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Dry Eye Syndrome

General Eye Care

Dry Eye Syndrome can be one of the more frustrating conditions for patients. Being a syndrome, the symptoms are varied and sometimes counterintuitive. Treatments and management can be nearly as difficult.

Here is a list of common symptoms of dry eye:

  • Sandy, gritty feeling
  • Foreign body sensation (like there’s something constantly in your eye)
  • Watering
  • Burning
  • Fluctuating vision from blink to blink
  • Sight improves with blinking
  • Discomfort with contact lenses
  • Light sensitivity
  • Pain
  • Eye redness
  • Difficulty reading for long periods of time
  • Discharge
  • Glare at night

We now know that there are three layers to the tear film:

  1. Mucin Layer: I like to call it the “anchoring” layer. It holds the tear film to the surface of the cornea
  2. Aqueous Layer: I like to call it the “water” layer. This layer contains mainly water, but also lots of salt and other components that nourish the surface of the eye.
  3. Meibum Layer: I call it the “oil” layer. This is the layer that holds the rest together. Think of oil and water in a glass; the oil always sits on top. Without this layer, the Aqueous/water layer would either dry up or fall off of the surface as unwanted tears. We now know that 85% of dry eye has some component of meibomian gland deficiency – but more on that in a different article.

If the tear film is not properly smooth and even, you will see blur or even fluctuating blurred vision. If the tear film is not on the surface, you will feel a sandy/gritty/burning sensation. If you don’t feel anything…then we need to consider the possibility that the corneal nerves have been damaged. Luckily, we live in a time where we have treatment options for this situation. More on that in another article.

Causes of dry eye:

  • Computer use
  • Environment – decreased blink rate during computer use is a big contributing factor, as is moving air during sleep
  • Environmental allergies
  • 2/3 of patients who have dry eye are women
  • Hormones
  • Antihistamine, ADHD medication, Benadryl use (and other drying medications)
  • Thyroid conditions (even when medicated), autoimmune disorders
  • Rosacea/Ocular rosacea
  • Cosmetics, eye growth serums
  • Some glaucoma eyedrops/treatments
  • Dehydration
  • Incomplete lid closure
  • Many more

Over time, dry eye will worsen if not treated. Reduced vision can be permanent if scarring of the cornea occurs. Management is the name of the game, but my primary goal at Sparrow Eyecare is to have you making enough of your own tears so that you aren’t as dependent on lubricating eye drops as much.