Do you ever feel like something is stuck in your eye or causing irritation? Do you have redness, burning, excessive tearing or blurry vision? Then you may have dry eye disease.
Dry eye disease is a condition where the eyes do not produce enough tears or produce poor quality tears. Tears function to lubricate and nourish the eyes.
Dry eye is most often a result of the natural aging process. Most people’s eyes tend to become drier as they age, but the degree of dryness varies, and some people have more problems than others. In addition to age, dry eyes disease can be caused by:
Problems with incomplete or infrequent blinks
Certain medications like antihistamines, decongestants, oral contraceptives, antidepressants, and glaucoma eye drops
General health problems like rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid problems, or Sjogren’s syndrome
Environmental factors like a dry climate, running a fan, exposure to wind, or irritants like smoke
By performing certain tests, our eye doctors can determine if your dry eye problem is caused by the lack of natural tears your eyes are producing, your tear composition overall, the structure of your tear producing glands in your eyes, or multiple reasons.
When left untreated, dry eyes can cause ocular damage and be very painful. If you have one or more of these symptoms, contact our office to make an appointment. They will determine the best treatment(s) for your unique eye condition.