
Dry eye syndrome can lower your quality of life by impairing your vision. If you’re suffering from the irritating symptoms of dry eye, you may wonder how to find relief. That’s why our team at Advanced Optical in Orlando has put together a list of frequently asked questions about dry eyes and how our optometry team can help.
What is dry eye?
Dry eye syndrome is a condition affecting the tear production of your eyes. In some cases, your eyes don’t produce sufficient tears to keep them lubricated. In other cases, the tears are of low quality, making them ineffective at lubricating and protecting your eyes. Either way, your eyes become irritated due to poor tear production.
What causes dry eye?
Various factors can impact the tear production of your eyes and lead to dry eye syndrome. For example, age and hormonal imbalances can reduce tear production, as can autoimmune diseases, certain kinds of medications, allergies, elements in your environment, and excessive use of digital devices. Sometimes, dry eye is a side effect of LASIK surgery.
What are the symptoms of dry eye?
Dry eye symptoms may include redness, itchiness, irritation, eye fatigue, discharge from your eyes, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, or a burning sensation in your eye. A checkup from our Orlando, FL optometrist can determine if these problems are the result of dry eye syndrome.
How is dry eye diagnosed?
Our Orlando optometrist will conduct tests to measure your tear production and assess the stability of your tear film. Combined with evaluating your symptoms, these tests can determine if you have dry eye syndrome.
How can I have dry eye syndrome if my eyes are constantly watery?
Your eyes may compensate for dry eye syndrome by overproducing tears, causing your eyes to be watery. However, these tears are of low quality and ineffective in lubricating your eyes.
How is dry eye treated?
There is no cure for dry eye syndrome, but there are treatments to help manage your symptoms, depending on the severity of your condition. Artificial tears often work well to relieve mild dry eye symptoms. For moderate to severe cases, we may recommend prescription eye drops, punctual plugs, or topical steroids and lubricants to manage symptoms and keep your eyes lubricated.
Can I wear contact lenses if I have dry eye?
If traditional soft lenses cause dry eye, our optometrist may recommend using specialty contacts such as scleral or gas permeable lenses. These lenses contact lenses can be worn safely without aggravating your eyes.