PRECISION. PERSONALIZATION. BETTER OUTCOMES.
Advanced Dry Eye & Ocular Surface Care
Beyond Artificial Tears. Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Treatment.
Comprehensive Care. Advanced Solutions.
At Oko Dry Eye Institute, we go well past eye drops. Alongside standard dry eye care, we offer in-office gland and eyelid treatments, tear conservation, corneal healing therapies, and scleral lens fitting for complex and hard-to-treat ocular surface disease.
Does this sound like your eyes?
Dry eye doesn't always feel dry. If a few of these are familiar, it's time for a proper evaluation.
- Burning, stinging, or a gritty feeling
- Watery eyes that still feel dry
- Vision that blurs, then clears when you blink
- Eyes that feel tired by mid-afternoon
- Contact lenses you can't wear all day anymore
- Red, crusty, or irritated eyelid edges
- Screen work that leaves your eyes aching
- Sensitivity to wind, fans, or bright light
- Artificial tears that help less than they used to
How care works here
Dry eye evaluation
We examine your tear film, eyelids, meibomian glands, and cornea, and go over your symptoms and history.
Your treatment plan
Dr. Dzubur explains what's driving your dry eye and which treatments fit, with costs laid out before you start.
Treatment
Most treatments are done right here in our office, often as a short series of visits.
Keeping results
An at-home routine and scheduled check-ins keep your eyes comfortable between visits.
Every treatment we offer
Most patients do best with a combination. Your plan depends on what your evaluation shows.
Everyday & prescription care
Preservative-free lubricants
At homeNot all artificial tears are equal. We recommend specific preservative-free drops, gels, and ointments matched to your type of dry eye, chosen from more than 10 years of seeing what actually works for our patients.
Prescription eye drops
At home, managed by our officeWhen inflammation or low tear production is part of the problem, we prescribe and monitor prescription topical medications, and adjust them at your follow-up visits.
Nutritional supplements
At homeOmega-3s and targeted nutraceuticals that support tear quality from the inside, recommended as part of your overall plan.
Gland & eyelid treatments
Most dry eye starts in the meibomian glands along your eyelids, which make the oil that keeps tears from evaporating. These treatments focus on clearing and restoring those glands and the eyelid margin.
Meibomian gland probing
In officeWhen gland openings are blocked, oil can't reach your tears. Probing uses a very fine instrument to gently open blocked glands so they can drain and refill normally. It's one of the most direct ways to treat the source of evaporative dry eye.
What to expect
- Comfort
- Your eyelids are numbed first. Most patients describe pressure rather than pain.
- Programs
- Offered as our Base, Standard, and Premium probing programs (see below).
ArunaLight low-level light therapy
In officeA light mask rests over your closed eyes and gently warms the eyelids with low-level light, designed to loosen thickened oil in the glands and calm the eyelid tissue. No needles and no downtime.
In-office eyelid deep cleaning
In officeBuildup and bacteria along the lash line can clog glands and inflame the lids. A professional deep cleaning (microblepharoexfoliation) clears the eyelid margin more thoroughly than any at-home wipe.
NuLids at-home lid care
At homeA small handheld device used for about a minute a day to keep the eyelid margin clean and gland openings clear. It's how many patients hold on to the results of in-office treatment.
Rinsada® ocular surface rinse
In officeA single-use device that flushes debris and irritants from the surface of the eye, including the pockets under the eyelids that regular drops and rinsing can't reach.
Jett Plasma 360
In office (supporting therapy)Jett Plasma uses gentle bioelectrical energy to stimulate and energize the skin and tissue around the eyelids. We use it alongside our gland and lid treatments as part of a complete plan, not as a stand-alone dry eye treatment.
What to expect
- Sessions
- A series of 4 sessions, spaced 2 weeks apart
- Comfort
- A conductive gel is applied first; you'll feel a light tingling.
Tear conservation
Punctal occlusion slows how quickly tears drain from the eye, so the tears you make (and the drops you use) stay on the surface longer.
Collagen punctal plugs
In officeTiny dissolvable plugs placed in the tear drains. Our 180-day plugs provide extended tear conservation and hydration.
Lacrifill®
In officeA 98% water-based hyaluronic acid (HA) gel that fills the tear drainage canal, providing long-lasting punctal occlusion and tear retention without a traditional plug.
