The Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society understands that many people suffer from dry eye syndrome. The discomfort from this eye condition can prevent you from doing what you need to do. Knowing more about dry eye disease can help you prevent it or get early treatment. Here are the symptoms, causes, and treatment for dry eye syndrome.
 

The Symptoms

Dry eye syndrome feels like something is in your eye all the time. It can feel sandy and scratchy. This can be a significant distraction to your daily life. Below are some of the symptoms of this eye condition:
 

·      Watery eyes with tears running down the cheeks.

·      Stinging.

·      Burning sensation.

·      Mucus coming out of the eye.

·      Blurred vision.

·      Light sensitivity.
 

Experiencing watery eyes may be confusing for some patients. This happens because your tear film is of low quality and evaporates immediately. That is why your lacrimal glands produce more tears to compensate for this. But even if you have more tears, it cannot resolve the symptoms of dry eye syndrome.
 

The Causes

Sometimes, people tend to mistake eye allergies for dry eye syndrome. You can talk to your eye doctor at Beachwood Family Eye Care if you think you have dry eye syndrome. Being sure about your diagnosis can get you the correct treatment. Finding out the cause of your dry eye can help you understand your symptoms more.
 

Dry eye syndrome happens when your eyes do not produce enough quality tears. It also occurs when your tears evaporate right away. If these two events happen simultaneously, dry eye syndrome develops as well. The symptoms tend to worsen over time.
 

The Treatments

The goals of treating dry eye disease include helping you see better, soothing your eyes, and easing your symptoms. Treating this eye condition also aims to target its underlying cause. Avoiding or minimizing damage to the eye surfaces is also a goal for dry eye disease treatment. Here are the available treatments for dry eye disease:
 

·      Sprays, ointments, and eye drops can help reduce your symptoms. Nasal sprays can stimulate the production of more tears. Ointments are thick eye lubricants that you can use while asleep. Artificial tears can soothe and lubricate your eyes. You can get these drops to prevent early evaporation.

·      In-office procedures, such as thermal pulsation therapy and intense pulsed light therapy, can stimulate the meibomian glands to produce more oil for your tear film.

·      Therapeutic contact lenses can lubricate and protect the surface of your eyes. Soft bandage lenses can help heal corneal damage. Rigid scleral lenses are larger and cover your sclera. These lenses lubricate and protect your eyes while improving your vision.

·      Punctal occlusion may be a solution if your eyes do not have good tear production. The eye doctor uses this procedure to put a plug into your tear drain. Plugging the drain in your lower eyelid can keep tears in your eyes. If a temporary punctal occlusion does not improve your condition, a permanent one may. In a permanent punctal occlusion, your eye doctor will use silicone plugs to stay in your tear ducts for a longer time.
 

Being familiar with the dry eye disease symptoms, causes, and treatments can help motivate you to see your eye doctor right away. At Beachwood Family Eye Care, we provide high-quality and proven eye care products and treatments. Feel free to drop by our Beachwood, Ohio clinic for an in-person consultation. Please call (216) 815-1810 to schedule an appointment or inquire about our dry eye disease treatment packages.