From sunglasses to ski googles and visors and cages, there’s nothing we wouldn’t do to give our eyes the comfort and / or protection they need. Makes sense, as sight is darn important and one of the most critical of the 5 senses. Preventing a disease is much more challenging than avoid squinting though, and dry eye disease is a real bother for people who are unfortunate enough to have it. It’s unpleasant to have discomfort due to underactive tear ducts, and fortunately dry eye symptoms can be relieved with restasis eye drops or a similar Rx eye drop.
Those two tear ducts have prime spots in the corner of our eyes and for most people they stay unaffected day in and out, while lubricating the eyes at the just the right amount. It’s simple to say we don’t pay any attention to them at all. But when dry eye symptoms come on because of dry eye disease, then it is inflammation that has caused the duct dysfunction. When they become inflamed, they are less able to produce the lubrication that your eyes need to be able to move as they do in your head. And it is interesting to learn how eyes move and all the different neurons and muscles that contribute to that.
Having to get glasses due to declining eyesight is common as you get into your late 40s, and it turns out that being over the age of 50 increases a person’s risk of getting dry eye disease. Tear production reduces for everyone as they get older, and for many people who have the predisposition for dry eye disease this is what takes the condition to the point where the eyes are unbearably dry.
There can be other causes of dry eye, and people can have different dry eye symptoms than others based on the unique physiology of the eye itself. And in rarer cases it can be that the tear production isn’t that compromised, but the issue is more with improper chemical composition to your tears. There are actually 3 different types of tears, and it’s basal tears that coat the eye, supply nutrients to outer structures, and keep the eye from drying out. When it comes to dry eye symptoms, it’s the last part of that we are going to take note of.
Sometimes the next best thing is nearly as good as the real thing, and when it comes to artificial tears, the ones in Restasis eye drops often make the grade for people suffering with dry eyes. The ones that we will empathize with even more are the ones who have dry eyes due to allergies. Tear production is part of the body’s natural relief to the allergic response, and people dealing with dry eyes may be in a worse way when they’re dealing with seasonal allergies or any other type where the eye becomes inflamed.
Knowing dry eye symptoms can lead a person to see their doctor or ophthalmologist sooner, and that’s always going to be best. These symptoms include:
More serious dry eye symptoms that should lead you to seek immediate medical attention are blurred vision or vision less, or any sign of an infection showing itself in the eyes with severe inflammation and / or fluid discharge. In rarer instances excessive tear production may occur as the ducts attempt to overcompensate. This happens rarely and the standard dry eye symptoms are much more common.
Dry eye disease can be caused by simply growing older and having the eyes grow old themselves like every other part of the body does. But it may also be caused by other factors, including:
Dry eye drops that provide artificial tears are a temporary solution, but a more extensive course of treatment may be needed to determine the underlying physiological causes of dry eyes.
Restasis eye drops are a common dry eyes treatment, and your doctor will usually write a prescription for it or another artificial tears medication. People with more severe cases of it may have a gel or ointment recommended instead. There is also a type of small plug that can be inserted in the corner of the eyelids to slow drainage and loss of tears. Changes to your diet can help too, including getting more fish or flax seed oil.