Dry Eyes

What Are Dry Eyes?

If your eyes are always dry, itchy, or watery, you may have a condition known as dry eye syndrome. At Catonsville Eye Group, the expert optometrists diagnose and treat dry eye syndrome at their friendly, welcoming practice in Catonsville, Maryland. You don’t have to put up with painful, itchy eyes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is dry eye syndrome?

Dry eye syndrome is a condition where your eyes either don’t produce enough tears or don’t produce a sufficient quality of tears. Three layers of liquid make up your tears. If any of the layers is lacking, your tears won’t keep your eyes moist and clean, leading to dry eye symptoms.

The outermost layer contains an oil, which keeps your tears smooth and prevents them from evaporating too quickly. The middle, and largest, layer of your tears is made up of water, which rinses your eyes and keeps them clean. The inner layer has mucus, which spreads the tears over your eyes and helps your tears stick to your eyes, keeping them moist.

What are the symptoms of dry eye?

In addition to making your eyes feel dry and itchy, dry eye syndrome also causes excessive tearing and watery eyes. This is because your body tries to compensate for poor-quality tears by creating more. Other symptoms include:

Stinging or burning sensation
Gritty feeling, or as if something is in your eye
Strings of mucus around your eyes or crust when you wake up
Red eye
Pain when wearing contact lenses

Make an appointment with the expert optometrists at Catonsville Eye Group for diagnosis and treatment if you experience any of these symptoms.

How is dry eye diagnosed and treated?

The team at Catonsville Eye Group measure the different components of your tears to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye syndrome. The optometrists at Catonsville Eye Group offer several treatments for dry eye syndrome. They may suggest that you try nutraceutical supplements such as PRN’s Dry Eye Omega Benefits®. Your doctor may also recommend that you use artificial tears or Ocusoft® products like Retaine MGD® and scrubs and foams like Hypochlor® to keep your eyes moist and clean.

Your doctor can also prescribe medications to help you produce more better-quality tears. In some cases, where artificial tears and other treatments haven’t resolved your symptoms, they may suggest a procedure in which they place punctal plugs in your tear ducts to help your eyes conserve tears.