28 May Treating Dry Eyes
Dry eyes are a common condition, and can be caused by a variety of factors such as tear ducts not providing enough lubrication or allergies. Dr. Schiedler is a board-certified eye specialist committed to helping patients achieve their best eye health. Many people don’t realize they have dry eyes, but they might itch or even scratch and pull at their eyes, which can lead to floppy eyelid syndrome. Vision can be compromised and become blurry with dry eyes, so it’s important to treat this condition immediately.
Dry eyes can be uncomfortable and cause burning or stinging sensations. Treatment options can increase your comfort, the aesthetics of the eyes (banishing redness), and greatly enhance your lifestyle. Dry eyes can come with a number of side effects, including trouble wearing contacts or driving at night, eye fatigue, and feeling like you always have something in your eye.
Dry eyes are often caused by a lack of high-quality tears or tear production. The medical term for lack of tear production is keratoconjunctivitis sicca, which can happen due to age, some medications (specifically those to treat diabetes and arthritis), laser eye surgery, and damage from radiation or inflammation. Dry eyes can also be caused by external conditions such as smoke or “airplane air,” not blinking enough due to looking at a screen, or eyelid issues like ectropion (turning out of the eyelids).
There are two main types of dry eye causes: aqueous tear-deficiency and evaporative dry eye. Aqueous tear-deficient dry eye is caused by a lack of tear production. Evaporative dry eye is the most common, and happens when there aren’t enough oils within the tears, leading to quick tear evaporation. One of the most common causes of dry eyes is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, which occurs when the glands in charge of producing the oil found in tears get plugged. Trichiasis, or eyelashes that point in a direction that makes them poke the eye, can also lead to eye discomfort and dryness.
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The best method for treating dry eyes depends on the cause. There are also lifestyle changes many people can make, such as taking breaks from screen time on a regular basis. If you have dry or painful eyes, contact Oasis Eye Face and Skin for a consultation and to get started on the journey towards having healthy, comfortable eyes.