Dry eye is a common eye condition where your eyes don’t produce enough tears or the tears evaporate too quickly, leading to irritating symptoms and discomfort. Your eyes need quality tears to stay lubricated which keeps the surface of your eye healthy and your vision clear. When tear production is out of balance, you experience dry eyes.
Causes of Dry Eye
Several things can cause dry eye. Ageing is a common cause, as tear production tends to decrease as we age. Women going through the menopause may experience dry eye as a symptom. Environmental factors such as dry or windy weather can exacerbate the condition, just as exposure to smoke can. We often hear from people who spend long hours looking at a screen because it’s typical to blink less when concentrating on a screen, easily leading to dry eye. Some medical conditions and medications are also linked to dry eye, and people who wear contact lenses are more likely to develop the condition.
Symptoms of Dry Eye
Not everyone experiences dry eye in the same way, but common symptoms include:
- stinging or burning sensation in the eyes
- red eyes
- sensitivity to light
- gritty feeling as if something is in your eye
- blurred vision
- Watery eyes
Though it sounds counterintuitive, watery eyes can also be a symptom as your tear ducts work overtime to relieve the irritation, but your tears are not good enough quality.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Dry Eye
The symptoms of dry eye can impact daily activities such as reading, driving, and using digital devices, so if you think you have dry eye don’t just suffer in silence. Make an appointment with our optometrist, and we’ll examine your eyes and recommend the best course of action. Some people find that eye drops help, and there are changes you can make such as taking regular screen breaks and using a humidifier at home. In other cases, there are options such as punctual plugs or potential treatment to address the underlying cause of your dry eye.
Book Your Appointment
If the symptoms we’ve described sound familiar, contact us to make an appointment and we’ll soon get your eyes feeling better and your vision at its optimum.
