How To Diagnose & Treat Dry Eye Syndrome
Introduction
Dry eye syndrome is a condition that causes your eyes to feel dry and irritated. There are many different kinds of dry eye, but the most common type is a result of inadequate tear production. The eyes naturally produce tears to keep them moist, but when this doesn’t happen, it can lead to discomfort and vision problems. Luckily for you, there are many ways to treat dry eye syndrome!
How do dry eyes occur?
Dry eye syndrome is a condition that occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears to lubricate and protect them. Tears keep the surface of your eyes moist and healthy by removing dirt, debris and other irritants from the surface of your eyes.
Tears also contain proteins that help fight infection and injuries to the cornea (the transparent front part of your eye). The nerve endings in tears play an important role in transmitting pain signals from injured parts of the body back to the brain.
The signs and symptoms involved with dry eyes can vary depending on their cause. For example, if you have Sjögren’s syndrome or another autoimmune disease that prevents your body from producing moisture-producing glands, then it’s likely you’ll experience dry eyes along with other autoimmune conditions such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
What are the symptoms of dry eye syndrome?
Dry eye syndrome is a common problem and can be very uncomfortable. It’s important to know what your symptoms are, as this will help you understand how dry eye syndrome affects you.
Symptoms of dry eyes include:
Dryness (feeling like there is sand in your eyes)
Burning or pain
Itchy or gritty feeling in the eyes
Blurry vision or trouble focusing on objects (especially up close)
Discharge from the eyes that looks like tears but doesn’t feel like tears and doesn’t seem to relieve any of the uncomfortable symptoms
How do you know if your eyes are dry or something else (like allergies) is going on?
If you’re experiencing dry eyes, it’s important to understand the difference between dry eye syndrome and allergies.
Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) is an umbrella term for all disorders of the tear film and ocular surface that cause discomfort, visual disturbance, tear film instability and11 other symptoms.
Allergies are an immune system overreaction to substances that are generally harmless to most people. These substances can be airborne particles or even food additives or preservatives in certain foods. Allergy signs include watery eyes, itchy nose and sneezing with no cold present.
Is dry eye syndrome contagious?
There hasn’t been any evidence of transmission between people, so dry eye syndrome is not considered contagious. It’s also not caused by a virus or bacteria, allergies, fungus, or parasites.
What are some causes of dry eye syndrome?
The causes of dry eye are pretty varied. They include, but are not limited to:
Age – As you age, your body changes in many ways and this includes the eyes. When people get older, their tear glands produce less tears which can lead to dry eye.
Lack of sleep – If you don’t get enough sleep at night, then that can cause some issues with your eyes as well. In fact, research has shown that lack of sleep can affect the health of your corneas because they need extra oxygen when you’re sleeping so that they stay healthy.
Lack of humidity – Another factor with how much moisture is in the air which can help control how much evaporation happens around our bodies (especially around our eyes). This may be more noticeable during certain times throughout the year when there is less humidity outside such as during summertime months when temperatures rise above 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside often means fewer clouds overhead; however fatigue still affects everyone regardless if its due to heat or other reasons such as stress levels increasing over time.”
What are some at home remedies for dry eye syndrome?
Artificial tears can be used to lubricate the eyes, helping them stay moist.
A humidifier can help to keep your home from being too dry and provide relief from dry eye symptoms. There are a few types of humidifiers that might work for you: cool-mist, warm mist or ultrasonic (which produces both). You can use these in your bedroom at night; in the bathroom during showers; or even in your office if there is excessive air conditioning or heating. Here are some things to consider when choosing a humidifier:
o Don’t use one with an open water reservoir as this will become contaminated by bacteria and mold over time which could cause infections such as conjunctivitis (pink eye) so always make sure it has a closed water chamber instead
o Make sure that it has an antibacterial filter on it since these filters prevent any harmful particles from entering into the air stream while removing them before they reach your nose and mouth area where they could cause respiratory problems like asthma attacks
Where can I go to have my eyes checked for dry eye syndrome?
Your eye doctor.
Your primary care doctor.
Your optometrist.
Your ophthalmologist (eye surgeon).
An optician who specializes in fitting contact lenses or glasses and is certified by the National Examining Board of Opticians (NEBO).
