Dry eye disease can make your eyes uncomfortable, blurry and even painful, but you don’t have to live with this common condition. Don’t ignore the symptoms of dry eye — our eye care experts are here to help with a personalized treatment plan for you.
Symptoms of Dry Eye
Dry eye can cause ongoing discomfort, such as an itchy or irritated feeling and inflammation. Many patients brush off these symptoms or mistake them for common allergies. However, it’s important to see an eye doctor if you experience these signs. This condition can lead to permanent scarring in more serious cases.
Common symptoms of dry eye include:
- Burning
- Stinging
- A scratchy feeling in your eyes
- Blurry vision
- Eye fatigue
- Redness
- Stringy mucus in your eyes or around them
- Watery eyes
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Feeling like there’s something in your eyes
Dry Eye Causes
Dry eye occurs when your eyes do not produce enough natural tears. Decreased tear production can happen as you get older or if you have certain medical conditions. Other causes include taking certain medications or having corneal nerve desensitivity.
You can also develop this condition if your tears evaporate too quickly. This increased tear evaporation can occur due to eye allergies or exposure to smoke, wind, or dry air. You might also experience this if you tend to blink less often or if you have a vitamin A deficiency. Eyelid problems can also lead to increased tear evaporation.
The risk of dry eye can also increase with age. Other risk factors for this condition include wearing contact lenses or having a history of refractive eye surgery.
How to Prevent Dry Eyes
You can prevent dry eye by avoiding air blowing into your eyes, avoiding exposure to smoke, and making sure to give your eyes a break when doing long tasks. Other ways to prevent this condition include using a humidifier to add moisture to the air, wearing protective eyewear, and using artificial tears on a regular basis.
When to See a Doctor for Dry Eye Symptoms
If you are experiencing these dry eye symptoms, it’s important to seek treatment to protect your vision and prevent complications. Dry eye can cause eye infections and result in damage to the surface of your eyes when it isn’t treated.
Treatment for Dry Eye
Dry eye treatment typically involves using eye drops to help increase lubrication on the surface of your eyes. Other options for this condition include medications and special gels used for reducing inflammation and increasing moisture production. Our team of specialists has many advanced technologies to help support you, including Lipiflow, Thermoflo, MiBo, and ProKera therapeutic devices.
To learn more about one patient’s experience, read Joanna’s treatment story here.
At Florida Eye Specialists, we have a dedicated Dry Eye Center with doctors who specialize in this condition. There are many treatment options available to you, but the first step is to request an appointment with our team. We are here for you!