Dry Eye Facts

The Tear Film

The tear film is important to the eye. It helps keep the eye healthy and vision clear. The tear film is constantly removed and replaced by the eye. This process removes dust and other particles from the eye. The tear film is made up of three layers. One of the most important layers is the watery (aqueous) layer.

This watery layer is what makes up tears. Our tears are much more than just water. Tears are a special mixture of water and other components that work to protect the eye.

The Cause of Dry Eye Disease

It is not completely clear what causes dry eye disease. Several parts of the eye must work together to provide tears and tear film to protect the eye. The most common cause of dry eyes in when there are not enough tears formed. Often times, this occurs when parts of the eye become inflamed. This inflammation can decrease the production of tears.

Damage to the eye can also cause dry eye disease. Other causes of dry eye disease include injury to the eyelids, LASIK surgery, or certain medications.

Risk Factors for Dry Eye Disease

Many factors can increase a person’s risk for dry eye disease. There are also certain conditions that are associated with dry eye disease. Several common risk factors and associated conditions are listed below:

• Increased age
• Female gender
• Hormone replacement therapy (especially estrogen alone)
• Sjögren’s Syndrome
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Other inflammatory conditions
• Certain medications (antihistamines, diuretics, depression medication)
• Rosacea

Symptoms of Dry Eye Disease

These symptoms can vary in their severity and how often they occur. The most common symptoms of dry eye disease are:

• Grittiness
• Burning
• The feeling that something is in your eye
• Dryness
• Blurred vision

These symptoms can be increased by prolonged staring, wind, and air conditioning. If dry eye disease goes untreated, damage to the eye can occur. This damage may affect a person’s ability to see.

Diagnosis

Since many conditions can cause dry eyes, a full medical exam may be done. This will help determine what is causing the dry eyes. Proper treatment of the cause may stop the dry eye symptoms. An eye examination may also be done. This will help determine if any injury or disease of the eye is causing the dry eyes. There are also tests that can be done using a patient’s tears. These tests may determine how quickly the tears break up and how much tears are produced. Your doctor can tell you more about diagnosing dry eye disease.

Treatment Options

There are several options for treating dry eye disease:

• Environmental - avoid drafts, lower computer screens to below eye level, increase room humidity
• Artificial Tears - these products can be liquids, gels, or ointments. They provide a source of moisture for the eye
• Prescription Medicines - eye medicines are available to reduce the amount of inflammation in the eye and increase the production of natural tears
• Surgical - certain procedures are available to correct eyelid problems, and prevent loss of tears

Your doctor will determine what treatment is best for you.