The clinic is run by the university's Michigan College of Optometry. Dr. Christopher Albright and his fourth-year students evaluate patients for dry eye disease.
Ferris State University’s Michigan College of Optometry has opened a new clinic to help patients suffering from dry eye disease, a disease that is rapidly growing in number every year, in older patients and younger ones alike. The Dry Eye Clinic is a specialized clinic that gives advanced optometry students the opportunity to provide care for patients suffering from the condition under the supervision of Dr. Christopher Albright, an assistant professor within the College of Optometry and a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.
According to an article on Ferris State University’s website, Albright explained of the Dry Eye Clinic, “Our mission is to provide the highest quality, comprehensive care for individuals suffering from dry eye and offer our students a contemporary learning experience. We are committed to enhancing our patient’s quality of life through advanced diagnostic/ therapeutic equipment, treatment, and personalized care. We strive to deliver a tailored approach to each case to meet each patient’s unique needs.”
The Dry Eye Clinic is open on Mondays from 8 to noon and patients must receive a referral to be seen by Dr. Albright and his students. Dry eye disease can be treated by any optometrist, but the specialized clinic at Ferris State University benefits from having specialized equipment to help treat the condition. As the cases of dry eye disease increase, in some cases from the use of screens like phones and computers, more people are turning to over the counter solutions. A visit to the specialized Dry Eye Clinic can help patients clear up their dry eye problems.
Among the treatments Dr. Albright and the students at the Dry Eye Clinic can offer patients are two new therapies: Intense Pulsed Light therapy and TearCare thermal heat therapy. Intense Pulsed Light therapy reduces inflammation and improves meibomian gland function by sending light pulses to the skin around the eyes. This therapy helps improve tear evaporation. The TearCare thermal heat device applies heat to the eyelids to help clear any obstruction from those glands. The clinic has reported that patients are happy with both therapies, though neither are required of patients as there are a number of other ways the clinic can offer help. Every patient receives a comprehensive evaluation, as well as imaging and diagnostic testing.
The Dry Eye Clinic is located at 1124 S. State Street.
For more information about Ferris State University, visit the school’s website.