Dry Eye Syndrome

What is Dry Eye?

Dry Eye, also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is a condition that decreases the eye’s ability to produce tears. Tears help protect the surface of the eye and keep it moist and lubricated. Reduced tear production can lead to damage to the eye’s surface. If the problem is chronic and left untreated, it can lead to eye infection and permanent vision impairment.

What are the causes of Dry Eye?

Dry Eye is caused by a problem in the tear-making glands of the eye. This results in fewer tears. Your risk factors for this condition increase with age, certain medications, menopause, and autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, lupus and Sjögren's syndrome or due to medical conditions such as diabetes or blocked tear ducts.

Can allergies and weather conditions cause Dry Eye?

Environmental factors such as dust, allergies, smoke, dry air, the heat or air conditioning, wearing contact lenses
or reading for extended periods of time and computer use can aggravate Dry Eye, but they are not the cause. The
cause of Dry Eye is a dysfunction of the tear producing glands which results in reduced production of tears.

How do I know if I have Dry Eye?

Your eye doctor can check your eyes for clinical signs of Dry Eye. He will look for dryness and damage to the cornea or conjunctiva (the membrane that covers the white part of the eye and the inside of the eyelids) and may measure tear production or break up time. It is also helpful if you describe your condition in detail. Be sure to tell us if you experience burning, itching, the feeling of having “something in your eye,” have difficulty reading for any length of time or have excessive tearing.

What treatments are available for Dry Eye?

In addition to over-the-counter artificial tears, the doctor may recommend a prescription eye drop, such as Restasis or have you try vitamins that contain flaxseed and fish oil. Contact wearers may have to decrease time worn or stop wearing them all together. Another approach is to insert a temporary or permanent punctal plug into the tear duct to prevent the drainage of tears.

What do artificial tears do?

Over-the-counter artificial tears can provide quick but temporary symptom relief and help lubricate eyes. Worse, most generic or store name brands have preservatives that can aggravate the condition, and can even kill corneal cells making your dry eyes worse. Tears that promise to “get the red out” will reduce circulation in the eye, decrease production of the tear film, and eventually make your eyes even drier. It’s always best to make an appointment and ask your doctor before using any dry eye treatment on your own.