Symptoms of Chronic Dry Eye disease
Chronic Dry Eye disease, or just “dry eye” is a condition that can vary from person to person, but common symptoms include:
- dryness
- an itchy sensation
- a stinging, burning sensation
- a gritty or sandy sensation
- sensitivity to light
- excessive tearing
- blurry vision or difficulty seeing at night
Experiencing dry eye symptoms can be temporary for some people, while others find that recurring dry eye disease symptoms can limit their daily activities that involve: reading, driving at night, watching TV, working on the computer, and/or wearing contact lenses.
Surprisingly there are a large number of Americans that endure the discomfort and frustration of living with the symptoms of chronic dry eye. Approximately 5 million Americans experience symptoms of dry eye and many may not even know they have it.
What Causes Chronic Dry Eye disease?
You may not be aware of it, but every time you blink, your tears are spread across the front surface of your eyes and are continually covered by this tear film – a layer of fluid that is designed to stay stable between blinks.
This stable tear film protects and lubricates the eyes, reduced the risk of eye infection, washes away foreign particles, and keeps the surface of the eyes smooth and clear.
Potential Consequences of Chronic Dry Eye
If your eyes don’t make or maintain the right quality of tears, your tear film may become unstable and break down. This can create dry spots and cause irritation on the front surface of your eye, and may develop into Chronic Dry Eye disease. Over time, Chronic Dry Eye may have potential consequences for your eyes, including:
- damage to the eye surface
- increased risk of eye infection
- effects on your vision
You may have thought that you could deal with your dry eye problem on your own, but if you have questions or concerns about Chronic Dry Eye, talking to your eye doctor is crucial.
The doctors and staff at Wiles Eye Center in Kansas City and St. Joseph are highly skilled professionals and can address your concerns about dry eye disease. If you would like to speak with one of our eye care professionals about your dry eye disease concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our Dry Eye Center today at 816.934.4956
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