Dry Eye

Dry Eye Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

The outside surface of your eyes depends on tears to keep them clean, lubricated, nourished, and free of infectious debris. When these tears are lacking, the resulting dryness can cause irritation and unclear vision. It is important to determine the cause of your dry eye and get the necessary treatment to control the cause and systems. The quality care provided at Advanced Eyecare Specialists in Falmouth, MA will help you to care for your dry eye condition and improve your vision. 

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What Are Some Symptoms of Dry Eye?

Various conditions can cause eye irritation. How can you tell if you are suffering from dry eye syndrome? Here are a few common symptoms:

  • Eye redness  
  • Scratchy or burning sensation  
  • The feeling that you have something in your eyes  
  • Watery eyes  
  • Eye fatigue  
  • Sensitivity to light  
  • Problems with driving at night  
  • The buildup of stringy mucus around your eyes

What is Causing My Dry Eye?

Since dry eye is related to a lack of tears, two main causes are the lack of enough production of tears and tears being evaporated before they can do their job. A third cause could be poor tear composition. Your optometrist can help you to determine what is causing your condition. 

  1. Lack of tear production: A reduction in tear production can be a byproduct of aging. It is also connected with other medical conditions like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid disorders. Medications such as decongestants, antihistamines, birth control, antidepressants, and high blood pressure medicine can negatively affect tear production. If your tear glands become inflamed, it can also decrease tear production.  
  2. Quick tear evaporation: Being constantly exposed to windy, smokey, or dry air conditions can cause your tears to evaporate too quickly. Deformity in your eyelids can also cause this problem. If your work causes you to maintain a concentrated focus, you may be blinking less often.  
  3. Poor tear composition: Your tears are made up of three components: water, oil, and mucus. If one of these components is missing or out of correct concentration, then dry eye could be the result. 

What Treatments Are Available for My Dry Eye Condition?

Your optometrist will first have to determine what is causing your dry eye. They may discuss with you your eye health history and work environment. They can test both your tear production and their quality. Various treatments are available to help with different causes.

Most people who only have an occasional problem or a mild case of dry eye can be treated with over-the-counter eye drops. Some treatments enhance the quality of your tears or help them last longer before evaporating or draining away. 

Another solution may be helping you replace a medication with one that does not add to your eye condition. Plastic surgery may be necessary to correct an eyelid malformity. Medication may be needed to control inflammation. Tear duct plugs can be inserted to help keep tears in your eyes longer.

Get Your Dry Eye Condition Treated by Advanced Eyecare Specialists

A skilled optometrist will help you deal with the symptoms of dry eye. You will find such a skilled eye doctor at Advanced Eyecare Specialists in Falmouth, MA. Schedule an eye examination with us today and we will help your eyes to stay healthy. 

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