Dry Eye Can Impact Your Lifestyle

Dry eye is characterized by a chronic lack of moisture on the eye’s surface, which can cause disruptions to your lifestyle:

  • visual task difficulties
  • constant eye drop use
  • difficulties adapting to sunshine
  • inability to wear contact lenses

Dry eye symptoms include:

  • irritation
  • eye grittiness
  • burning/stinging sensations
  • redness
  • discharge
  • tiredness
  • itching
  • vision disturbances
  • light sensitivity

Treatment

At the Conlon Eye Institute, we provide customized eye kits to meet your needs.

Dry Eye FAQ

Q: What causes dry eye?

A: Causes of dry eye include:

  • Environmental factors – air conditioning, heaters, etc.
  • Lifestyle factors – poor diet
  • Drug side-effects (ex. with antihistamines)
  • Systemic disorders – Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and collagen vascular diseases
  • Insufficient eyelid closure/blinking
  • Tear-flow system imbalance
  • Hormonal changes

Q: What is Meibomian Gland Dysfunction?

A: Mebomian glands produce meibum, an oily substance that prevents evaporation of the eye’s tear film. Meibomian gland dysfunction is a blockage of these glands, causing a lack of this protective oil in your tears.

Q: How common is dry eye?

A: Dry eye is a common eye condition, with approximately thirty percent of Canadian’s experiencing dry eye associated ocular symptoms.

Q: How is dry eye diagnosed?

A: Tests used to diagnose dry eyes include:

  • Comprehensive Eye Exam. Includes a complete medical and ocular health history used to diagnose dry eye causes
  • Schirmer test. A tear volume measurement using paper blotting strips placed under the lower eyelids. The test measures the amount of tears soaking the strip in a five minute duration.
  • Tear quality determination. Uses eyedrop dyes to determine your eye’s surface condition by examining corneal staining patterns and tear evaporation rates.

Q: Can I wear contact lenses with dry eye?

A: Contact lenses may exacerbate dry eye symptoms. Many contact lens manufacturers have developed contact lenses for dry eyes. Consult with Dr. Conlon if your contact lenses pose such a problem.