Dry Eyes Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Define dry eyes?

When we blink, a layer of tears tend to spread over our eyes, making its surface clear and smooth. Without such layer of tear, good vision is not possible. At times, individuals do not produce right tears quality or adequate tears which are necessary for keeping the eyes comfortable and healthy. Such medical condition is called dry eyes.

Dry eyes tend to make you feel very uncomfortable. In case you have them, your eyes can burn or sting. Dry eyes can be experienced in particular situations for example, while you ride a bike, in an airplane or air-conditioned room, working on the computer for some hours. Treatments for the condition can make you feel comfortable.

Furthermore, treatments include certain changes in lifestyle along with prescribed eye drops. However for severe cases, surgery can be an effective option.

What are the symptoms of dry eyes?

Symptoms mostly affect your both eyes and include:

• A burning, scratchy or stinging sensation in the eyes.
• Eye fatigue.
• Sensitivity to light.
• Sting mucus around or in the eyes.
• Eye redness.
• Increased irritation in eyes from wind or smoke.
• Blurred vision.
• Feeling of having a particle in the eyes.
• Excessive tearing periods.
• Difficulty wearing the contact lenses.

When is the high time to consult a doctor?

In case you experience prolonged symptoms of the condition, including irritated, painful, tired or red eyes, consult a doctor.

What causes dry eyes?

The condition causes due to insufficient tears. Tears are basically a mixture of fatty oils, mucus and water. Such mixture tends to help making your eye surface clear and smooth, whilst help protecting the eyes against infection. Particularly for few individuals, the reason to develop the condition is the imbalance in their tears composition. Whereas other do not produce adequate tears for keeping the eyes well lubricated. Moreover, medications, eyelid problems plus environmental factors can also lead to the condition.

What are the risk factors for dry eyes?

You are more likely to experience the condition if:

• You are a woman.
• Increasing age.
• Taking particular medicine which can trigger dry eyes.
• Consumes a diet less in vitamin A.

What are the complications of dry eyes?

The condition does not cause any serious problem, though possible complications are:

• Decreased life quality.
• Scarring on your eyes surface.
• More recurrent eye infection.

How is dry eyes diagnosed?

Procedures and tests that are used for finding out the underlying cause of dry eyes in the patient’s case are:

• Thorough examination of the eye.
• Determining your tear quality.

How are dry eyes treated?

For many individuals with mild or occasional symptoms of dry eyes, treatment involves eye drops (over-the-counter) for example artificial tears plus self care measures. In case the symptoms are serious and persistent, the option of treatment would be:

• Treating the cause.
• Medications: antibiotics, eye inserts and eye drops.
• Treatments: closing the tear ducts, covering the eye through specific contact lens, unblocking the oil glands.

By : Natural Health News