What are dry eyes?

Dry eye syndrome is a general term for the breakdown of the tear film that protects the eye’s front surface. It is the most common symptomatic eye condition treated at my practice. The most common cause is blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction, there are also a plethora of other causes for dry eyes. Dry eye syndrome causes chronic, tired, uncomfortable eyes. The symptoms range from mild to severe and include burning, stinging, itching, sandy, gritty, scratchy foreign body sensations causing excessive tearing and matting or caking of the eyelashes. The eyelids can stick together, particularly on waking and can cause intermittent redness and blurred vision. The symptoms are worse when reading, watching TV, driving, using computers and in air-conditioned or windy environments. It leads to light sensitivity, eye pain and headaches, heavy eyelids, frequent blinking and eye fatigue.