dry eye spa

Dry Eyes Q & A

​​​​​​​What is dry eye?

Dry eye syndrome is a condition in which your eyes are insufficiently moisturized because you either don’t produce enough tears or your tears are poor quality. It causes uncomfortable symptoms including:
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• Stinging or burning eyes

• Gritty eyes

• Strings of mucus in your eyes, especially when you wake up

• Red, irritated eyes

• Excessively watery eyes

• Blurry, fluctuating vision

Your tears have three layers: oily, watery, and mucus. The innermost layer, the mucus, spreads your tears over your eyes, keeping them moist. The middle layer is the watery layer. Water makes up the largest part of your tears and washes particles and debris out of your eyes. The outermost oily layer keeps your tears smooth and prevents them from drying too quickly.

If the consistency of your tears is unbalanced, your tears don’t clean and moisturize your eyes correctly, leading to dry eye symptoms.

What causes dry eye?

Dry eye syndrome is also caused by a malfunctioning meibomian gland, which is responsible for making your tears. Many other factors contribute to dry eye syndrome, including:

• Health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disorders, and lupus

• Eyelid conditions such as blepharitis, entropion, and ectropion

• Extended contact lens use

• Living in a dry or windy climate

• Spending many hours staring at a computer screen

• Certain medications like beta-blockers, antihistamines, and antidepressants

Your age and gender also contribute to your risk of dry eye syndrome. As you age, your hormones change and your body produces fewer tears. Dry eye syndrome is also more common in women than men, because of the hormonal changes of menopause.

How is dry eye treated?