What is Dry Eye?

Have your eyes ever felt tired, gritty, watery, or irritated at the end of a long day? Maybe your vision becomes blurry while reading or working on a computer and improves when you blink. Many people assume these symptoms are simply caused by being tired or spending too much time on screens, but they can actually be signs of dry eye disease.

Dry eye is a common condition that occurs when your eyes do not produce enough tears, or when the tears you make are poor quality and evaporate too quickly. Tears do much more than just keep your eyes comfortable — they play an essential role in maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye and helping provide clear vision.

Understanding Your Tear Film

Your tears are made of several important components that work together:

• An oily layer that slows evaporation

• A watery layer that provides moisture and nutrients

• A mucous layer that helps tears spread evenly across the eye

When one or more of these layers becomes unbalanced, the surface of the eye can become dry and irritated.

Common Symptoms of Dry Eye

Dry eye symptoms can vary from person to person and may include:

• Burning or stinging sensations

• Grittiness or feeling like something is in the eye

• Redness

• Fluctuating or blurry vision

• Excessive tearing or watery eyes

• Light sensitivity

• Eye fatigue

• Difficulty wearing contact lenses

Many patients are surprised to learn that watery eyes can actually be a symptom of dry eye. When the eyes become irritated from dryness, they sometimes produce reflex tears, which are often poor-quality tears that do not adequately lubricate the eyes.

What Causes Dry Eye?

There are many factors that can contribute to dry eye disease, including:

• Increased screen time and reduced blinking

• Aging

• Hormonal changes

• Contact lens wear

• Certain medications

• Environmental factors such as air conditioning, fans, or dry climates

• Eyelid conditions and meibomian gland dysfunction

• Inflammatory conditions

For most people, dry eye develops from a combination of factors rather than a single cause.

Dry Eye Is More Than Just “Dryness”

Dry eye is not simply a lack of moisture. In many cases, inflammation becomes part of the cycle. Inflammation can damage the surface of the eye and further disrupt healthy tear production, creating an ongoing cycle of irritation and discomfort.

Because of this, using artificial tears alone often does not address the root cause.

Finding the Right Treatment

The good news is that dry eye is often treatable. Treatment depends on identifying the underlying cause and may include:

• At home therapies such as lubricating drops and warm compresses

• Lifestyle modifications

• Prescription eye drops

• Improving eyelid and gland function

• In-office dry eye treatments

Every patient's dry eye is different. Your eye doctor can evaluate your eyes and work with you to customize a treatment plan for your eyes.

Don’t Ignore Your Symptoms

Many people live with eye irritation or fluctuating vision for years because they think it is normal. But persistent symptoms are not something you simply have to tolerate.

If your eyes frequently feel uncomfortable, dry, tired, or irritated, an evaluation can help determine the cause and identify treatments designed specifically for you.

Comfortable eyes are important not only for clear vision but also for your overall quality of life.