend Advanced Eye Care Associates.
- Mar. 30, 2022
The staff was kind and efficient! I would definitely recommend Advanced Eye Associates!
- Mar. 17, 2022
I really liked this place and was comfortable being there.. very nice people here.. would definitely... recommend it
- Feb. 21, 2022
Very friendly, very efficient, thorough eye exam. Doctor took the time to talk and explain. Everyb... ody works together seamlessly - it is obviously a very well-run office, and it is also obvious that everybody loves working there and being a part of the team. Wife had diabetes, glaucoma, and other conditions. She went here for several years and loved them and the care she got. They took good care of her, and she - and I - couldn't say enough nice things about them.
- Feb. 17, 2022
Dr Sikalis is an excellent educator on your eye health and well-being. Glad I found this office many... years ago.
- Feb. 01, 2022
Gone there for years, everyone is so nice and helpful!
- Jan. 28, 2022
They are very friendly ,very professional They explained everything to me what's going on I was very... pleased with the service i would recommend it to everyone.
- Jan. 25, 2022
I had the BEST experience at Advanced Eye Care with Dr. Karalekas! I was in need of an immediate ap... pointment, and found this practice on the VSP website under their premier office listings. The staff was extremely professional and helpful, and booked a same-day appointment for my emergency. Dr. Karalekas was kind, empathetic, and had a wonderful manner with me as a patient. He addressed all my concerns and was able to refer me to a specialist (also the same day!) for a second opinion on my issue. The staff at Advanced Eye Care Associates was wonderful and I'll be switching my routine wellness visits to this office. I was so pleased and happy to have found this practice on a quick search, and am looking forward to receiving my regular care here. Thank you again from a very satisfied NEW patient!!!

View All 119 Reviews

Dry Eyes in Greater Lowell

Our optometry practice in Greater Lowell

Photograph of Steven P.  Sikalis
Hours
  • Monday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Wednesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
    1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
  • Nov. 28 Closed
  • Nov. 29 Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • United Healthcare
  • Aetna
  • Cigna
  • EyeMed
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield

man putting eye drops in eyes

Consult Our Dry Eye Experts

At Advanced EyeCare Associates, our experienced eye care specialists are ready to help you find relief from dry eye symptoms. We understand these symptoms' impact on your daily life and are committed to improving your eye health and comfort.

Contact us to schedule an appointment and discuss your dry eye symptoms. Let's work together to find the most suitable treatment and enhance your quality of life.

(978) 452-0127