There are many causes for dry eye. Often, dry eye is part of the natural aging process. It can also be caused by:

• blinking or eyelid problems
• medications like antihistamines, oral contraceptives, and antidepressants
• environmental conditions like a dry climate, wind, and dust
• excessive use of computers, tablets, and other electronic devices
• general health problems like chronic allergies, arthritis, or Sjogren’s syndrome
• chemical or thermal burns to your eyes

Dry eye can affect anyone, even kids!  However, the following groups are most likely to develop dry eye:

• People over age 50
• Females
• People with auto-immune conditions
• Contact lens wearers
• People who spend a lot of time looking at electronic screens

If you have dry eye, your symptoms may include:

• irritated eyes
• scratchy eyes
• burning
• excessive watering
• gritty sensation
• red eyes
• contact lens intolerance
• stringy mucous strands
• sensation of feeling something foreign in your eyes
• blurred vision
• fluctuating vision
• light sensitivity

Excessive dry eyes may damage eye tissue, scar your cornea (the front covering of your eyes), impair vision and make contact lens wear difficult to impossible.

Dry eye cannot be cured, but we can prescribe treatment so your eyes remain healthy and your vision is unaffected.  Our doctors generally start with over-the-counter treatments because they are the least invasive and most economical solution to treat dry eye and move to prescription medication or surgical procedures for more advanced cases.  Treatment can include:  

• hot compresses
• lid scrubs
• preservative-free artificial tears (not all tears are equally good)
• night-time ointments
• Omega 3 fatty acids (not all supplements are equally good)
• Meibomian gland expression
• prescription medication
• punctal plugs