DRY EYE
Dry Eye
Tears lubricate the eyes and clear away particles and foreign bodies. Dry Eye Syndrome is caused by a lack of tears and occurs for one of two reasons:
- Some people do not produce enough tears.
- Some people have tears that evaporate too quickly due to an improper balance in tear composition, or due to environmental causes.
Dry Eye is more common in women than men, more common as people get older, and more common in cold weather.
Women are particularly susceptible after menopause, as are people who work long hours at a computer (because they blink less often). Medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants and antihypertensive medications frequently make dry eye worse. Contact lens wearers, and people who have had eye surgery such as LASIK, are more likely to have dry eye.
Almost half of American adults regularly experience dry eye. Symptoms can include:
- Burning
- Stinging
- Itchiness
- Excessive irritation from the elements
- Discomfort from contacts
- Watering eyes (even though this sounds wrong!). When the front of the eye is not lubricated adequately, it becomes irritated; this can cause the tear glands to release a large volume of tears, overwhelming the tear drainage system.
Treatment/Procedures
Mild cases of dry eye are easily treatable using artificial tears or non-prescription eye drops. If your dry eye is more severe, the doctor may prescribe medication to improve the quality of your tears, or increase tear production. Alternatively the doctor may recommend a punctal plug, a small device that temporarily closes the tear duct where tears drain from the eye. This is like putting a plug into the drain of a sink, to keep fluid in the sink longer. The plug is easily and painlessly inserted into the tear duct in the office. For the unusual cases of dry eye syndrome that do not respond to these measures, there are additional treatments available for our patients.
There are some easy steps that can be taken to lessen the symptoms of dry eye syndrome. A wide variety of common medications reduce tear production and cause dry eye, such as antihistamines, antidepressants, and antihypertensive medications. Tell the doctor the names of all medications you are taking.
Some people can prevent tears from evaporating by using a humidifier and avoiding overly dry, warm rooms, hair dryers, smoke, and wind.
