Facts about dry eye

What is dry eye?

Every time you blink, tears spread across the surface of the eye, lubricating, cleaning and keeping your vision clear. This is your body tear filmconsisting of three layers: the oily outer layer, the middle watery layer and the inner mucus layer.

If you don’t make enough tears or they evaporate too quickly, you can end up with dry eyes. While everyone can experience dry eye occasionally, dry eye is a medical condition that can be chronic, meaning it lasts for a long time.

There are two types dry eye, with most people having a combination of both.

• Evaporative dry eye: Here, you make enough tears, but you lack the oily outer layer that prevents the tears from evaporating too quickly.
• Aqueous-deficient dry eye: This type means you don’t produce enough tears to adequately moisturize your eye.

What are the symptoms of dry eye?

Dry eye can feel like your eyes are gritty or that you have something in your eye. In addition to feeling scratchy, it can also notice:

• Redness, stinging or burning
• Sensitivity to light
• Blurred vision (especially when reading)
• Changes in vision
• Pain or soreness when wearing contacts
• Thick mucus in or near your eye
• Wet eyes

What are the risk factors for dry eye?

There are some factors that put you at increased risk for dry eye that you have no control over, such as being over 50 or being female at birth.

Other risk factors can include:

• Use of contact lenses
• Medicines such as diuretics (water pills), cold and allergy medicines and some antidepressants
• History of certain eye diseases or other medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, diabetes and Sjögren’s syndrome
• Staring or focusing for long periods of time without blinking, such as when reading
• Excessive screen use
• Having LASIK eye surgery or cataract surgery
• Cosmetics like eyelash extensions
• Living in dry, windy climates or around smoke

Some people believe that there may be a connection between dry eyes and headaches. A study 2021 showed that there may be a link between people with dry eye and migraine attacks.

How is dry eye diagnosed?

To be diagnosed with dry eye, you may see one ophthalmologist or optometrist, doctors who specialize in the treatment of eye diseases and do a complete eye exam. This includes looking at your eyes and how they blink, as well as asking about the medications you are taking and whether you have any other health conditions.

Your eye doctor may do some tests, including:

• Bulb Split Test: This is to check if your eyes are producing tears.
• Schirmer test: Using a small piece of paper held against your lower eyelid, your doctor can see how many tears are wetting the paper.
• Tear Breakup Time Test (TBUT): This test checks how long the tear film stays in your eyes after you blink.

How can you manage or cure dry eye?

There are several treatment options available for dry eye that you can discuss with your eye care professional. These include:

• In addition to the opposite options: Artificial tears, gels, ointments, and eyelid cleaning solutions can provide relief from some DED symptoms.
• Prescription drugs: It can treat dry eye in a number of ways, such as reducing inflammation or increasing tear production.
• Silicone Plugs: Your doctor may recommend silicone plugs that are placed in the tear ducts to keep tears in your eyes longer.
• Special contacts: Wearing special contacts can help protect the eyes.
• In-office procedures: Eye care professionals use medical devices that include heat or light to help open the glands in the eye so the oil can flow better to lubricate the eye.

You may also consider asking your eye care professional about supplements or vitamins for dry eye, such as:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Eating foods containing omega-3s such as salmon, tuna and sardines could help stimulate tear production. However, supplements may not be as effective as other treatments.
• Vitamin A: May help improve the tear film and lubricate your eyes.
• Vitamin D: Research has shown that the download vitamin D may improve eye health by addressing vitamin D deficiency associated with dry eye. It may also increase the effectiveness of some eye drops.
• Vitamin B12: Using vitamin B12 along with eye drops can help repair nerve damage that is causing your symptoms and could help improve them.

If you wake up with dry eyes or notice that you often experience dry eyes, talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns. Getting a diagnosis can help you start treatment as soon as possible.