Dry Eye Syndrome Explained

Dry Eye Syndrome Explained | Healthy Aging Month

9/20/2016

Are you familiar with dry eye syndrome? Could you be one of the five million Americans suffering from it?

Dry eye syndrome (also known as dry eyes and dry eye disease) has been on TV quite a lot recently thanks to a new initiative featuring Jennifer Aniston to raise public awareness of dry eye syndrome. Perhaps you’ve even heard her talking about her battle with chronic dry, itchy eyes.

Dry eye syndrome a serious and progressive condition that can affect our eye health as we age if not diagnosed and treated properly. So for Healthy Aging Month, as we look at healthy aging eyes, we thought it important to explore and discuss dry eyes.

What Is Dry Eye Syndrome?

Dry eye is a chronic disease that occurs when our eyes don’t produce enough tears or the right quality tears to protect our eyes and keep them healthy and comfortable.

A continuous layer of tear film protects our normal, healthy eyes. This protective film or barrier is comprised of three layers, each produced by a different part of our eye:

Inner mucin (mucus) layer
Middle water (aqueous) layer
Outer oil (lipid) layer

Each of these layers must work together properly to protect our eyes sufficiently. In addition, any excess tears our eyes produce must be drained by small ducts in our eyelids each time we blink to keep our tear system functioning normally.

As we age, our tear production may decrease, and inflammation may change the composition or make-up of our tears. Either one of these changes can allow tears to evaporate, causing dry spots to form on our cornea, the outer protective layer of our eyes. These changes on the surface of our eye can affect the signals our eyes send to our brains. In some cases, the message to create more tears might not get through to the brain. In others, the brain may produce more tears, but of poor quality, which can lead to watery or runny eyes.

Why Is Dry Eye Syndrome Such a Big Deal?

In addition to causing discomfort and aggravating symptoms, dry eye syndrome can lead to far more serious eye conditions. If not diagnosed and treated properly, it can lead to damage to the cornea, including corneal ulcers, infection, and in severe cases, even loss of vision.

Who Is at Risk for Developing Dry Eye Syndrome?

While any one of us can develop dry eye syndrome, aging and being female are two primary risk factors. While dry eye can occur at any age, symptoms may begin to develop in our 40s and progress to advanced dry eye syndrome in our 50s or later. Further, women, particularly those who have been through menopause, are more likely to develop dry eye syndrome due to hormonal changes in the body.

Are there other factors that can contribute to the development of dry eye syndrome? In fact, there are many. Some common ones include:

Taking certain medications, including antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure medication, and birth control pills.
Having insufficient humidity in your indoor environment.
Living in a hot and / or dry climate.
Being exposed to windy climates or airconditioning.
Having a systemic disease such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), rosacea, or Sjögren syndrome.
Blinking too little, often caused by activities such as prolonged computer use and reading.
Using contacts long-term.
Having eyelids that don’t close completely.
Having eyelid disease or diseases of the glands in the eyelids.
Smoking.

LASIK or other refractive eye surgery can also lead to dry eye syndrome. Typically this is temporary and often resolves within the normal six-month healing period following surgery.

For a more extensive list of causes and risk factors, visit the National Eye Institute’s Facts About Dry Eye.

What Are the Symptoms of Dry Eye Syndrome?

Those of us with dry eye syndrome may experience a variety of symptoms, including:

Stinging
Burning
Sandy or gritty feeling
Watery eyes
Dry eyes
Tired / fatigued eyes
Stringy discharge from the eyes
Pain and redness
Blurred vision
Heavy eyelids
Discomfort wearing contact lenses
Decreased tolerance for activities that require sustained visual attention, such as prolonged computer use and reading

We may experience some of these dry eye symptoms temporarily due to environmental conditions, traveling, a cold, allergies, or the like. If any of these symptoms persist, however, it’s important to visit your eye doctor to be evaluated for dry eye syndrome.

How Is Dry Eye Syndrome Detected or Diagnosed?

Dry eye syndrome is a complex condition. A complete medical history and a thorough description of symptoms may lead an eye doctor to suspect dry eye syndrome. Only through a comprehensive eye exam can an eye doctor confirm a diagnosis of dry eye syndrome.

As part of the comprehensive eye exam, the eye doctor may utilize the Schirmer tear test to understand tear production. During the test, a piece of blotting paper, which collects tears, is placed under the lower eyelid for five (5) minutes. At the end of the test, the eye doctor measures the quantity of tears absorbed over the five-minute period.

In addition, special drops can be used to examine the condition of the cornea. This allows the eye doctor to detect areas that are lacking proper lubrication and protection from tears.

How Is Dry Eye Syndrome Treated?

Treatment for dry eye syndrome is determined by or varies based on the exact cause of the condition. Artificial tears, prescription medications, nutritional supplements, and in some cases, minor surgery may be used to manage dry eye syndrome. The good news is that the discomfort and symptoms can be alleviated with proper diagnosis and treatment.

There is a great deal of information available on the treatment available for dry eye syndrome. If you would like to read more, please visit our Medical Treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome page, as well as the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Dry Eye Treatment.

What to Do if You Suspect You Have Dry Eye Syndrome?

Whether you’re one of the five million people in the U.S. who has dry eye syndrome or one of the tens of millions who suffer from more mild symptoms, it’s important to visit your eye doctor regularly and get the eye care you need. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of dry eye, please contact our office to schedule an appointment. Timely diagnosis and treatment are critical to minimizing the impact of dry eye syndrome and preserving vision.

As we have seen, it’s important to have our eyes examined regularly and dry eye symptoms managed properly so our eyes can age healthily. In our next blog post for Healthy Aging Month, we’ll look at ways to maintain the youthful look of our eyes as we age.