Dry Eye Specialists in Poughkeepsie & Red Hook
For appointments, call one of our offices.
Find relief from dry, itchy, irritated eyes
If your eyes constantly feel gritty, stinging, or irritated, you don’t have to keep relying on artificial tears for relief. At Dutchess Optometry, our dry eye specialists offer targeted treatment options to help you feel better and protect your long-term eye health.
Dry eye is a common yet often underdiagnosed condition. Without proper care, it can lead to chronic discomfort, blurry vision, and an increased risk of eye infections. Whether your symptoms are mild or severe, we provide advanced dry eye treatment in Poughkeepsie and Red Hook to get to the root of the problem and deliver lasting relief.
What is dry eye disease?
Dry eye disease occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears, or your tears don’t stay on the surface long enough to keep your eyes lubricated and protected. Healthy tears are essential not only for comfort but also for clear vision and healthy corneal tissue. When the tear film becomes unstable or inadequate, it can result in dry, inflamed, and teary eyes as they try to compensate for dryness.
Severe dry eye symptoms
When left untreated, dry eye symptoms can gradually worsen over time and start to interfere with your daily activities. You might experience:
- A gritty or sandy feeling in your eyes
- Burning, stinging, or itching
- Redness and irritation
- Fluctuating or blurry vision
- Light sensitivity
- Excessive tearing (a reflex response to dryness)
- Eye fatigue, especially during screen use
- Discomfort while wearing contact lenses
If these symptoms sound familiar, expert care may be necessary. At Dutchess Optometry, our dry eye specialists in Poughkeepsie and Red Hook will pinpoint the cause of your discomfort and develop a personalized treatment plan to bring you relief and protect your vision.
What causes dry eye?
Dry eye can be triggered by a variety of lifestyle, environmental, and health-related factors. The most common causes include:
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)
When the oil-producing glands in your eyelids become clogged or don’t work properly, tears evaporate too quickly. This is a leading cause of dry eye.
Blepharitis
Inflammation of the eyelids caused by bacteria, debris, or poor eyelid hygiene can interfere with tear production and quality.
Other contributing factors
Other contributing factors include aging (higher risk of dry eye after 40), extended screen time, wearing contact lenses, hormonal changes, certain medications, and health conditions such as Sjögren’s syndrome.
How is dry eye diagnosed?
At Dutchess Optometry, our dry eye care begins with a comprehensive eye exam to evaluate your symptoms, tear quality, and ocular surface health. We take the time to understand what’s causing your dry eye so we can recommend the most effective treatment options. We want to provide lasting dry eye relief, not just temporary fixes. Based on the findings, our eye doctor will create a treatment plan tailored to your needs, aiming to minimize discomfort and dryness.
Dry eye treatment in Poughkeepsie & Red Hook
We target the underlying causes of your symptoms to offer effective, long-term dry eye relief. Your treatment might involve prescription eye drops to soothe inflammation and enhance natural tear production, oral supplements, or lifestyle adjustments like improved screen-time habits, hydration, or eyelid hygiene.
We offer TearCare® treatments at both our Poughkeepsie and Red Hook offices, and intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy is available at our Red Hook location.
OptiLight IPL Therapy
Gentle, Light-Based IPL Treatment for Dry Eyes
TearCare® Dry Eye Treatment
TearCare® for meibomian gland dysfunction treatment
Schedule a visit with our dry eye specialists today
You don’t have to live with the discomfort of dry, irritated eyes. Our skilled optometrists have the expertise, technology, and commitment to help you regain clear and comfortable vision. Call us today to schedule an appointment with our dry eye specialists in Poughkeepsie or Red Hook.