Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry Eye... What You Need to Know A condition known as dry eye syndrome occurs when tear film abnormalities prevent the eyes from being comfortable. Although dry eye can occur in both men and women at any age, women are most often affected. There are two kinds of tears: those that constantly lubricate the eye and those that are produced as a response to irritation or emotion. The healthy eye constantly produces tears that lubricate. When a foreign body irritates the eye or when a person cries, more tears are produced. Excess tearing from dry eye may sound like a contradiction, but your tears must have the right balance of oil, water, and mucus to be able to protect your eyes. Without this balance, your eyes become dry and irritated and produce too many tears. Tear production normally decreases as we age. Dry eye can also be associated with arthritis, and occasionally with a dry mouth. Medications sometimes cause dry eye by reducing tear secretion. Since these medications are often necessary, the dry eye condition may have to be tolerated or treated with "artificial tears." Symptoms of Dry Eye: Stinging or burning Eye irritation or scratchiness Excess tearing, especially when reading, driving, or watching     television Stringy mucus in or around the eyes Difficulty wearing contact lenses Treatment Dry eye is sometimes treated using eye drops called "artificial tears." Artificial tears are available without a prescription. You may want to try several brands to find the one that you like best. Preservative-free eye drops are available if you are sensitive to the preservatives in artificial tears. If you need to use artificial tears more than every two hours, preservative-free brands may be better for you. The most recent dry eye treatment available is RESTASIS®. RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion helps increase your eyes’ natural ability to produce tears, which may be reduced by inflammation due to Chronic Dry Eye. One drop of RESTASIS®, twice a day, with continued use, has been shown to help some dry eye sufferers. Some patients with mild dryness may benefit from blinking more frequently, especially when reading, driving, or watching television. Conserving the tears in your own eyes is another approach to keeping the eyes moist. Tears drain out of the eye through a small canal into the nose (that is why your nose runs when you cry). Your ophthalmologist may close these canals either temporarily or permanently. This closure conserves your own tears and makes artificial tears last longer. If you’ve have been suffering from dry and irritated eyes, or if you haven’t been to the office for a while and think you may be suffering from dry eyes, please contact us to set up an apointment today. <-- Back To Eye Diseases