Dry
If you’ve ever experienced the discomfort of stinging, burning, or scratching in your eyes, encountered stringy mucus, heightened sensitivity to light, redness, or struggled with blurred vision and eye fatigue, you might be familiar with the common yet often underestimated ailment—dry eyes.
Symptoms include:
- A sensation of stinging, burning, or scratching in the eyes.
- Presence of stringy mucus in or around the eyes.
- Increased sensitivity to light.
- Redness in the eyes.
- Feeling as though something is in the eyes.
- Challenges with wearing contact lenses.
- Difficulty driving at night.
- Excessive tearing, which is the body’s response to the irritation caused by dry eyes.
- Blurred vision or eye fatigue.
Why might I have dry eyes?
Dry eye disease, characterized by inadequate tear production or poor-quality tears, can lead to inflammation and damage to the eye’s surface, resulting in a spectrum of uncomfortable symptoms. These symptoms are not limited to specific scenarios, as individuals with dry eyes may find themselves grappling with discomfort during air travel, in air-conditioned environments, while cycling, or after prolonged computer use.
If persistent signs and symptoms of dry eyes, such as redness, irritation, fatigue, or discomfort, are impacting your daily life, it’s advisable to seek the expertise of your optometrist.
