Skip to main content
EW Logos

Do You Suffer From Dry Eye?

Do you have teary or watery eyes?
Burning, itchiness, or a sandy feeling around your eyelids?
Constantly rubbing them in the morning or after working on the computer?

You might have dry eye syndrome. Contact us for effective and lasting treatment.

Book An Appointment

Home » Eye Care Services » Dry Eye

What Is Dry Eye Syndrome? (DES)

dry-eye-diagram-2a

Our eyes need tears to nourish, sustain and lubricate our eyes. DES, which is usually caused by insufficient tears or poor quality tears, leaves our eyes parched. This results in a variety of unpleasant symptoms, such as itchy, red, and sore eyes.

Many people suffer from this chronic syndrome without realizing that it can permanently harm their eyes. Because this is a progressive condition, it is critical to get treatment before symptoms exacerbate to the point that it harms the cornea. Without treatment or proper medication, DES often worsens over time.

Learn About the Most Common Cause of Dry Eye

What Causes Dry Eyes?

While over eighty percent (80%) of dry eye cases are due to blocked oil glands in the eyelids — a condition called meibomian gland dysfunction or evaporative dry eye — many other factors can cause this syndrome. These include:

Gender – the majority of dry eye sufferers are women. This tends to be caused by hormonal changes, whether through the use of contraceptives, pregnancy or menopause.

Age there’s a higher prevalence of DES in those over 50 years of age

Environment – dry wind, dry air and dry climates can evaporate the tears. Home and car heaters, air conditioners, fans and hair dryers also cause tears to evaporate.

Medication – these include antidepressants, decongestants and blood pressure medications.

Auto-immune disorders – Sjogren’s disease and arthritis, among others.

MEET OUR DRY EYE TEAM
Dry-Eyes-sqr-1-427x427

How Do I Know If I Have Dry Eye Syndrome?

Do any of these symptoms seem familiar?

  • Gritty, itchy, or stinging eyes
  • Excessive tearing and discharge
  • Eyes that feel tired or dry
  • Increased light sensitivity
  • Regularly using eye drops
  • Discomfort that worsens as the day progresses

Suffering from dry eye syndrome not only diminishes your quality of life but also makes daily activities such as reading, doing sports, or driving a struggle.

Think you have dry eye syndrome? Get to the root of your eye discomfort by contacting us today.

brooke-cagle-uWVWQ8gF8PE-unsplash

What Others Are Saying About Us

Dry-Eyes-sqr-5-428x427

Lasting & Effective Dry Eye Treatment

Our dry eye program works like therapy, where we aren't simply prescribing a quick medication, but rather we want to create an individualized solution for each patient. Prior to administering any treatment, we need to get to the root cause in order to offer the most adequate treatment possible.

Because of the variety of treatments that can help relieve dry eye symptoms, a dry eye examination is essential to know what treatment to start. For example, prescription drops like Restasis or Xiidra may help relieve inflammatory tear deficiency, while mild cases of dry eye can benefit from non-prescription treatments including heat masks, lid scrubs, gland debridement, artificial tears, or punctal plugs among others.

Learn More about Dry Eye Syndrome | FAQ

medical-plus medical-plus How are Watery Eyes Related to Dry Eye?

Excessively watery eyes may signal the presence of dry eye disease. While this might seem paradoxical, it is a common symptom of dry eye. Dry eyes can cause your eyes to produce too many tears in order to make up for tears that evaporate too quickly due to a problem with your eyelid glands. You might also have watery eyes if your tear ducts are fully or partially blocked.

medical-plus medical-plus Is There a Cure for Dry Eye Disease?

While there is no cure for this condition, topical steroids, punctal plugs, and other treatment methods can provide long-term relief, so that your dependence on eye drops is diminished and symptoms are significantly reduced. For more information, visit our Dry Eye Treatment Page

medical-plus medical-plus Do Gels, Ointments, & Artificial Tears Help Dry Eyes?

Healthy eyes need to remain lubricated. A dry ocular surface can lead to eye abrasions and erosions, which may — in severe cases — result in eye ulcers and reduced vision. While most people with dry eyes reduce discomfort by using lubricants, drops, and ointment, the relief is only temporary and doesn't address the root problem. Contact us for effective and lasting dry eye treatment today.

While nearly every eye doctor provides dry eye services, making the decision to find a dry eye professional that much more difficult, we encourage you to contact us for a phone consultation.

We’re happy to share with you information about our dry eye program, and the type of results we’ve provided other patients for significant lasting improvements within a relatively short period of time. Contact us to find out how we can help you relieve your dry eye symptoms and start managing your eye health successfully, today.

