Dry Eye Diseases

Dry eye disease has a variety of causes and consequences. Patients suffering from dry eye will experience symptoms including; eye inflammation, eye irritation, feelings of warmth, heat or the sensation of a foreign body on the eye surface, dry, sore or aching eyes, eye fatigue and, in extreme cases, scratching or scarring of the front surface of the eye (the cornea).

Ironically, a common symptom of dry eye is excess tears (‘epiphora’), where there is an overproduction of water running out of the eyes. This is often embarrassing to the sufferer as they are often thought to be crying.

Dry eye is the result of an inadequate or low-quality tear film on the surface of the eye. Tears are an important contributor to the health of our eyes and assist in the lubrication between the eye and eyelids. The tear film is made up of 3 layers; an oily layer, a water layer and a mucous layer.