What happens once the doctor has diagnosed me with dry eye syndrome?
Once you have been diagnosed with dry eye syndrome, the doctor will prescribe treatment options. Treatment can include:
Eye drops
Eye patches
Eye lubricants
Eye ointments
Eye surgery
How is dry eye syndrome treated with surgery?
Surgery is more invasive and requires more time, skill and resources than other treatments. Surgery is also more expensive, painful and risky. That’s why it’s usually the last resort for dry eye syndrome.
Here are a few things to consider if you’re considering surgery:
Surgery may be an option if your dry eyes don’t respond to treatment with artificial tears or punctal plugs. A doctor can remove your tear glands so that they don’t produce tears anymore (called enucleation). But this isn’t always necessary; sometimes just removing some of the excess eyelid tissue can solve the problem (called blepharoplasty).
When it comes to blepharoplasty, there are two main types: medial upper lid blepharoplasty involves removing excess skin from above your lashes; lateral upper lid blepharoplasty removes extra skin on either side of those lashes.* Both procedures could result in temporary double vision after surgery until you recover from anesthesia.* Partial thickness corneal grafting involves replacing damaged areas with healthy tissue taken from elsewhere on your eye.* This procedure has better long-term results compared with sutures but carries higher risk due to its invasiveness
How is dry eye syndrome treated with medication?
OTC artificial tears. Over-the-counter (OTC) artificial tears are a good first line of defense against dry eye symptoms. They can be used as needed to provide temporary relief from dry eye discomfort and pain, although they may not provide your eyes with the same level of comfort that prescription treatments do.
Prescription eye drops and ointments. Prescription medications are often used to treat dry eyes because they tend to last longer than over-the-counter artificial tears without causing side effects such as irritation or blurry vision. Your doctor will prescribe one or more medications depending on the severity of your symptoms and whether you have any other eye issues in addition to dryness like redness or sensitivity to light that requires additional treatment options like prescription sunglasses or contact lenses with tinting options for added protection against glare when outdoors during daytime hours when sunlight could potentially cause discomfort if left untreated – so make sure you talk through all potential solutions before making any decisions about which option works best for your unique situation!
Can I prevent myself from getting dry eye syndrome in the future?
In the vast majority of cases, the dry eye syndrome can be treated successfully. However, there are preventative measures you can take to reduce your risk of developing dry eye:
Keep your hands and face clean at all times. Use soap and water or an alcohol-free hand sanitizer when possible.
Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco as both increase the risk for developing dry eye syndrome.
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption because it dehydrates the body and eyes further, making them more susceptible to irritation from environmental factors like wind or dust particles in the air.
Limit caffeine intake as it may cause headaches that make you feel nauseous which increases tear production (due to stress) but also makes it harder for lubrication on the surface of your eyes due to increased blood flow around your head area causing inflammation of both ends (lids & eyeball). This leads us right back into our original problem! A vicious cycle indeed… So try not drinking too much tea/coffee either! 😉
After surgery, how long will it be before my eyes feel better and I am back to normal?
After surgery, it takes a few weeks for your eyes to heal. During this time, you may have some discomfort and need to use eye drops. You may also experience blurred vision or dryness in your eyes. It is important that you follow instructions from your doctor about how long to take off work and avoid strenuous activity until your vision is clearer. The good news is that most patients feel better within a few days after surgery!
The doctors at Eye Care Professionals (ECP) will diagnose and treat your dry eyes
Dry eye syndrome, or dry eyes, is a condition in which the small tear glands of your eyelids don’t produce enough tears to lubricate the eyes. Dry eye syndrome can be caused by aging and overuse of contact lenses. It may also be associated with conditions such as Sjögren’s Syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The doctors at Eye Care Professionals (ECP) have the expertise to diagnose and treat your dry eyes. They will conduct tests to determine whether you have dry eyes and then find ways to fix them.
Conclusion
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to visit an eye doctor as soon as possible. The doctors at Eye Care Professionals (ECP) will diagnose and treat your dry eyes so that they don’t cause further damage to your vision or create other health problems in the future. Our friendly staff members are happy to answer any questions you might have about dry eye syndrome or how we can help!