Corneal healing & neuro-regenerative therapy
For advanced, non-healing dry eye and ocular surface disease. When the surface of the eye is compromised, we offer biologic and neuro-regenerative therapies to support corneal healing, restore surface integrity, and address the underlying drivers of persistent epithelial disease.
Amniotic membrane therapy
In office- Biologic corneal protection for significant epithelial disease
- For persistent keratitis and compromised ocular surfaces
- Supports the eye's natural healing
Oxervate® (cenegermin)
Prescription therapy- An FDA-approved biologic nerve growth factor eye drop
- For appropriately diagnosed neurotrophic keratitis
- Targets impaired corneal healing and nerve regeneration
Advanced inflammatory management
Acthar® Gel
Prescription therapy- Repository corticotropin injection: a systemic therapy for select severe inflammatory or autoimmune conditions
- Reserved for carefully selected, hard-to-treat cases, often in collaboration with your medical specialists
Scleral lenses
Scleral lens fitting
In office, custom fitScleral lenses are large, custom-fit contact lenses that vault over the cornea and hold a reservoir of fluid against the eye. For severe dry eye and irregular corneas, they can protect the surface and keep it hydrated all day.
Oko Dry Eye Store
10+ years of curating what actually works. Pick up the same products we recommend in the exam chair.
Lubricants
Preservative-free drops, gels, and ointments for surface support.
Lid cleansers & moisture therapy
Lid hygiene wipes, cleansers, and moisture chamber solutions for at-home care.
Supplements & at-home MGD
Omega-3s, targeted nutraceuticals, and at-home gland therapy devices.
Treatment programs
Rather than paying visit by visit, many patients choose a program. We'll recommend one after your evaluation.
Happy Eye Club
Our ongoing membership for keeping your eyes comfortable after treatment, with regular check-ins and maintenance care.
Base
A starting meibomian gland probing program.
Standard
Probing combined with additional in-office care.
Premium
Our most complete probing program for advanced gland dysfunction.
Ask our team for current program details and pricing. We always review costs with you before treatment begins.
Who you'll see
Dr. Haris Dzubur, O.D.
Dry Eye Specialist
- Young Optometrist of the Year
- National speaker on dry eye disease for optometrists and ophthalmologists
- President, North Suburban Optometric Society
- Bausch + Lomb Emerging Leaders Program, inaugural cohort
Dr. Dzubur (Dr. D to most patients) built Oko Dry Eye Institute around one idea: chronic dry eye is a medical condition, and it deserves a real diagnosis, not another bottle of drops.
Named Young Optometrist of the Year, Dr. Dzubur is a national speaker on dry eye disease, teaching optometrists and ophthalmologists the strategies behind successful dry eye treatment. That means the same approach he teaches other doctors is the one you'll get in his chair.
He also serves as President of the North Suburban Optometric Society and was selected for the inaugural cohort of Bausch + Lomb's Emerging Leaders Program.
Common questions
Is dry eye treatment covered by insurance?
Your dry eye evaluation and many medical treatments may be billed to medical insurance. Some advanced in-office treatments aren't covered. We'll check your coverage and review any costs with you before you start.
I've tried every eye drop. Can you still help?
Yes, and that's who we see most. Drops treat symptoms; our evaluation looks for the cause, whether that's blocked glands, inflammation, tears draining too fast, or damage to the cornea.
Does gland probing hurt?
We numb the eyelids first. Most patients feel pressure, and many say the relief afterward was worth it.
How soon will I notice a difference?
It varies. Some patients feel better within days; for others, improvement builds over a series of visits. We'll tell you what to expect for your plan.
I wear contact lenses. Can you help?
Yes. Contact lens discomfort is one of the most common reasons patients come to us, and for some, scleral lenses are the solution.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book a dry eye evaluation directly. If you already see another eye doctor, we're happy to coordinate with them.
Find out what's behind your dry eye
INSTITUTE
Dr. Haris Dzubur, O.D.
Dry Eye Specialist
Elmwood Park, Illinois
This page is for general information and is not a substitute for a medical exam. Treatment recommendations depend on your individual evaluation, and results vary. Some therapies listed are prescribed only for specific diagnosed conditions. Jett Plasma is used at Oko as a supporting therapy alongside other treatments and is not presented as a stand-alone treatment for dry eye or meibomian gland dysfunction.