Dry Eyes

What causes dry eye?

You have tear ducts in the corner of each eye near your nose that are responsible for releasing lubricating fluid. Each time you blink, those tears get distributed evenly across your eyes, while simultaneously flushing away any dirt or debris.

When you have dry eye, though, you might not produce an adequate amount of tears, or the tears you do produce are imbalanced and don’t have equal layers of oil, water, or mucus. While the exact source of dry eye isn’t always known, common causes include:

• Older age
• Allergies
• Tear gland damage
• Digital eye fatigue
• Certain prescription medications
• Chronic inflammatory or autoimmune disorders

Women are more likely than men to experience dry eye, just because of hormonal changes. Being pregnant, taking birth control pills, or going through menopause are all conditions that can lead to dry eye.

How is dry eye treated?

Your optometrist at Eyes on Hartz Optometry uses highly technical digital equipment to evaluate the health of your eyes and determine the underlying cause of your dry eye syndrome. Once they diagnose you, they can find solutions to help your specific condition. Your dry eye treatment can include:

• Tear-stimulating medications
• Specialized tear duct inserts
• Lubricating eye drops
• Medications to decrease eyelid inflammation

If your dry eyes stem from digital eye fatigue due to staring at a computer screen all day, your optometrist can counsel you on lifestyle changes that can reduce further dry eye issues. For instance, taking the time to blink and learning to look away from your computer can improve issues with dryness.

Can I wear contacts with dry eye?

Generally, yes. You have plenty of contact lens options available for dry eye syndrome at Eyes on Hartz Optometry. Advanced contacts that help dry eye sufferers include:

• Silicone hydrogel
• Single use
• Rigid gas permeable
• High-water hydrogel

Sometimes it takes some trial and error to determine which line of contact lenses is best for you when you have dry eye. Your optometrist can send you home with a trial pair to wear for a few days to make sure they’re comfortable before filling your contact lens prescription.  

You don’t have to live another day with the uncomfortable symptoms of dry eye with the help of the team at Eyes on Hartz Optometry. Schedule your dry eye evaluation either online or over the phone.