Dry Eye
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.