Dry eyes or dry eye syndrome is a condition in which the eyes are constantly dry. This condition can spring from wearing contact lenses, tear gland dysfunction, allergies, pregnancy, vitamin A deficiency and the intake of certain medications. Insufficient number of tears produced and an increased evaporation of the tear film on the surface of the eye lead to this uncomfortable condition.
The tear film produced by the lacrimal glands protects the eyes surface from scratching and damage. That is why dry eye has to be treated to protect the eye from potential scratching. The first line of defense is getting artificial teardrops assigned to the patient or treating the underlying causes of dry eye syndrome.
People with dry eyes should avoid smoky and dry environments, air conditioners, and fans as much as possible. In wintertime, a humidifier can add moisture to the dry air indoors and relieve dry eyes.
Here are the symptoms that point to one suffering from dry eye and the measures to be taken to improve their condition:
1. Eye Redness
Red eyes can occur in one or both eyes. It can be accompanied by other signs of dry eye or not. The range of red varies and can be medium or very red. It could only be a few enlarged blood vessels or pink lines across the white of the eyes. In harsher cases, the red can be noticed straight away by other people. It is one of the common signs of dry eyes. A doctor should evaluate the symptom of red eyes and what it is exactly pointing to as there could be many things causing it. This includes allergies, pink eye, and tired eyes. If it is a symptom of dry eyes the gritty feeling, burning, blurring and heavy eyelids will be the accompanying symptoms to red eyes.
2. Sensitivity to Light
Sensitivity to light, or photophobia, is a symptom in which the patient has a certain level of intolerance to light sources including sunlight, incandescent or fluorescent lights. The patient feels the urge to squint their eyes when looking at bright light. In more extreme cases, even low light can be irritating. Curing the underlying dry eye condition will improve this symptom. Meanwhile, you can wear sunglasses, ultraviolet protection or photochromic lenses when on the outside or under bright light.
3. Stringy Mucus Around Eyes
The stringy mucus around eyes that is collected in the morning is a mix of dead skin cells, tears, and other impurities that collect on its surface. This usually happens during the night when you sleep. Sometimes it may collect in the eye during the day. It can be wet or drier. Mucus in the eyes differs in different conditions but the eye mucus for dry eyes will usually be white or yellow and ball shaped. The difference in mucus will show what the eyes actually suffer from. While some mucus in the eyes is normal, an increased amount of it is a symptom of some health problem.
4. Stinging Sensation in Eyes
There can be a stinging sensation in eyes. This can happen when you get shampoo, chlorine or some other chemical inside your eyes. Sometimes, it can happen without getting anything inside your eyes. If the symptom does not spring from an external environmental condition it could be a symptom of dry eye. Sometimes even rinsing the eyes with clean water can alleviate this symptom. Coupled up with eye redness, mucus, blurred vision and light sensitivity, it could be a symptom of dry eyes.
5. Blurred Vision
A clear vision lets you navigate effortlessly throughout the world. Having blurred vision is like having a filter put in front of your eyes that makes you see everything hazy. Short periods of blurry vision can be a symptom of dry eye because of the mucous secretion that occurs from having dry eyes. The tear layer becomes denser and by increasing the water in the organism you can improve this condition by moisturizing the eyes from the inside.
6. Eye Fatigue
Coming home after a long day or working too much on a computer can contribute to getting your eyes tired. While this is normal, having eye fatigue all the time can be a symptom of dry eye syndrome. Giving your eyes the much-needed rest by sleeping at least 8 hours at night and closing them to rest a couple of times during the day can help relieve this symptom. Straining your eyes for too long without rest can cause other conditions like myopia to develop. The eye is an organ like any other and needs sufficient time to rest – especially when working on a computer.
7. Sensation of a Foreign Object
The sensation of having something in the eye is a common symptom of dry eyes. It happens without anything actually getting inside your eye. Even so, the sensation is the same as getting a piece of eyelash or dust inside your eyes. When the eyes are dry, even the smallest irritants can feel like there is something big inside the eyes. The tear protection layer would normally clean the irritants out but when it is insufficient the smallest particles scratch on the surface of the eye. That is why the protective tear layer must be restored as quickly as possible to remove the sensation of having something in the eye.
If you have all these symptoms then consider visiting an ophthalmologist and finding some effective remedies to relieve the symptoms. Your eyes are one of your most important attributes with which you can function normally. That is why when you take care of them they will thank you with a good and clear vision until old age.
