I Have Dry Eyes. What Dan I Do?

Everybody can get dry eyes once in a while. You might be sitting at work, in front of a computer screen and suddenly your eyes start to itch, your vision begins to blur, or you notice your eyes have become very sensitive to light. It's not a comfortable feeling and one you may have to treat if it becomes a chronic condition. Here are some of the causes and treatments for this condition.

Your eyes are a small factory. In order to provide all the necessary functions that allow you to have sight, your eyes need to be constantly lubricated. Your tear ducts produce a constant flow of water, oils, mucus, and special antibodies to keep your eyes moist, lubricated, and healthy. But if something happens that changes the flow of tears, you can get dry eyes.

What are the symptoms of dry eyes? - The first one is obvious, your eyes feel dry. If your eyes stop producing the proper lubrication, they may also feel pain, get itchy and red, or become sensitive to light. Another common symptom of this condition is the feeling that you have a foreign object in your eye. One interesting side effect of dry eyes is that they will begin to produce excessive tears. Your eyes are reacting as if they have a foreign object in them. Unfortunately, the tears produced are mostly water and lacking the oils needed to truly lubricate your eyes.

Dry eyes are caused when tears are not produced properly. This happens due to a number of reasons. Environmental factors can cause dryness. If you work or live in a very dry environment, it may keep your eyes too dry for sufficient tear production. Staring at a computer screen all day might result in insufficient blinking which can cause these symptoms. Long term contact lens wear can cause this condition, as well as other causes, such as certain diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), certain medicines (antihistamines, antidepressants, some blood pressure medicines) and simple aging. Dry eyes are a common ailment among post menopausal women and older men.

This are not necessarily life threatening, but prolonged occurrences can cause abrasions to appear on the eyes. In extreme cases, permanent eye damage can occur. There are a number of treatments available for this condition. If you're simply in a dry environment, say, a smoky room or a sauna, blinking your eyes repeatedly will cause tearing to occur and moisturize your eyes.

There are a number of eye drops on the market which contain a solution designed to moisten eyes with a proper balance of fluids. For chronically dry eyes, there are over-the-counter nighttime treatments available.

For truly chronic dry eye syndrome, there are medical procedures that can be performed. A temporary or permanent punctual occlusion involves plugging tear ducts so the moisture remains in the eyes. The drug Restasis, available through prescription, helps the eyes produce more tears. In extreme cases, surgery may be needed to repair tear ducts.

Dry eye syndrome is uncomfortable and possibly harmful. Contact an eye doctor if you think you are suffering from this problem and need to find a solution.