Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome

People suffer from dry eyes when their eyes do not produce enough moisture to make tears naturally. This tends to make eyes feel dry and uncomfortable and may lead to other problems. Dry eyes may be triggered by several different causes, and there are some steps sufferers can take to make their eyes more comfortable.

Symptoms

• Dry eye sufferers often complain that their affected eyes burn and feel scratchy and dry. They may feel as if an object is stuck inside their eye. Their eyes are extra-sensitive to wind and smoke and cannot tolerate contact lenses. Their eyes may be extremely dry, or they may alternately produce excessive amounts of tears because the eyes are irritated and the lacrimal gland makes the tears to compensate for the discomfort.

Causes

• Dry eye sufferers may have developed their dry eyes as a result of a variety of factors. Some women develop dry eyes as their hormone levels change and they begin menopause. Other people find that having Lasik surgery triggers dry eye syndrome because the surgeon must cut a flap in the eye to correct the eyesight and the cornea nerves may be severed, therefore, not sending the signal to make tears. Dry eyes may also be triggered by environmental causes such as running the air conditioner or the furnace too long and drying out the house, which dries out your eyes.

Tests

• Eye specialists may perform three kinds of tests to determine whether someone suffers from the condition. They may perform the Schirmer tear test, in which the doctor uses paper strips under the affected eyelid to determine the amount of moisture collected over a specific time period. The specialist may prefer the staining method, where he highlights areas with specialized dyes to locate possible damage to the eye surface, or he could perform a slit-lamp examination, where he uses a focused light beam to spot abnormalities in the ocular surface.

Long-term Effects

• Chronic dry eye can lead to serious damage and irritation in the cornea, as a result of lack of tears. Without the natural tears, there is an increased risk of eye infection and deterioration of vision.

Treatment

• Although there is no quick cure for dry eye syndrome, there are steps people can take to make their eyes more comfortable. Most eye doctors recommend starting with eye drops, especially artificial tear drops, which will moisturize the eye, and keep the lubrication in with a blend of several different moisturizers. Artificial tears help protect eyes from the irritants from dust, wind and weather. Restasis eye drops, which are new, combine cyclosporine and castor oil, to help sufferers produce their own tears. If their dry eyes are severe, they may wish to consider inserting silicone tear ducts to close tear ducts and stop the excessive tearing.