Recognizing the Symptoms of Dry Eyes

What is Dry Eye Syndrome?

To better recognize when a symptom is caused by dry eye diseases, it’s important to understand a bit about how it’s caused.

Dry eye syndrome, medically known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, occurs when your eyes either don't produce enough tears or produce tears of poor quality. Tears are essential for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye and for providing clear vision. When tears are inadequate or unstable, the eyes can become dry, irritated, and uncomfortable.

The Role of Tears

Tears are a complex mixture of water, lipid oils, and mucous that help protect and nourish the front surface of the eye. They also play a crucial role in maintaining clear vision by keeping the cornea lubricated and smooth. When any part of this mixture is thrown out of balance, tears don’t function as they should. This is the start of dry eye symptoms in some cases.

In other situations, the eyes don’t produce enough tears. Sometimes the environment does have an impact on your tear production. Spending too much time outside in the hottest days of Alabama’s summer can cause dry eye. If you work in a place where a fan is constantly blowing in your face, that can dry out your eyes too.

Common Symptoms of Dry Eyes

Recognizing the symptoms of dry eyes is the first step towards managing this condition effectively. Symptoms may include:

• Persistent dryness sensation 

• Itching or burning eyes 

• Redness 

• Blurred vision, especially when reading or using a computer 

• Sensitivity to light 

• Eye fatigue 

• Watery eyes

Dryness Sensation

A persistent feeling of dryness or grittiness in the eyes is a common symptom of dry eye syndrome. This sensation may worsen in windy or dry environments or after prolonged screen time.

Burning or Itching

Dry eyes can cause a burning or itching sensation due to the lack of adequate tears to lubricate the eye's surface. This discomfort may be exacerbated by environmental factors or prolonged visual tasks like working on a computer.

Redness

Inadequate tear production or poor tear quality can lead to eye redness, indicating inflammation and irritation of the ocular surface.

Blurred Vision

Tears are crucial for maintaining clear vision by ensuring the cornea remains smooth and refracts light properly. Insufficient tears or poor tear quality can lead to fluctuating vision clarity, particularly after prolonged visual tasks.

Sensitivity to Light

Dry eyes can increase sensitivity to light, making it uncomfortable to be in brightly lit environments or under fluorescent lighting. This is also known as photophobia. While dry eyes do cause sensitivity to light, if you find yourself experiencing extreme sensitivity followed by migraines or headaches, this could be a sign of something more serious.

Eye Fatigue

Dry eye syndrome can contribute to eye fatigue, characterized by feelings of tiredness or heaviness in the eyes, especially after extended periods of reading, using digital screens, or driving. This is because your eyes need to concentrate harder on the object of your attention because your vision is blurred.

Additional Symptoms

In addition to the common symptoms mentioned above, dry eye syndrome may also present with:

• Excessive tearing (as a reflex response) 

• Stringy mucus in or around the eyes 

• Eye discomfort worsened by wearing contact lenses

Excessive Tearing

Some individuals with dry eye syndrome may experience excessive tearing as the eyes attempt to compensate for dryness. This reflex tearing does not provide the same lubricating benefits as normal tears and may be accompanied by eye irritation or sensitivity.

Stringy Mucus Discharge

Disruptions in tear composition can lead to the production of stringy mucus discharge from the eyes. This is usually caused when the lipid oil layer and mucous layer in tear film touch due to the poor quality of the aqueous layer in between. Mucus discharge can indicate underlying issues that require further evaluation by an eye care professional.

Trouble Wearing Contacts

Because dry eyes ultimately irritate the eye's surface, eyelids, and surrounding areas, anything placed in the eye exacerbates the issue. To wear gas permeable lenses comfortably, a healthy tear film is essential for the lens to "float" on. Without adequate tears, the lens may start to rub against the eye's surface, leading to increased irritation and discomfort. If you have dry eyes, it is not recommended to wear normal contact lenses.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you experience persistent or worsening symptoms of dry eyes, it's essential to seek professional help from EyeCare Associates. Delayed treatment can lead to complications such as corneal abrasions, eye infections, or impaired vision quality. Dry eyes will not automatically “just go away.” Sometimes there are underlying eye conditions or autoimmune disorders that require diagnosis and treatment to successfully treat dry eye disease symptoms.

When to Seek Urgent Care

While dry eye syndrome typically presents with mild to moderate symptoms, certain signs may indicate a need for urgent medical attention:

• Severe eye pain or discomfort 

• Sudden changes in vision clarity 

• Acute onset of eye redness, swelling, or discharge 

• Sensitivity to light accompanied by severe headaches or eye discomfort

Severe Eye Pain or Discomfort

Sharp or persistent eye pain is not typical of dry eye syndrome and may indicate an underlying eye condition requiring immediate evaluation by an eye care specialist.

Sudden Changes in Vision

Rapid changes in vision clarity, especially if accompanied by halos around lights or double vision, may indicate a serious eye problem that requires prompt medical attention.

Redness, Swelling, or Discharge

Sometimes, it’s difficult for patients to tell the difference between these symptoms because it’s shared with dry eye syndrome. However, the sudden onset of significant eye redness, swelling, or discharge may indicate an acute eye infection or inflammatory condition requiring urgent evaluation and treatment. When in doubt, seek out an eye doctor. It’s far better to get help and not need it than to need help and not get it.