What is Dry Eye Syndrome: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
One of the reasons you may need regular comprehensive eye exams by an eye doctor in Monterey is to prevent dry eye syndrome. Unfortunately, the condition is increasingly popular, especially among people over 50 years. Without proper eye care by a dry eyes doctor near you, you may incur chronic eye conditions that require prolonged treatment protocols.
What is Dry Eye Syndrome?
It is a condition, also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, that occurs due to having excessively dry eyes. The eye relies on moisture from tears so it can function optimally. The inadequacy of sufficient or good-quality tears leaves the eyes excessively dry, lacking proper lubrication. Once the eye becomes dry, you will start experiencing many other symptoms that will affect your eye health.
What Happens When You Have Dry Eyes?
When tears are not enough to adequately lubricate your eyes, your vision, and eye health may be damaged. You will need to visit a dry eye doctor near you for a diagnosis. Along with the doctor’s evaluation and diagnosis, you can identify the symptoms to know whether you have dry eyes. Some of the symptoms you are likely to start experiencing are:
- Reddened and swollen eyes.
- Itchy eyes – like a burning sensation in your eyeballs.
- Watery eyes – your body will try to ease the irritation in your eyes.
- Eye fatigue – feeling like you want to keep your eyes closed or be sleeping all the time.
- Vision problems – you may start having blurry vision, with increased difficulty in driving, particularly at night.
- Stringy discharge from the corners of your eyes.
- Heightened sensitivity to light.
What Causes Dry Eye Syndrome?
Technically, your eyes become dry when the quality and quantity of tears reduce. It happens when something damages the tear films in your eyes, made up of different layers. For proper lubrication of the eyes, the fatty oils, aqueous fluid, and mucus layers must all work properly. Any problems or dysfunctions with any of the layers will cause issues with the lubrication of your eyes. In that regard, many factors can result in reduced lubrication in your eyes. The most common ones are:
- Aging – the older you get, the less productive your body becomes. It will impact the production of fluids in your eyes to lubricate them.
- Hormonal changes – women are more likely to experience hormonal imbalances than men. During pregnancy, menopause, or when taking hormonal contraceptives, women have significant hormonal changes in their bodies and may start having dry eye syndrome.
- Autoimmune diseases
- Eye allergies – which can result in increased tear evaporation.
- Medication – some medicine like antihistamines can tamper with the lubrication in your eyes.
- Harsh environmental factors – exposure to smoke, wind, or dry air for long hours can trigger dry eyes.
- Vitamin A deficiency
- Wearing contact lenses – even though you got them on prescription by your eye doctor, prolonged wearing of contacts can affect the quality and quantity of your tears.
Treatment Alternative Available for Dry Eye Syndrome
Naturally, your body should be able to bounce back and increase the supply of quality tears in your eyes. However, if you have excessive dryness, you need dry eye treatment in Monterey, CA. At Eye MD Monterey – Upper Ragsdale DR, we offer our patients solutions based on the underlying cause of their problem. For instance, having dry eyes due to environmental factors requires a different treatment option from having dry eyes caused by aging. As such, treatments options vary greatly. The common ones include the following:
- Artificial tear eye drops – may be necessary for different groups of people. They include people older than 50 years, patients who wear contact lenses, or those with chronic dry eye syndrome.
- Getting eyeglasses – instead of relying on contact lenses alone, our doctors can recommend alternating them with eyeglasses.
- Protective eyewear – works best for people working in harsh environments. Wrap-around glasses, for instance, are great for shielding the eyes from dry air and wind.
- Dietary changes – our optometrist may simply recommend changing your meal choices and eating habits to include foods rich in vitamin A.
Searching for dry eye treatment & consultation in Monterey, CA? Call us or book an appointment with Eye MD Monterey today!