What is dry eye?
Blinking spreads a thin film of tears over your eyes. The tear film lubricates and nourishes your eyes and helps remove dirt. Dry eye occurs when you have one of these problems with your tears:
Inadequate amount
When tear glands don’t produce a sufficient amount or when tears evaporate too quickly, you don’t have enough tear film to protect your eye.
Poor quality
Tears must contain a specific amount of three layers to lubricate and nourish your eyes. The outer layer contains oil that prevents tears from evaporating too quickly. The middle layer consists of water that carries nourishment, while the third layer contains mucus that spreads the tear film across your eyes.
What causes dry eye?
Dry eyes arise from several causes, but some of the most common include:
Eye conditions
Tears lack oil when oil-producing glands are blocked. Lack of oil is one of the most common causes of dry eye. Inflammatory eye problems like uveitis and blepharitis can also lead to dry eye.
Medical conditions
Allergies, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis can cause dry eye.
Medications
Many different medications cause dry eye, including antihistamines, decongestants, and medications to lower blood pressure.
Screen time
You don’t blink as often when you watch TV or spend time looking at a computer monitor. As a result, your tear film isn’t refreshed frequently enough to protect your eyes.
What are the symptoms of dry eyes?
Dry eyes produce an unexpected symptom: excessive tearing and watery eyes. This happens when irritated eyes trigger your brain to release extra tears to relieve the irritation.
Besides watering eyes, you may experience symptoms such as:
- Itching
- Burning or stinging
- Redness
- Light sensitivity
- Eye fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Gritty or scratchy feeling
- Feeling like something is in your eye
How is dry eye treated?
After determining the cause of your dry eyes, Dr. Wilson may recommend one of the following:
- Adding tears with preservative-free artificial tears
- Increasing tear production using prescription eye drops
- Treating underlying conditions
- Conserving tears by temporarily plugging drainage ducts
Dr. Wilson also offers advanced treatment in the form of amniotic membranes. The thin membrane is easily placed over your eyes in the office, and it naturally dissolves in about one week. Amniotic membranes protect the eye’s surface, promote healing, and relieve irritation and blurry vision.
Dry eyes don’t heal on their own, so don’t wait to get help. Call Dr. Wilson or book an appointment online.
