What Are the Symptoms of Dry Eye Disease?
Dry eye disease is one of the most common eye conditions. According to the American Optometric Association, more than 16 million Americans suffer from the disease, part of a much larger dry epidemic of 344 million people who have the condition worldwide. This extremely irritating condition is primarily caused by a lack of tear film that lubricates your eyes. This leads to a pervasive feeling of itchiness or burning in the early stages and can even progress to have major consequences if not treated.
Despite this, many people suffer in silence, opting to “wait out” their symptoms, chalking them up to allergies. Others attempt to rely on over-the-counter treatments that may or may not be effective. The result is a condition that often goes undiagnosed in its early stages and doesn’t receive adequate treatment.
The truth is, there are many different causes of dry eyes, all of which require different treatment methods. Attempting to treat your eyes with the “wait and see” method often produces a lot of sore, tired eyes that could be appropriately treated if the patient had just gone to an eye doctor to get diagnosed and treated in the first place. In some severe cases, people with a prolonged history of dry eyes may even experience frequent eye infections or permanent damage to their vision.
So are your red, swollen, itchy peepers the result of a bit of hay fever, or something more serious? The expert eye doctors at Clarkson Eyecare are here to help you tell the difference. Read on to discover the symptoms of dry eyes, their causes, what serious signs to look out for, and when to see an eye care professional.
What Constitutes Dry Eye Syndrome?
Before getting into the symptoms and causes of dry eyes, it’s important to understand a little bit about the condition first. Eye doctors distinguish dry eye syndrome as a condition in which your eyes aren’t making enough tears, or the quality of the tear film is not adequate to support comfortable, clear eyes.
The conjunctiva is a clear mucous membrane that covers the white of the eyes. Mucous membranes are typically found in canals or openings that connect the inside of your body to the outside world. They serve an important function in your immune system among other roles. They generally need to be kept wet or moist to function properly. In the case of the eyes, tears are produced to keep them lubricated, protect the surface from foreign bodies, and even help with clear sight.
When your eyes don’t produce a sufficient amount of tears, or there are changes to the composition of tears, it can cause issues.
The Composition of Tears
Your tear glands produce tears to lubricate the surface of the eye. Tears are usually composed of three layers:
Mucous
Water
Lipid oils
The mucous layer is closest to the eye, while the middle watery layer that makes up over 90% of all the tear film is what helps keep the eye lubricated and protects against foreign bacteria or objects. The lipid, or oil layer, is the topmost layer of the tear and is responsible for preventing the middle fluid layer of your tears from evaporating. Damage to the lipid layer can cause issues with the quality of the tears. People often report having too many tears, or even non-emotional ‘crying.’ This is because the eye often tries to make up for it with over-production of tears.
Common Dry Eye Symptoms
Most cases of dry eye often have several symptoms in common that are easily recognizable. These are pretty much universal regardless of the cause of your dry eye syndrome. These are:
A burning, itchy, or scratchy sensation in the eye
Redness or swelling
Blurry vision
Sensitivity to light
Watery eyes
Burning, Itchy, or Scratchy Eyes
This is usually the defining symptom of dry eyes. As tear production breaks down, your eye stops receiving the lubrication it needs. The eyes dry out, causing the uncomfortable, gritty feelings associated with dry eyes. Some patients also describe this sensation as having a foreign object or something lodged in the eye that you just can’t quite seem to get rid of.
Redness and Swelling
Once the eyes lose their lubrication, they become irritated. The itchy sensation may prompt you to try rubbing your eyes, further inflaming the surface of the eye and leading to a red and puffy look.
Blurry Vision
One of the functions of tears we often take for granted is their assistance with clear vision. When the eyes begin to dry out, or tear quality drops, vision becomes cloudy as the eyes no longer have the lubrication they need to successfully do their job.
Sensitivity to Light
Dry eyes cause a sensitivity to light for similar reasons to blurry vision outlined above. Tears are important for helping your eyes focus light on the cornea. When tears are either missing or of low quality, the surface of your eye may no longer be smooth. This causes difficulties with focusing light where it needs to go in the eye which produces feelings of light sensitivity (photophobia).
Additional Dry Eye Symptoms to Watch For
Ironically, dry eye syndrome can also manifest as increased tear production as your eyes try to compensate for your dry eyes with excessive, low-quality tear production. Two symptoms to watch out for that could indicate specific issues with your eye are:
Irritated, watery eyes
Stringy mucous in or around the eye
Watery Eyes
As your dry eyes attempt to lubricate themselves, sometimes the body responds by overproducing tears. This leads to eyes that are irritated and extremely watery. However, because the original cause of the excessive tearing is dry eyes, it is still considered a symptom of dry eye disease.
Watery eyes can potentially be a sign of a larger issue with the quality of tear production such as an autoimmune response to conditions like ocular rosacea.
Mucous In and Around the Eyes
As discussed earlier, normal tears consist of three layers. When there are problems with the middle aqueous layer, it can cause the lipid oil and mucous layers to come together. This produces a stringy, mucous discharge in and around the eyes.
Similar to watery dry eyes, this symptom can indicate there’s a larger problem with tear production that requires further diagnosis and treatment.
When to See a Doctor for Dry Eyes
Generally speaking, if you exhibit symptoms of dry eyes (itchy, irritated, red, eyes) for a long period of time, you need to see a doctor. Prolonged dry eyes can damage the surface of the eye leading to vision damage. In addition, chronic dry eye can be an indication that a larger issue with your eyes is at play. Getting diagnosis and treatment for the underlying cause of your dry eyes can also treat your dry eyes.
Aside from prolonged symptoms, if your eyes water excessively or produce a mucus discharge, these could be signs of issues with tear production. There are many different conditions that can cause issues with tear production, ranging from autoimmune diseases to blocked oil glands in the eyelids, but all of them will require an experienced eye doctor to diagnose them and provide a suitable treatment plan. The “wait and see” approach likely will not be enough to resolve these issues, and over-the-counter treatments will only serve to treat the symptoms while ignoring the causes of your condition.
When to Seek Emergency Eye Treatment
There are some symptoms associated with dry eye disease that signal you may need emergency treatment for an underlying eye condition. These include:
Severe eye pain
Sudden changes or loss of vision
Mucous discharge that worsens
Severe Eye Pain
Dry eyes are often associated with an itching or burning sensation. If you begin to experience a sharp pain, or pain significantly worsens, it’s likely a sign you have an underlying eye condition that needs immediate treatment.
Sudden Changes or Loss of Vision
Dry eyes can make your vision blurry, but if you experience a sudden, sharp decrease in vision, or vision loss is accompanied by severe headaches or migraines, you need to see an eye doctor right away. Significant, quick vision loss is not a typical symptom of dry eyes.
Worsening Mucous Discharge
If you notice your mucous discharge is sticking around for a while, is getting significantly thicker, or begins to darken in color, seek immediate eye care assistance. This may be a sign you have an eye infection, which can cause significant damage to your eye and even blindness if left untreated.
When it comes to your eyesight, it’s much better to err on the side of caution. If you think you may have an eye condition requiring emergency treatment, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor immediately.
Get Your Dry Eyes Treated at Clarkson Eyecare
Regardless of the cause of your dry eyes or how severe they are, no one should have to suffer in silence. Clarkson Eyecare has hundreds of offices across the United States with dedicated dry eye experts ready to help you find relief. Our eye doctors combine training in the latest diagnostic technologies with years of treatment experience to provide only the highest quality of care.
Dry eye relief is only a call or click away. Find a Clarkson Eyecare near you to schedule an appointment today!