USC Dry Eye Center of Excellence
We treat specific dry eye causes and symptoms, like gritty, irritated or dry eyes.
USC Dry Eye Center of Excellence
We treat specific dry eye causes and symptoms, like gritty, irritated or dry eyes.
Personalized Treatment for All Types of Dry Eye Issues
At the USC Dry Eye Center of Excellence, we offer a multidisciplinary, personalized approach to treat specific dry eye causes and symptoms. Dry eye syndrome can make your everyday life uncomfortable and may include symptoms such as irritation, redness and sensitivity to light. An adequate and consistent layer of tears on the surface of the eye is essential to keep your eyes healthy, comfortable and seeing well.
Our team of experts provides comprehensive testing to determine what is causing your dry eyes so that we can tailor treatment directly to your condition. Our team is trained in the care of ocular surface disease, in addition to the systemic autoimmune conditions that can lead to dry eyes. We are a research-driven program, constantly learning more about dry eyes, developing new treatments and improving your care.
Dedicated Scientists and Clinicians Working to Cure Dry Eye
Conditions We Treat
Dry Eye
Dry eye syndrome is caused by chronic dehydration and poor lubrication of the ocular surface, causing a disruption of the barrier function. Many people develop dry eye as a result of environmental exposure, allergies, eye surgery, medications or the effects of aging. While it may seem like a mild irritation, the condition can lead to vision loss if the cornea is scratched or damaged if left untreated long enough.
Common symptoms of dry eye include:
- Aching feeling
- Blurred vision
- Burning sensation
- Fatigued eyes
- Inflammation
- Red appearance
- Sensitivity to light
- Soreness
Other Conditions We Treat
- Exposure keratopathy
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
- Malformations of the eyelid
- Meibomian gland dysfunction
- Neurotrophic keratitis
- Ocular surface disease
- Systemic autoimmune conditions that lead to dry eye, including:
- Graft-versus-host disease
- Sjögren’s syndrome
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Treatments We Offer
Typically, dry eye symptoms are treated with lubricating eye drops or artificial tears, as well as taking breaks from reading or using a computer or smartphone. Additionally, prescription eye medications may help increase tear production or reduce eye inflammation and irritation, but these treatment options fail to prevent the symptoms from returning. Some patients require additional treatment to enhance their daily tasks and improve their overall quality of life.
Our personalized treatment options include:
- BroadBand Light Therapy (BBL)
- LipiView II Ocular Surface Interferometer and LipiFlow
- Prescription eye medications
- Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem (PROSE) or scleral lens treatment
- Punctal occlusion
- Tear film analysis
Our national rank in federal ophthalmology research funding
Years as one of the nation’s top ophthalmology programs
Physicians providing comprehensive and subspecialty ophthalmology care
Years of visionary innovation
Expert Care for All of Your Symptoms
As an academic medical center, our clinicians and researchers work together to give you access to the most advanced dry eye treatment therapies.
We treat a diverse range of dry eye patients from around Los Angeles, which allows us to build a rich biorepository of tear samples for our research.
The USC Roski Eye Institute is one of the first centers to identify ocular surface disease biomarkers through the analysis of tear film, establishing us as one of the nation’s top ophthalmology programs.