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Dry Eye

What is Dry Eye?

Dry Eye is a very common condition that occurs when your eyes do not produce enough tears. It must be frequently monitored and treated to prevent more serious eye problems from developing in the future. There are many causes of dry eye, and these can be categorized into two main causes. Either the eye fails to produce a sufficient amount of tears, or the quality of the tears is poor, which causes the tears to evaporate too quickly.

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How Do Tears Work?

Tears are made up of three layers including the oily layer, the watery layer, and the mucus layer.

The oily layer is the outside of the tear film. It works to make the tear surface smooth and prevents tears from drying up too quickly.

The watery layer is the inner layer of the tear film. It cleanses the eye, washing away harmful particles.

The mucus layer is the inner layer of the tear film. It works by spreading the watery layer over the surface of the eye, keeping it moist. Without the mucus layer, the tears would not stick to the eye surface.

To coat the eye effectively these components need to be perfectly balanced. If the tears are not balanced, this may lead to having poor quality tears that evaporate too quickly, and do not effectively lubricate the eye, no matter how many tears are produced!

Diagnosing Dry Eye

Gain a deeper understanding of the topics, conditions, and procedures discussed on this page by watching our informational videos.

While symptoms can vary from one patient to another, the most common symptoms are red, dry, and itchy eyes that tend to be worse at the end of the day. As contradictory as it may seem, another common symptom of dry eye is watery eyes. While your initial thought may be that dry eyes mean that you don’t make enough tears, this happens because the poor-quality tears do not properly lubricate the eye, and thus the eye tries to produce more tears.

Dry eye symptoms may include:

  • Redness.
  • Burning.
  • Pain.
  • Itchiness.
  • Sensitivity to light.
  • Watery eyes due to irritation.
  • Blurred vision.
  • Foreign body sensation.
  • Eye fatigue

Symptoms of dry eye are often worse in winter, at the end of the day, while driving or outside, or after extended periods of reading or computer use. Dry eye is a complex disease, and every patient experiences a unique set of symptoms. You should see your eye doctor if you are experiencing prolonged symptoms so that they can help to determine the cause for your dry eye, as well as create a unique treatment plan.

Dry eye is a complex disease, and every patient experiences a unique set of symptoms. You should see your eye doctor if you are experiencing prolonged symptoms so that they can help to determine the cause for your dry eye, as well as create a unique treatment plan.

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Who is at Risk for Dry Eye?

Some factors that may make you more likely to experience dry eyes include:

  • Being over the age of 50. This is because tear production diminishes as we age.
  • A diet lacking in vitamin A.
  • Wearing contacts or having a history of refractive surgery.
  • Female patients are at higher risk for developing dry eye, and this risk increases when there are hormonal changes in the body (birth control pills, pregnancy, menopause).
  • Certain medical conditions or diseases such as Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, and lupus.
  • Spending long periods looking at a computer screen, reading, or other activities that reduce blinking.
  • Environmental factors such as dry air or being around cigarette smoke.

Treatment Options for Dry Eye

There are a number of treatment options for dry eye and chronic dry eye to make you more comfortable. In some instances, treating an underlying health issue can help mitigate the symptoms of dry eyes. If certain medications are causing your dry eyes, you may be switched to another medication that does not cause dry eye as a side effect.

Certain prescription medications or procedures can also be used to treat dry eyes, including drugs that reduce eyelid inflammation, prescription eye drops to control inflammation of the cornea, eye inserts that function as artificial tears, drugs that increase the number of tears produced, or the insertion of punctal plugs (tiny silicone plugs) into the tear ducts on the inner corners of the eye to conserve natural tears. The main goal of dry eye treatment is to reduce dry eye symptoms and increase tear production for more comfortable eyes.

Contact Us Today

To learn more about dry eye disease or its treatments, call us today to set up an exam at either our Staten Island or East Brunswick, NJ offices. We will be happy to assist you in any way possible.

Request an Appointment

Please call our New York office at (929) 429-2928 or our New Jersey office at (732) 724-2535 with any questions you may have.

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