Dry Eyes

Dry eye is a medical condition that occurs because your eyes are either no longer able to produce quality tears or enough tears to lubricate and nourish the eye.

Quality tears
Quality tears contain a mix of oil, water, and mucus, which helps keep your eyes moist and nourished. If there’s an issue with any of these components, your tears may not be able to spread evenly over the eye, resulting in drier, irritated eyes. For most people, it’s a lack of water in the tear that affects tear quality.

Not enough tears
Your tears are produced by several glands in and around your eyelids. Tear production can decrease for many different reasons, including age, medications, or environmental factors. If you’re not producing enough tears, you’ll experience dry eyes.

Dry eyes can be very uncomfortable and lead to a number of different symptoms. Some of the most common include:

• Red, itchy eyes
• Scratchy or gritty feeling
• Blurred vision
• Stinging and burning sensation
• Stringy mucus in or around your eyes
• Watery eyes
• Fatigued eyes
• Sore eyes

If left untreated, dry eye can damage the eye and impair your vision.

Age is the most common cause of dry eyes, but not the only reason you may be feeling the discomfort. Having an adequate and consistent layer of tears on the surface of the eye is essential to keep your eyes healthy, comfortable and seeing well.

Other common causes of dry eyes include:

• Medication
• Eye allergies
• LASIK surgery
• Blinking less often
• Lagophthalmos (incomplete eyelid closure)
• Decreased function of the lacrimal gland
• Meibomian Gland Disease
• Contact lens abuse
• Aging
• Exposure to smoke, wind or dry climate
• Certain medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disorders or vitamin A deficiency
• Women are more likely to experience dry eyes due to hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, using birth control pills or menopause.

The doctors at Envy Eye Care can diagnose dry eyes during your comprehensive eye exam by performing certain tests. Be sure to share your symptoms with your doctor so you can have your tear quality tested. Determining the underlying cause of your dry eyes may help improve treatment.

Call 469.490.ENVY (3689) today or schedule an appointment online.

Dry eyes is a chronic condition that requires ongoing treatment to help relieve your symptoms and ensure your eyes stay healthy. It is important to give a list of every medication you take regularly, as some medication may cause dry eyes. 

The doctors at Envy Eye Care may recommend the following depending on the patient's current underlying cause:

• Artificial tears to improve moisture
• Prescription eye medication such as Restasis®, Xiidra® or Cequa™
• Warm compresses
• Punctal plug to block the tear duct to prevent tear drainage
• Heating and expressing the meibomian glands using LipiFlow®
• Amniotic membranes
• Vitamins such as Omega-3
• Intense Pulse Light therapy by Optilight by Lumenis

At Envy Eye Care, we specialize in the treatment of dry eye syndrome. Call 469.490.ENVY (3689) to schedule a dry eyes evaluation or schedule an appointment online today.