Dry Eyes

You may ask why your eyes are watering and tears are running down your cheeks. Your doctor tells you “You have dry eyes!” Hard to believe!

There are several factors that contribute to dry eyes. Let’s start with the most common one, the tears themselves. The job of the tears is to provide lubrication, moisture and protection. If there are any deficiencies in any of these areas a person may experience: a gritty feeling in the eyes (especially in the morning), redness, excessive tearing, and blurred vision to name a few.

So, you may be wondering why …if you have dry eyes… that your eyes are always tearing? Well this is how I explain it. The eyes feel they need more lubrication so they call the brain which sends the tears. However the tears don’t have the lubrication layer that is needed so the eyes call for more tears. And this goes on and on causing excessive tearing and uncomfortable eyes.

There are other causes of dry eyes as well. Some medications, such as antihistamines, or environmental factors such as heat and air conditioning may cause the eyes to dry out. Medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and vascular disease can effect the eyes ability to make tears. There may be structural defects that interfere with the production of tears as well. And of course there is always the fact that as we age our tears may be less effective.

Dry eyes can not be cured but there are several treatment options that can bring considerable relief. It is important to discuss your options with your eye doctor.

The most common treatment for less severe dry eyes is the use of artificial tears which are available over the counter. These can be used often and bring soothing relief to the eyes. If your eyes feel gritty when you wake up in the morning an ointment may be used before going to bed, keeping your eyes moist through the night. Your doctor may decide that other treatments are warranted depending on the cause of the dry eyes.

So if your eyes are feeling gritty and you are experiencing excessive tearing….there is relief in sight!

Amy Halloran
Low Vision Consultant
Adaptive Technology Consulting
102 Bridge Rd. Salisbury, MA 01952
978-462-3817