What is Dry Eye?

Dry eye is a common eye condition that occurs when there are no sufficient or poor quality tears to lubricate the eye. Tears are important to make your eyes healthy.

Who is at Risk for Dry Eye?

Older adults particularly people over 65 are at greater risk of dry eye. This is because as you get older, you tend to produce fewer tears. Production of tears diminishes as you age.

What Causes Dry Eye?

Dry eye is typically caused by the imbalance of tear production. Other factors that may cause dry eyes are age and gender. As mentioned earlier, the risk for dry eye increases after age 65. On the other hand, women are more likely to have dry eyes than men because of their hormonal changes due to pregnancy, menopause, and use of oral contraceptives.

Also, staring at a computer screen for a long time without blinking may lead to drying of the eyes.

What are the Symptoms of Dry Eye?

When a person has dry eyes, he or she may experience blurry vision, pain, scratchiness, itching, light sensitivity, and foreign body sensation or feeling.

How is  Dry Eye Treated?

Dry eye can be treated by increasing tear production, adding tears using artificial tears, and treating the part of the eye that contributes to the said eye condition. It is best to consult an optometrist.

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