Dry eye is a common condition that most of the people are afflicting with. There may be a lot of reasons for dry eyes but the most prominent reason is you are not producing enough tears or producing poor-quality tears. Tears provide a thin layer of moisture to your eyes. If they fail to maintain a layer of moisture, your eyes become dry, which leads to inflammation, and severe dryness can damage the surface of your eyes.

In some cases, dry eye is not a condition to worry about as it is the result of prolonged staring into the screen, sitting in an air-conditioned room, or riding a bike on a windy day. If you spend fewer hours with computer screens and in an air-conditioned room, you will automatically see improvement in your symptoms. However, unfortunately, there are some people who feel symptoms despite disconnecting themselves from computer screens and exposing themselves to strong winds.

There is no cure for dry eyes. However, you can improve your symptoms using some ointments and eye drops. Certain medications are also out there to help improve your symptoms.

What are the symptoms of dry eyes?

Here are the symptoms of dry eyes. You may have all or some of them depending on your dry eye condition. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should consult your GP as soon as possible. They may prevent it from worsening. In case you do not have enough money, you can take out an instalment loan from a direct lender.

·         A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes

·         Redness

·         Sensitivity to light

·         Eye strain and fatigue

·         Stingy mucus around your eyes

·         Difficulty with driving at night

·         Watery eyes and irritation

·         Difficulty wearing contact lenses

·         Blurred vision

If you feel prolonged symptoms of dry eyes, you should not delay contacting your GP. They might figure out the cause and suggest some preventive measures.

What are the causes of dry eyes?

There are various causes of dry eyes and they are all responsible for damaging the tear film that provides moisture to your eyes. Your tear film is made of three layers: fatty oils, aqueous fluid and mucus. These layers keep the surface of your eyes lubricated. You can have dry eye symptoms if you have problems with any of these layers.

The most common cause of dry eyes is insufficient or poor-quality tear production or increased tear evaporation. However, in some cases, there could be other causes for dry eye syndrome. These causes include but are not limited to:

·         Hormone changes

·         Autoimmune disease

·         Inflamed eyelid glands

·         Allergic eye  disease

Tear glands located above each eyeball produce tears. This continuously supplies tear fluid to the surface of your eyes, wiped each time you blink. The excess fluid comes down to your nose through the tear duct located at the corner of your eyes.

Causes of decreased tear production

As you know one of the significant reasons for dry eyes among many people is your tear gland is unable to produce enough tears. Common causes of decrease tear production include:

·         Ageing

As you age, the number of mucus cells decreases, and as a result, tear production also decreases. Fewer tears mean the surface of your eyes will not remain moist, so you will feel irritated and grittiness. The irritation and tearing can be significant when you cut onions.

·         Medical conditions

There are certain medical conditions largely responsible for making your eyes dry by reducing the production of tears. These diseases include allergic conjunctivitis or allergic eye disease. Apart from that, vitamin A deficiency, thyroid disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis are also responsible for disrupting tear film. You are prone to these diseases as you age.

·         Certain medicines

Some medicines are also responsible for disrupting the production of tears, such as antihistamines. If you are more often than not on allergic medicines, you are more likely to feel grittiness and dry eyes because mucus production will not be enough. Hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants and, hypertension medicines, birth control affect the quality of tears.

·         Contact eye lenses

Contact eye lenses can temporarily make your eyes dry. If you feel irritation and grittiness after using contact lenses, you should avoid them.

Causes of increased tear evaporation

Increased tear evaporation is also one of the causes of dry eyes and that happens because oil film becomes clogged at the edge of your eyelids. Blocked glands are mainly common in people with skin disorders. Increased tear evaporation is the result of:

·         Gland dysfunction

·         Blinking less often or staring at an object like a computer screen, reading a book, putting thread in a needle, etc.

·         Eyelid problems

·         Eye allergies

·         Constant exposure to wind, smoke, and preservatives in eye drops

·         Vitamin A deficiency

What are the preventive steps for dry eyes?

If you are suffering from dry eyes, you will have to understand what particularly is causing you the symptoms and take effective measures to ease them. Here are the preventive measures you should take to prevent dry eyes:

·         Avoid computer and TV screen

It is hard to live life without screens, but prolonged staring at the screen can worsen your symptoms. Make sure that there is enough light in the room when you are using a computer and watching a TV. If possible, sit in the daylight and then use your computer or laptop. Take a break of at least five minutes after every half an hour. Avoid constantly staring at the screen even if you are using it. For instance, get your eyes off the screen when someone is talking to you.

·         Wear protective eyewear

Your eyes will be sensitive to light when they are dry, so when you go out, make sure that you wear sunglasses. Protective eyewear should be put on when it is a windy day. If you use air-conditioners, make sure the air is not directed at your eyes or face. Air is extremely dry in the winter season. Use a humidifier to add moisture to dry indoor air.

·         Stop smoking and avoid smoke

Smoking should be cut down. Ask your GP what you can do to quit smoking. Make sure you stay away from people who smoke. Passive smoking is also harmful to your eyes. They worsen your dry eye condition.

·         Use artificial tears

If you have chronic dry eyes, use lubricants. They will help maintain a thin layer of moisture. Note that your eyes might have allergic conjunctivitis. Though over-the-counter lubricants can be used, you should consult an ophthalmologist to get prescribed lubricants and medicines for allergic conjunctivitis. Your doctor may prescribe you an ointment if your tears evaporate very fast.

The bottom line

Dry eye disease is a very common condition. It is usually a result of poor-quality tears and a quick evaporation of your tears. You can feel grittiness, irritation, scratchiness and strain in your eyes. You will more likely feel discomfort when you use your computer and do work that requires attention. Consult your doctor. They will prescribe you some lubricants, ointments and medicines to ease off the symptoms.