Book An Appointment

  • Digital Eye Strain and Dry Eye Syndrome Thumbnail.jpg
    Prolonged computer use can lead to dry eye syndrome for 3 reasons: blue light exposure, infrequent blinking and incomplete blinking. Read on to learn more and discover how a dry eye optometrist can help.
  • dry eyes 640x350.jpg
    Our practice offers a wide range of dry eye treatments.
  • Finding Relief for Dry Eye Thumbnail.jpg
    Evaporative dry eye and aqueous deficient dry eye both harm the quality and quantity of the tears our eyes rely on for hydration and comfort. The causes and symptoms of dry eye are wide-ranging, but solutions are at hand.
  • Vitamins and Foods Thumbnail.jpg
    If your eyes feel gritty or itchy, you likely have dry eye syndrome. Here are a few ways your can enhance your diet for eye comfort and health.
  • Ocular Rosacea and Dry Eye Thumbnail.jpg
    Ocular rosacea is a common eye condition that causes dry eye. While there is no cure for ocular rosacea, we can help you manage it to achieve the relief you need.
  • Electronic Devices And Dry Eye Thumbnail.jpg
    Using electronic devices like smartphones and tablets has been linked to dry eye syndrome. Read on to learn why it can cause or exacerbate dry eye and discover ways to prevent it.
  • Autologous Serum Eye Drops Thumbnail.jpg
    If you suffer from dry eye syndrome and have yet to find the best solution for you,  Autologous Serum Eye Drops may be the answer. Below, learn more about what they are and how they can relieve your eyes from dryness.
  • dry eye relif Thumbnail.jpg
    Do your eyes sting, burn or feel scratchy? If so, you may be experiencing dry eye.  Consult your eye doctor, who will diagnose the problem and prescribe the best treatment.
  • What Is Lagophthalmos Thumbnail.jpg
    Lagophthalmos is the inability to completely close one’s eyelids. There are several causes of this uncomfortable, sometimes damaging eye condition, so it’s important to visit your eye doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
  • clock 5207235 1920 thumbnail.jpg
    Are you waking up with dry, itchy, burning eyes? Many things can cause these sensations: certain medications, your eyelids not closing properly at night, or a thyroid disorder. Read on to learn why you're waking up with dry eyes and how the condition can be treated.
  • Why Dry Eye Affects More Women Than Men Thumbnail.jpg
    Women are susceptible to developing Dry Eye Syndrome due to lifestyle choices (such as makeup use) and hormonal changes that occur over a lifetime. Post-menopausal women can further increase their chances when using hormonal replacement therapy.
  • what causes dry eye.jpg
    This article describes the most common factors that can contribute to dry eye syndromes, such as age, genetics, environment, lifestyle, medications, and the overall health of your eyes.  
  • Scleral Lens for Dry Eye Thumbnail.jpg
    If you struggle with dry eye syndrome and have been looking for a more effective treatment method beyond eyedrops and artificial tears, try scleral lenses.
  • contacts dry eye.jpg
    Contact lens wearers are at a higher risk of developing dry eye. Whether your contact lens is blocking oxygen from entering the eye, or the tear film breaks up, causing the contact lens to irritate the surface of the eye, you can get relief. Read on to learn more about contact lens-induced dry eye and to prevent and treat it.

  • Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Thumbnail 5.jpg
    Learn about all about Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: the causes, symptoms and treatment options.
  • dry eye quiz thubnail.jpg
    Take the Speed Questionnaire to assess the symptoms of your eyes that could be hindering the quality of your vision.
  • Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a chronic condition that develops when your eyes do not produce and maintain enough tears to keep the eye’s surface lubricated.
  • woman applying eyedroppers close up.png
    Keep Up-To-Date with our Dry Eye Blog!
  • eyes behind the leaf v2.jpg
    Gritty eyes are characterized by an uncomfortable sensation of having sand in your eyes. They are typically caused by certain eye conditions, such as Dry Eye Syndrome, Sjogren’s syndrome, Blepharitis, and sunburned eyes.
  • Dry Eyes As We Age Thumbnail.jpg
    Aging increases your chance of developing dry eye syndrome (DES), for several reasons. These include reduced tear production, certain medical conditions, and taking specific medications. Although DES is unpleasant and the symptoms may be irritating, this condition is treatable.
  • Dry Eye After LASIK Thumbnail.jpg
    LASIK and other refractive surgeries can often lead to uncomfortable symptoms of dry eye syndrome — here’s why.
  • contacts dry eye.jpg
    Contact lens wearers are at a higher risk of developing dry eye. Whether your contact lens is blocking oxygen from entering the eye, or the tear film breaks up, causing the contact lens to irritate the surface of the eye, you can get relief. Read on to learn more about contact lens-induced dry eye and to prevent and treat it.