Overview

Dry eye is a condition in which a person doesn't have enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Tears are necessary for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye and for providing clear vision.

Dry eyes are almost always a serious problem because burning, itchy, sensitive eyes affect every aspect of your daily life. But dry eyes can become a truly serious condition that ultimately causes vision loss.

What causes dry eyes?

Dry eye is a condition that occurs when tears cannot properly lubricate the eyes.Your tear film has three layers: fatty oils, aqueous fluid and mucus. This combination normally keeps the surface of your eyes lubricated, smooth and clear. Problems with any of these layers can cause dry eyes.

Environmental conditions such as wind and dry climates ,also Exposure to smoke can also reduce tear volume due to increased tear evaporation.

Also, problems with inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis), inflammation of the surfaces of the eye, or the inward or outward turning of eyelids can cause dry eyes to develop.

People who have acne rosacea, diabetes, thyroid disease, autoimmune diseases and inflammatory diseases that include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Sjogrens syndrome are more likely to develop dry eyes.

Women who are pregnant, on certain types of birth control, hormone replacement therapy, or experiencing menopause are also more likely to have dry eye.

What are the symptoms of dry eyes ?

People with dry eyes may experience irritated, gritty, scratchy or burning eyes; a feeling of something in their eyes; excess watering; and blurred vision. Symptoms include: 

• Redness. stinging, scratching, or burning sensations.
• Light Sensitivity.
• Watery eyes. 
• Stringy mucus near the eye. 
• Blurry Vision.

How are dry eyes treated?

Dry eye treatment aims to restore or maintain a normal amount of tears in the eyes to minimize dryness and associated discomfort, and to keep the eyes healthy. The main approaches used to control and treat dry eye include supplementing tears using over-the-counter artificial tear solutions, preserving tears, increasing tear production, and treating inflammation of the eyelids or ocular surface that contributes to dry eyes.

Special dyes can be applied to the eye to better observe the flow of tears and highlight any changes to the outer surface of the eye caused by insufficient tears.

We may also recommend lifestyle changes, including to your work and dietary habits, to address the root cause of your dry eye problems.

To encourage treatment we recommend trying an eye massager which helps reduce eye fatigue and maintain healthy eye condition

Takeaway

Dry eye occurs when there is not enough tear film produced, the tear film is not draining properly from the eye, or the tear film is not the quality needed to maintain the health of the eye.

Dry eye is best treated early. If it goes untreated for a long time, it becomes more difficult to manage.

DISCLAIMER              

Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice.