Vision Therapy in Cocoa

Spotting the Signs of Dry Eye

(321) 638-3931

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 Visionary Optometry - Dr. Micah Girard 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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443 Reviews
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- Jul. 25, 2025
Very good service.
- Jul. 05, 2025
Fantastic place, everyone made us feel welcome. Very cheerful and courteous, explained everything th... ey were doing and answered all our questions. Wish we had found their office years ago.
- Jun. 27, 2025
Very friendly and professional
- Jun. 19, 2025
Best care for your eyes in Brevard County
- Jun. 01, 2025
This Vision Business is awesome. Everyone was extremely kind and professional. I felt like they genu... inely wanted to help me find the perfect glasses for me and did not rush me. The only negative thing was that this is the only place in the area that takes my insurance so there was a over month wait to get in and that was with a cancellation. I was without glasses that I need all the time for 6 weeks. Even with the wait, I'll be back in the future for my vision needs.
- May. 23, 2025
Great experience with Dr. Girard and all the staff.
- May. 21, 2025
Visionary Optometry has a fast very but patient focused business attempt. Doc was very helpful and k... nowledgeable. Staff was excellent and so kind.
- May. 20, 2025
Excellent Dr & staff!
- May. 17, 2025
Professional, friendly, puts patient at ease and explained our building to me and recommended new pr... escriptions that will benefit me
- May. 09, 2025
I'm very satisfied with Dr Girard's professionalism as well as his well-trained staff members.
- May. 08, 2025
Dr. Girard and the staff are so kind and knowledgeable. I have had a great experience with both my r... outine eye exams and glasses/contact lenses. Dr. Girard has also been excellent in treating my eye related medical concerns.
- Apr. 25, 2025
Good service by knowledgeable staff. Been going here for years.
- Apr. 18, 2025
Doctor and staff are always friendly and answer all of my questions. They are always caring when I h... ave any concerns
- Apr. 16, 2025
Best care, helpful and makes sure that the patient understands what the tests mean for your health a... nd eye sight safety.
- Apr. 16, 2025
Everyone was very helpful.
- Mar. 20, 2025
Amazing staff!! They are all very helpful and wonderful Thank You Brooke for helping me
- Mar. 12, 2025
Been using Visionary Optometry for 20 yrs. Micah and Casey have are a great team. Best anywhere
- Mar. 07, 2025
Great Service!!
- Feb. 28, 2025
This was a great experience for first timers at the eye doctor. Brooke was AMAZING with my daughter.... She made her (us) feel so comfortable. Jamie was great and informative. Dr. Was very nice and patient.
- Feb. 10, 2025
I'm a welder and fabricator I got metal in my eye from grinding on steel. My employer sent me to thi... s office. The staff is very nice. And their office is nice and comfortable. Dr Gerard did a great job getting the steel out of my eye. He's extremely professional and cares about what he's doing. They got me in and out in a timely manner thank you.

View All 443 Reviews

Dry Eyes in Cocoa

Our optometry practice in Cocoa

Photograph of Micah Girard
Hours
  • Monday 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
  • Tuesday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
  • Thursday 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
  • Friday 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • Medicare
  • VSP
  • United Healthcare
  • Cigna
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Spectera
  • Davis Vision
  • Humana
  • Tricare
  • EyeMed
  • Avesis
  • UMR
  • MetLife
  • Cigna Vision
  • PHCS
  • Aetna
  • Guardian
  • Vision Care Plan
  • Allegiance
  • GEHA
  • Humana Military & Tricare
  • Principal
  • Florida Blue
  • Medical Mutual Ohio
  • Standard Life
  • Tricare for Life
  • Health First
  • Unum Vision
  • AARP Supplement Plans
  • Ironworkers
  • Medicare Part B
  • Mutual of Omaha
  • Optim Healthcare
  • Superior Vision by Versant Health
  • Solstice
  • Well Med

man putting eye drops in eyes

Consult Our Dry Eye Experts

At Visionary Optometry - Dr. Micah Girard, 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.

(321) 638-3931