Dry Eye
Most people have enough tears to keep their eye properly lubricated and moistened, but dry eye is an annoying condition in which there is not enough moisture in the eyes. Dry eye is more common in women than in men, and tends to get worse with age. It is also a common condition with contact lens wearers, as the contacts interferes with proper distribution of the tears.
First, here is a brief description of the anatomy of tears:
There are three parts to your tears;
1) Mucous
2) Water
3) Oil
In order for your eyes to stay properly lubricated , all three parts need to be present in the proper quantities. In most cases of dry eye it is the oil component that is lacking, which causes the tears to either evaporate too quickly off the surface of the eye, or fall off the eyes as tears. Either way, the tears do not stay on the eyes long enough and consequently the eyes become dry. This is why even though your eyes may seem to water constantly, they can still be dry.
What Causes Dry Eye
The most likely cause of dry eyes is that you do not produce enough tears, or right type of tears (with the proper proportions of all three components). Dry eye is also associated with other medical conditions such as arthritis, and is a common side effect of many medications.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of dry eye are
-Burning
-Gritty, sandy feeling
-Red, blodshot eyes
-Watery eyes
-Blurry patches that seem to get better the more you blink
-Some people will be sensitive to light
Symptoms tend to be worse in dry climates, dry windy weather, and late in the day. Also, airconditioned or heated rooms will also exacerbate symptoms.
Many people who complain of 'watery' eyes are surprised to learn that their problem is actually dryness, but as explained above, this type of dry eye is not related to the quantity of the tears, but the type of tears. When there is not enough oil in the tears, the tears are very watery and do not stay on the eyes, but tend to fall off the eyes instead.
Treatment
While there is no permanent cure, the goal of treatment is to add sufficient moisture to your eyes to relieve the symptoms. Treatment options can include one or many of the following:
-Artificial Tears multiple times a day as needed. (Note if you wait until your eyes feel dry you have waited to long and should be using the drops more often to prevent your symptoms)
-Warm compresses 2 times a day: Hold a hot compress on your eyes for 10-15 minutes to help open up the glands that add oils to your tears.
-Adding Omega-3 oils to your diet (ie fish oil capsules)
-Punctal plugs: If your eyes are not producing enough tears, small plugs can be used to close the tear drain, helping to keep the tears on the eyes longer.
In most cases treatment simply involves using artificial tears several times a day. Artificial tears are a non-medicated lubricating drop that helps to restore moisture to the eyes and is available in different viscosities (drops, gel-drops, ointments) depending on the severity of your condition. Certain more viscous versions, such as the gels or ointments tend to be better used before bed, as they can make your vision temporarily blurry after you put them in.
There are three parts to your tears;
1) Mucous
2) Water
3) Oil
In order for your eyes to stay properly lubricated , all three parts need to be present in the proper quantities. In most cases of dry eye it is the oil component that is lacking, which causes the tears to either evaporate too quickly off the surface of the eye, or fall off the eyes as tears. Either way, the tears do not stay on the eyes long enough and consequently the eyes become dry. This is why even though your eyes may seem to water constantly, they can still be dry.
What Causes Dry Eye
The most likely cause of dry eyes is that you do not produce enough tears, or right type of tears (with the proper proportions of all three components). Dry eye is also associated with other medical conditions such as arthritis, and is a common side effect of many medications.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of dry eye are
-Burning
-Gritty, sandy feeling
-Red, blodshot eyes
-Watery eyes
-Blurry patches that seem to get better the more you blink
-Some people will be sensitive to light
Symptoms tend to be worse in dry climates, dry windy weather, and late in the day. Also, airconditioned or heated rooms will also exacerbate symptoms.
Many people who complain of 'watery' eyes are surprised to learn that their problem is actually dryness, but as explained above, this type of dry eye is not related to the quantity of the tears, but the type of tears. When there is not enough oil in the tears, the tears are very watery and do not stay on the eyes, but tend to fall off the eyes instead.
Treatment
While there is no permanent cure, the goal of treatment is to add sufficient moisture to your eyes to relieve the symptoms. Treatment options can include one or many of the following:
-Artificial Tears multiple times a day as needed. (Note if you wait until your eyes feel dry you have waited to long and should be using the drops more often to prevent your symptoms)
-Warm compresses 2 times a day: Hold a hot compress on your eyes for 10-15 minutes to help open up the glands that add oils to your tears.
-Adding Omega-3 oils to your diet (ie fish oil capsules)
-Punctal plugs: If your eyes are not producing enough tears, small plugs can be used to close the tear drain, helping to keep the tears on the eyes longer.
In most cases treatment simply involves using artificial tears several times a day. Artificial tears are a non-medicated lubricating drop that helps to restore moisture to the eyes and is available in different viscosities (drops, gel-drops, ointments) depending on the severity of your condition. Certain more viscous versions, such as the gels or ointments tend to be better used before bed, as they can make your vision temporarily blurry after you put them in.