What Is Dry Eye Syndrome?

Some people do not produce enough tears or the appropriate quality of tears to keep the eye healthy and comfortable. This is known as dry eye. Tears are produced by two different methods. One method produces tears at a slow, steady rate and is responsible for normal eye lubrication. The other method produces large quantities of tears in response to eye irritation or emotions.

Tears that lubricate are constantly produced by a healthy eye. Excessive tearing occurs when the eye is irritated by a foreign body, dryness or when a person cries.

What Are The Symptoms of Dry Eye?

Usual symptoms include:

• Stinging or burning eyes
• Scratchiness
• Stringy mucus in or around the eyes
• Excessive eye irritation from smoke or wind
• Excess tearing
• Difficulty wearing contact lenses

Excess tearing from "dry eye" sounds illogical, but if the tears responsible for maintenance lubrication do not keep the eye wet enough, the eye becomes irritated. When the eye is irritated, the lacrimal gland produces a large volume of tears that overwhelm the tear drainage system. These excess tears then overflow from your eye.

What Causes Dry Eye?

Tear production normally decreases as we age. Although dry eye can occur in both men and women at any age, women are most often affected. This is especially true after menopause. A wide variety of common medications can cause dry eye by reducing tear secretion. Be sure to tell the ophthalmologist the names of all the medications you are taking, especially if you are using:

• Diuretics
• Beta-Blockers
• Antihistamines
• Sleeping pills
• Medications for "nerves"
• Pain relievers

How Is Dry Eye Diagnosed And Treated?

Your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) is usually able to diagnose dry eye by examing the eyes. Sometimes tests that measure tear production may be necessary.

Eye drops called artificial tears are available without a prescription to treat dry eyes. If you need to use artificial tears more than every two hours, preservative free brands may be better for you. You can use artificial tears as often as necessary.

Conserving The Tears

Conserving your eyes' own tears is another approach to keeping the eyes moist. Tears drain out of the eye through a small channel in the nose. Your ophthalmologist may close these channels either temporarily or permanently. The closure conserves your own tears and makes artificial tears last longer.