Dry Eye |
What are the symptoms of dry eye? What causes dry eye? Why are my eyes sometimes watery? Do I need any tests? How can the condition be treated? Help yourself |
If you are suffering from dry eye, your eyes do not make enough tears or
the tears produced are of poor quality and do not contain the right
balance of mucus, water and oil.
Dry eye is probably the most common of all eye problems. Many adults
suffer from dry eye, but most people are unaware that this condition
exists.
Most sufferers are middle-aged or elderly women, but men and young adults
can also suffer.
You may have dry, red, burning, gritty or watery eyes which are very
sensitive to bright light. Your eyes may become itchy, particularly later
in the day and you may notice mucus around your eyes when you wake up in
the morning.
In situations where you blink less often leg when you are reading a book,
watching television, or when you are driving) fewer tears are produced and
the problem is more noticeable.
Your eyes may always look red, or you may feel there is something in your
eye (it often feels like a tiny grain of sand).
The symptoms of dry eye may be caused by other medical conditions, such
as allergies affecting your eyes and some types of arthritis.
Certain medicines can also lead to dry eye and the symptoms are made worse
when the air is very dry or smoky.
Dry eye may also be caused by problems with your eyelids, particularly if
they are inflamed, which can prevent your eyes from producing tears or
prevent the tears reaching your eyes. This can happen if the tiny drainage
channels that your tears pass through become blocked.
Some people with dry eye find that their eyes are constantly watery.
This may be confusing when you have been told by your doctor that your eye
symptoms are caused by your eyes being too dry.
This is because your tears do not contain the right balance of mucus,
water and oil to coat your eyes properly. This causes the surface of your
eyes to dry out and feel irritated and your eyes react by produci ng large
amounts of poor quality tears to try to compensate for this.
If your doctor needs to confirm your condition or you have other eye problems, you may need to be referred to an eye specialist. The specialist will examine your eyes with a high-powered magnifying lens and test your eyes with special eye drops. The eye specialist may use a dye to test whether the tear drainage channels in your eyes are causing the problem.
Any irritant or allergy that affects your eyes needs to be avoided if
possible.
Whatever the cause of dry eye it will be helpful to put artificial tear
drops into your eyes as often as is needed (every hour if necessary) to
keep your eyes comfortable. These drops are available with or without a
prescription from the chemist. Ointments are also available to provide
longer lasting or overnight lubrication. If you need to use the drops and
ointments frequently (more than four times a day), it is advisable to
avoid those containing preservatives which can irritate your eyes.
Treatment of the underlying cause can sometimes improve your symptoms. In
more severe cases of dry eye it may be effective to block the tiny
drainage channels (known as lachrymal ducts) which drain away the tears.
This will help to moisten your eyes. This can be done by ah eye specialist
using temporary plugs inserted into the ducts or by treatment to block
them permanently.
This factsheet supported by Allergan