What are Dry Eye & Dry Eyes Doctors?

Our eyes need tears to stay healthy and comfortable. If your eyes do not produce enough tears, it is called dry eye. Dry eye is also when your eyes do not make the correct type of tears or tear film. Dry Eyes Doctors treat these symptoms carefully.

Typically, our eyes constantly make tears to stay moist. If our eyes are irritated, or we cry, our eyes create a lot of tears. But, sometimes, the eyes don’t make enough tears, or something affects one or more layers of the tear film. In those cases, we end up with dry eyes.

Dry Eye Symptoms

Here are some of the symptoms of dry eye:

• Stinging and burning sensation
• Blurred vision, especially when reading
• A scratchy or gritty feeling like something is in your eye
• Strings of mucus in or around your eyes
• Your eyes are red or irritated, especially when exposed to wind or cigarette smoke
• It is painful to wear contact lenses
• You have lots of tears in your eyes

Having a lot of tears in your eyes with a dry eye might sound odd. But your eyes make more tears when they are irritated by dry eyes.

Dry Eye Causes

People tend to make fewer tears as they get older due to hormonal changes. Both men and women can get dry eyes. However, it is more common in women, especially those who have gone through menopause.

Here are some other causes of dry eye:

• Certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, thyroid disease, and lupus
• Blepharitis (when eyelids are swollen or red)
• Entropion (when eyelids turn in); ectropion (eyelids turn outward)
• Being in smoke, wind, or an arid climate
• Looking at a computer screen for a long time, reading, and other activities that reduce blinking
• Using contact lenses for a long time
• Having refractive eye surgery, such as LASIK
• Taking certain medicines, such as:
  • Diuretics (water pills) for high blood pressure
  • Beta-blockers for heart problems or high blood pressure
  • Allergy and cold medicines (antihistamines)
  • Sleeping pills
  • Anxiety and antidepressant medicines
  • Heartburn medicines

Tell your ophthalmologist about all the prescription and non-prescription medicines you take.

Dry Eye Doctor and Treatment in Calgary

Your ophthalmologist will begin with an eye exam. He or she will look at your eyelids and the surface of the eye. They will also check how you blink.

Many different tests help diagnose dry eyes. Your ophthalmologist may do a test that measures the quality or the thickness of your tears. He or she may also measure how quickly you produce tears and the health of your tear-producing glands in the eyelids.

What is best for your eyes?

There are many different ways of managing your dry eyes, and we shall explain to you in detail what is the best for your dry eye condition and the economics of each method.