Dry eyes is a condition that occurs when the eyes do not produce the proper amount of tears nor the correct quality of tears in order for eyes to be healthy and lubricated. Dry eyes can be a very uncomfortable condition and if it goes untreated the issue may damage or hinder vision. The symptoms of dry eyes vary, but include stinging, burning, redness, and scratchy sensations, which feel like foriegn debris in the eye. In addition, some patients may have stringy mucus around the eyes, sensitivity to light, redness, difficulty with nighttime driving, difficulty wearing contacts, blurred vision, eye fatigue, and watery eyes.

Common underlying causes of dry eyes include:

1. Natural aging
Unfortunately, dry eyes tend to affect individuals over the age of 50-years old. This is in large part due to the fact that with age, the ability to properly produce tears drastically declines. Therefore, natural aging is a common cause of dry eyes.

2. Sjogren’s syndrome
In addition to other natural factors, there are certain medical conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome that may also be a factor for individuals suffering from dry eyes. As a result of certain medical conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome, various glands become inflamed which in turn reduces the ability for the body to produce tears.

3. Medication usage
There are certain medications, like antidepressants, that can also be a contributing factor to dry eyes. There is a lengthy list of medications that can contribute to individuals having issues with dry eyes. Just a few of these medications are drugs for treating hypertension, diuretics, antihistamines, decongestants, hormones, pain relievers, and antidepressants.

4. Increased tear evaporation
It can be common for many people suffering from dry eyes to have increased tear evaporation. What this means is that tears become evaporated more quickly due to a deficient tear film lipid layer. Additionally, this also tends to indicate that the tears do not contain the proper amount of oil in order to prevent them from evaporating so rapidly.

5. Tear gland damage
Research has shown that tear gland damage is common due to radiation treatment for cancer. When patients undergo strong amounts of radiation; it can have effects elsewhere in the body. The high doses of radiation have a tendency to shrink the lacrimal duct within the eyes. This duct is responsible for draining tears from the eyes.

Luckily there are various dry eye treatments available depending on the severity of the condition, including over the counter eye drops, gel lubricants, plugs, gland expressing, pulsed light, nutritional supplements, and even home remedies, such as warm compresses and use of a humidifier.

For example by utilizing dry eye drops there have been countless patients that have reported immense improvements with their conditions. There are natural eye drops, steroid eye drops, There are several various eye drop options that people can choose from; therefore, it is important to work closely with a physician in order to pick the safest option.