Learn about the Causes and Symptoms of Dry Eye Syndrome

Published on July 8, 2015

When it comes to our eyes, many of us are guilty of taking them for granted. However, there are many different conditions that can affect our eyes, which is why we need to do our best to maintain good eye health as much as possible. One of the conditions that can affect us is dry eyes, which is a common problem with a range of causes and symptoms.

There are many people who suffer from dry eyes, and this is a condition that can cause a lot of discomfort to those who have it. Those who suffer from dry eye syndrome are unable to produce enough natural tears, which is something that could occur for a number of reasons. It is important for people to look at getting dry eye treatment if they have dry eye symptoms, as otherwise they could suffer from a lot of irritation.

 

Key causes of dry eyes

There are a number of different things that can cause this condition, and it is worth noting that it tends to affect females more than males as well as being more prevalent in older people aged above sixty. Some of the key causes behind the condition include:

• Tear-flow imbalanced: It can be caused by an imbalance of the tear-flow system where they either do not produce an adequate level of tears or their tears evaporate very rapidly. It may also be caused by a blockage or problem with the oil glands.

• Aging process: It can be part of the natural process of aging, and often experienced by women who are going through the menopause.

• Medication: The side effects of certain medications, which includes medicines and treatments such as antihistamines, contraceptive pills and a variety of other medicines can cause this problem.

• Disease: It can be the result of a particular disease or health problems, which may lead to having dry eyes. Some of these include Sjogren’s Syndrome, vascular diseases and rheumatoid arthritis.

• Eye structure: It may be down to a problem with being able to close the eyes properly, which could be down to the structure of the eye and leaves the eyes exposed to the air for long periods of time.

These are all possible reasons behind the development of this condition. Another possibility is the drying out of the film that provides protection over the eye. This drying out is something that could be caused environmental conditions as well as by using things such as air conditioning, which can dry out the air. This dry air can then have a knock on effect on the eyes, causing dryness and irritation.

Some of the main symptoms of dry eyes

When it comes to dry eyes symptoms, there are a number of things to look out for. These are all indicators that you may be suffering from dry eyes and that you might need to look at getting treatment in order to alleviate the symptoms. Some of these include:

• A sensation that there is a foreign body or sand in the eye
• Blurred vision
• Soreness and redness of the eyes
• Pain
• Sensitivity to the light
• A gritty feeling in the eyes
• Itching
• Swelling and irritation

Another thing to bear in mind is that confusingly someone that suffers from dry eyes might end up with tears actually running down their cheeks. However, this is something that can occur if the eyes are not getting adequate lubrication. The eye basically signals to the nervous system that more lubrication is required and this causes the eye to become flooded with tears. Unfortunately, the liquid is not the same as tears but closer to water, which means that it still does not lubricate the eye and simply run down the cheeks instead.

While millions of people suffer from dry eyes, the severity of the condition can vary from one person to another and can be dependent on the cause of the problem amongst other things. The treatment that is recommended for dryness of the eyes can be dependent upon the cause and the severity of the problem.

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