Dry eye feels confusing and sometimes unpredictable. Many patients describe burning, irritation, tearing, or the sensation of something stuck in their eye. Southern Eye Centers' eye doctors look beyond the surface to understand what is causing your discomfort.
Dry eye is a common eye condition, but it is not something you need to “just live with.” Relief starts with understanding why your eyes feel this way and choosing the right treatment for your needs.
Our Baton Rouge eye clinic offers a full suite of technology that targets dry eye at the source.
Lumenis OptiLIGHT uses gentle light pulses to reduce inflammation and improve oil gland function. This treatment helps calm redness, dryness, and irritation that come from long-standing or recurring dry eye.
MiBo ThermoFlow uses gentle heat to soften blockages in the oil glands. These warmed glands begin producing healthy oils again, which stabilize the tear film and reduce evaporation.
LidPro exfoliates the eyelid margins to remove debris, bacteria, and buildup that can block glands or irritate the eyes. This treatment improves overall eyelid health and supports lasting comfort.
Both offices in Baton Rouge and Plaquemine offers:
Customized artificial tears
Anti-inflammatory eye drops
Warm compress routines
Lifestyle recommendations
Contact lens evaluations for dryness
Omega-3 and nutritional counseling (especially helpful with Dr. Shaw’s background)
Dry eye occurs when the eyes do not produce enough tears or when tears evaporate too quickly. The tear film requires oil, water, and mucus to stay stable. When even one layer becomes unbalanced, the surface of the eye becomes dry, irritated, or inflamed.
Some patients feel constant dryness. Others notice sudden irritation or a “flare up” that comes out of nowhere. Many don’t realize dry eye can cause watering, light sensitivity, or blurry vision.
Patients may experience:
Burning or stinging
Redness or irritation
Tearing or watery eyes
Blurry or fluctuating vision
A gritty or sandy feeling
Light sensitivity
Discomfort with contact lenses
A feeling that something is in the eye
Some patients notice dry eye in one eye, especially when inflammation, blocked glands, or lifestyle habits affect one side more heavily. Others experience sudden dry eye from weather changes, medications, allergies, or extended screen time.
Dry eye has many causes, which is why a personalized plan works best. Common reasons include:
Blocked oil glands cause tears to evaporate too quickly. This is the most common cause of dry eye and one of the most treatable.
Long hours on computers or phones cause incomplete blinking, which prevents the eye’s natural oils from spreading evenly.
Wind, AC, heaters, humidity shifts, and allergens can trigger sudden dry eye symptoms.
Tear production naturally decreases with age. Antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure medication, and more can reduce tear production.
Many patients arrive asking why their eyes felt fine yesterday but burn today. Sudden-onset dry eye can occur from:
Allergens or irritants
A blocked oil gland
New medications
Stress or fatigue
A shift in indoor air (AC, heater, fans)
A scratched eye or minor abrasion
Inflammation in only one eye
Find Relief With Southern Eye Centers
You deserve comfortable, dependable vision. Visit our Plaquemine or Baton Rouge eye doctors for a dry eye evaluation and learn which treatments can help you feel better.