At our clinic we have experience in the analysis and treatment of mild to severe dry eyes.
Dry eye syndrome, or dry eye disease, is a common condition that occurs when the eyes do not make enough tears or the tears evaporate too quickly.
Dry eye can be a debilitating disease, both in terms of your ability to see and discomfort thus having an effect on the quality of your life. The varying etiologies of dry eye in different patient populations increases the challenges of diagnosing and treating the condition. Laser surgery and eye surgery exacerbate dry eye, through severing of corneal nerves and introduction of topical medications, often containing preservatives, to the ocular surface.
Symptoms of dry eye syndrome
The symptoms of dry eye syndrome usually affect both eyes and often include:
- feelings of dryness, grittiness or soreness that get worse throughout the day
- red eyes
- eyelids that often get stuck together when you wake up
- temporary blurred vision, which usually improves upon blinking
What causes dry eye syndrome?
Dry eye syndrome can occur when the complex tear production process is disrupted in some way. There are many different reasons why this can happen, although a single identifiable cause is not often found.
Common causes include:
Environment | Wearing Contact Lenses | Aging | Hormones | Medication | Computer Screen |
| Environmental factors such as sun, wind and hot air blowing can have a drying effect. | Contact lenses can irritate the eye causing dryness. | Fewer tears are produced with age and eyelids become less effective at spreading tears over the years. | Hormones stimulate the production of tears. Changes in hormone levels can increase the risk of dry eye. | Certain medications, such as antihistamines and antidepressants, are thought to trigger dry eye. | Prolonged periods of staring at a computer screen. |
Although the condition can affect people of any age, your chances of developing dry eye syndrome increase as you get older. It's estimated that up to one in every three people over the age of 65 experiences problems with dry eyes. Dry eye syndrome is also more common in women than men.