Dry Eye Disease: Common Dry Eye Conditions and Their Causes

What is Dry Eye Disease?

Dry eye disease is a common problem occurring when your eyes cannot provide the lubrication needed by your eyes. Multiple reasons contribute to inadequate or unstable tears in your eyes. For example, the issue can occur if your eyes don’t produce sufficient tears or if the quality of the tears is poor. In addition, inflammation and damage to the eye’s surface result from tear instability.

You experience discomfort from this problem because your eyes might sting or burn. You might experience dry eyes in situations like taking a flight, in air-conditioned rooms, riding a bike, or concentrating on a computer screen for extended periods.

Treatment for dry eyes from a dry eye doctor near you can deliver the comfort you seek. The therapy might include lifestyle changes and eyedrops. However, it would help if you adopted the measures indefinitely to control dry eye symptoms.

Dry Eye Symptoms

The symptoms of dry eyes affecting both your eyes might include:

• Stinging
• Burning or scratchy sensations in your eyes besides sensitivity to light and redness.
• You might notice a stringy mucus in or around your eyes with a feeling of having something in them.
• You might confront challenges wearing contact lenses besides driving during the nighttime with dry eyes.
• In addition, you might have blurred vision or eye and watery eyes, your body’s response to the irritation.

If you have prolonged symptoms of dry eyes mentioned above, you can help yourself by visiting our dry eye specialist in Glendale, CA, for assistance. The specialist takes steps to determine the reasons for the condition affecting your eyes.

Common Dry Eye Conditions & Their Causes

Disruption in the healthy tear film in your eyes caused by multiple reasons is the primary cause of dry eyes. Your eye’s tear film has three layers: fatty oils, mucus, and aqueous liquid. A combination of the three is sufficient to keep the surface of your eyes clear, lubricated, and smooth. Issues with these layers cause dry eyes.

There are many reasons for tear film disruption. Autoimmune diseases, hormonal changes, inflamed eyelid glands, or allergic eye disease are some reasons responsible for the condition. Some people might experience dry eyes because of a reduction in tear production or increased evaporation.

Reduced Tear Production

Dry eyes occur when you cannot produce sufficient aqueous liquid, also called keratoconjunctivitis in the medical fraternity. Familiar reasons for reduced tear production include aging, medical conditions like allergic eye disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, thyroid disorders, and vitamin A deficiency.

Some medications such as antihistamines, hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, decongestants, and medicines for high blood pressure, acne, birth control, and Parkinson’s disease are also responsible for dry eyes.

Contact lenses use causes corneal nerve de-sensitivity, and nerve damage caused by laser eye surgery results in temporary dry eyes.

Tear Evaporation

Clogging of the meibomian glands results in increased tear evaporation, which is common in people with rosacea or other skin issues. The familiar reasons for increased tear evaporation include:

• Posterior blepharitis.
• Blinking infrequently occurs with conditions like Parkinson’s disease when concentrating on specific activities.
• Working on a computer or driving.

Eyelid problems causing the lids to turn inwards or outwards, eye allergies, wind, smoke, or air, vitamin A deficiency, and preservatives in topical eye drops are also reasons for tear evaporation.

Complications Emanating from Dry Eyes

When having dry eyes, you might experience complications like eye infections, damage to your eyes surface, and decreased quality of life. If left untreated severe dry eyes may result in eye inflammation, abrasion of the corneal surface, corneal ulcers, and loss of vision. Dry eyes can also make it challenging for you to complete activities like reading.

Dry Eyes Prevention

• If you experience dry eyes, do not ignore the situation. Instead, you must pay attention to the most likely cause of your symptoms.
• You must also discover ways to prevent the symptoms of dry eyes by scheduling an appointment with an eye clinic to inquire how to manage the symptoms you encounter.
• The Glendale specialists might recommend quitting smoking and avoiding smoke, positioning your computer screen below eye level, taking breaks from lengthy tasks, adding moisture to the air, and avoiding blowing air in your eyes. They might also recommend using artificial tears regularly if you experience chronic dry eyes.
• You might require a comprehensive eye exam besides a test to measure the volume and quality of your tears.
• The treatment for dry eyes includes over-the-counter eye drops and other measures.
• If you have an underlying cause of the condition treating the health issue helps clear the symptoms of dry eyes. For example, in some situations, you might require eyelid surgery if your lids have turned outwards.
• You might also succeed in using home remedies to manage your dry eyes. For example, frequent eyelid washing besides using eyedrops purchased over-the-counter help lubricate your eyes.
• If you have a chronic issue, you can use eye drops to keep your eyes lubricated even when you don’t feel any discomfort.

Visit a Dry Eye Doctor Near You

Glendale Eye Medical Group helps alleviate the symptoms of dry eyes for many patients in Glendale. Kindly schedule an appointment with our Glendale eye clinic to find relief from the condition affecting you today.