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By Melissa Tennen, HealthAtoZ writer
Tears aren't just for crying. They help moisturize and lubricate the eye to help you see. However, if your eyes feel dry, irritated and uncomfortable, you may have a condition known as chronic dry eye.
This happens when the eyes don't produce the right amount or right quality of tears. Tears are a combination of water, oils, mucus and special proteins, which are secreted by special glands around the eye. Chronic dry eye occurs when there is an imbalance of these substances and not enough tears to lubricate the eye.
Because this is often caused by hormonal changes, it affects many women after menopause. As many as one in 12 women over 50 have chronic dry eye. It's a serious condition that can lead to a higher risk for infection and permanent vision problems.
The symptoms are dry, itchy eyes and blurry vision, making it difficult for those who suffer from chronic dry eye to go about their daily lives. They may feel like there is something in their eyes, and the eyes may hurt, itch and become red. These symptoms may worsen later in the day. Tears running down the face of a person with chronic dry eye are an indication that the eyes aren't getting enough lubrication.
Allergy medications, antihistamines, decongestants, some blood pressure or heart medications, hormone therapy, environmental factors, contact lenses and certain medical conditions may also cause symptoms.
See your doctor for a full evaluation. While there isn't a cure for chronic dry eye, there are treatments to help relieve symptoms. Artificial tear drops and ointments are available over the counter. You may need to experiment with different brands before finding the right one. Use these drops even when your eyes feel OK. You can try a lubricant for your eyes at night. There are eye drops called Restasis® that help your eyes produce its own tears so you won't have to use artificial eye drops as often.
Your doctor may try a procedure called temporary punctal occlusion. This involves placing temporary plugs in the ducts, which drain tears out of the eye. It's a painless procedure. This will help your doctor determine if a permanent punctal occlusion will help you. The doctor would then use silicone plugs to hold the tears around the eyes.
Your doctor can also try surgery to permanently close the ducts, which allows more tears to remain around the eyes.
If you have chronic dry eye, the following tips may make coping easier:
- If you wear contacts, ask your doctor what kind to get. There are several made for people with chronic dry eye. You can also change to glasses whenever it's convenient.
- Take breaks and blink your eyes when reading or using a computer.
- Wear wrap-around sunglasses to keep wind from blowing into your eyes.
- Use a humidifier to keep the air moist.
- Don't rub your eyes.
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External Source
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The National Women's Health Resource Center
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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